We Marvel
With the birth of another grandchild this past month I was reminded of the impact that the birth of a child has on a family. When everything goes as it should, all is excitement, all is wonder, all is joy. Much is said about the new addition to the family, gifts are given, visits made, pictures taken and good will is everywhere to be found.
After a few weeks, however, things change. Life can become a 24/7 slog as feedings and changings seem to follow endlessly one, right after another. Diapers there are aplenty but can there ever be enough clean cloths into which to change the freshly-diapered child? And far from disappearing, all of the other responsibilities of life continue: Someone has to work; someone has to clean; someone has to move other children from point a to point b, someone has to cook.
Yes! The new child is adorable! But what a whirlwind of change he or she brings to all lives involved! The excitement of birth quickly is forgotten as the stress of life, of daily life ramps up and the wisdom of having children can begin to be questioned.
What were we thinking? Can we do this? Do we have even the slightest clue as to what we are doing? As to what the future holds?
And then, well, someone says something nice about the baby. That it is cute. That he or she looks like you or your spouse. That you look like you are doing a good job parenting.
In a moment, with just a few words, you find yourself back at the hospital, the baby just being born, and good will being expressed by all.
Undoubtedly something similar happened to Mary and Joseph. The glories of Christmas, of the angels and shepherds, were marvelous. But apparently forgotten quickly as Simeon’s words to them in the temple in Jerusalem caught them completely off guard. They marveled.
And we marvel, we marvel on the Sundays after Christmas when we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christmas wonder is past and daily slog is present and we wonder what has happened? Why the difference between Christmas-Eve wonder and every-Sunday normal?
But then we hear the gospel once again. We hear the Good News about the baby Jesus, that He is our salvation, prepared by our Father in heaven, for all people!
And we are back at Christmas again! At peace on earth! At good will toward men.