The Journey to Bethlehem
What’s happening in this scene?
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
Luke’s Gospel chapter 2 verses 1-5
God had planned this even longer ago:
‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’
Micah chapter 5 verse 2
What does it mean today?
Families and places are important. They help us to feel like we belong. When God sent Jesus into the world, he placed him in a real family, with a family history and strong connections to places and people. Jesus knew what it was like to live in a human family, and what it’s like to be separated from loved ones. In Jesus, we can all be part of one big family of God.
How can we respond?
This year, because of the pandemic, we may not be able to visit family members who live elsewhere and we may not be able to spend Christmas in familiar places. There will be many in our community spending Christmas alone because they have no family, or because their work or other circumstances prevent them. Think about how you might reach out to a lonely neighbour or friend to remind them they’re loved by you and by God, who is Father to us all.
