One of the most poignant phrases in the entire story of the birth of Christ comes in St Luke’s Gospel: “There was no room for them in the inn.” The Gospels are obviously about Jesus Christ. They record the things he said, the things he did, and the things that happened to him. But they are not at all like modern biographies of famous people, which go into great detail about their birth, their upbringing, the people and events that shaped their lives and so on. By comparison, the “biography” of Jesus that appears in the Gospels contains very little information indeed. It is quite possible that no modern publisher would bother to publish a book on the basis of so little. Their advice to an author would be “go away and do some more homework. We want a lot more information” And yet these scanty writings have shaped and moulded the fortunes of the world. This is partly because they contain a great deal more than they seem to contain at first sight. Almost every phrase contains a universe of significance. “There was no room for them in the inn” is one of them. We would expect that God’s arrival should be greeted by civic receptions, freedoms of cities, honorary degrees and all the other things that surround famous and successful people everywhere. It didn’t happen in this case. Instead he was consigned to the ranks of those who do not matter, the unimportant, expendable, despised and insignificant ones who populate the world. That is where he is still to be found. “There was no room for them in the inn.” This is no casual, throw-away remark. It is meant to be profoundly disturbing, not least for those who claim to give him their allegiance. It challenges them to find him where he is least expected, with the marginalised and the outcast of today’s world. Many people say “Christmas is really only for the children.” Of course it is for children with their innocence and capacity for delight and wonder. How could children fail to be enchanted by angels, shepherds, babies and stars? Even a manger has its magical attractions. But it is also a time very much for adults, as they discover with growing experience to see that these same simple, attractive stories lead them into much deeper waters, to encounter afresh the God whom they worship. A very happy and richly blessed Christmas to all. +Donal Murray, Bishop of Limerick +Michael Mayes, Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe December 2003 |