God’s family on the move

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Mary knew it. And Joseph did, too. And yet, despite Mary’s being great with child, they left their home in Nazareth of Galilee to travel to Bethlehem of Judea when God and civic duty called.

Like the Holy Family, I didn’t want to move. We were comfortable in our community, moored in our ministries. And yet, because God’s call once again proved irresistible, off we went in September from the relative warmth of Louisville, Kentucky, to the lake effect snow and bitter cold temperatures of Rochester, New York.

There’s never a good time to move.

But this last move was easy compared with the one we made nearly 30 years ago. Great with child myself at that time, I remember sitting on the floor of my church office, staring up at the crowded bookshelves and down at the empty packing boxes, immobilized and in tears. I couldn’t move. And yet somehow, I did.

Somehow, with our soon-to-be-born daughter Elizabeth — named for Mary’s visit to her similarly expectant cousin in the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel — leaping for joy in my womb, and my husband John’s steady hand coaxing me onward, we packed up and drove off.

And not surprisingly, all these many years and several moves later, some of those same boxes remain unopened. Such are the realities of moving.

And this first Christmas in our new home has proved especially challenging. At the bottom of which unpacked box, we wondered, would we find our family’s Christmas stockings? No matter, really, since there’s no fireplace or mantel here on which to hang them. But, even more importantly, where was John’s Nativity collection? That discovery was far more critical, because Elizabeth’s annual tradition has always been to arrange — and rearrange — each beloved grouping of figures, a practice she planned to teach our one-year-old grandson Elijah this year.

Just as we were about to despair of ever finding them, the angel’s words never rang truer: “Fear not!”

For amidst all the boxes, open or not, stacked high in our basement, the Nativity set we bought for Elijah last year in anticipation of this very moment rose to the top.

It was a sign. In a miraculous season filled with signs and wonders.

There’s never a good time to move. But at Christmas, whatever journey — whether arduous or easy — has led us to this day, let us rejoice in the miracle of resilience that brought us wherever we are; and that sent Mary and Joseph to the city of David to deliver to us a Savior, who never ceases to surprise and delight us with the good news of great joy for all people.

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on Earth peace, goodwill among people. Amen.