A Christmas Journey of Prayer* Then the word came with the iron of empire forged in it:...of enrollment. Lands and provinces, they’d said, and men and citizens and slaves. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…to be enrolled with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. And then, a door was closed behind them, and the sound was loud in isolated emphasis against the stillness and the dawn’s cold fog… A woolen shawl and wrappings clutched together for the cold enveloped her… A final glance had shut away this house that had been hers, the echo of her movement fades to silence… It’s true enough, that they had often stopped, and she had gone, as one among the rest of women then to find relief against the road’s fatigues, and when the fires were made, she worked among them in the fading day. Did they not know? Could they not feel the nearness?...The Source? Already, some unheld reflection of the questing light that was to rest forever in His eyes, looked out from hers as answering, she said: “To Bethlehem.”

For Reflection: “Enveloped her…” In addition to the cold, what else do you think enveloped Mary as she trod the distance to Bethlehem? What is suggested throughout the poem? What do you think enveloped Joseph? What envelops you now? What do you make of the last four lines—consider them in light of the previous GraceLines.

*Excerpts from A Woman Wrapped In Silence by John W. Lynch, Paulist Press, Inc.

In Conversation With God Vol 1 Advent/Christmas Francis Fernandez-Carvajal Pb 387 pgs

In Mary we confirm the truth that generosity is a virtue of great souls, who know how to find their reward in the act of giving:  you received without pay, give without pay. A generous person knows how to be loving and understanding and how to give material help - without demanding love, understanding or help in return.  He gives and forgets he has given, and in this lies his riches. He has understood that it is better to give than to receive....love is a conscious decision of the will to draw close to other people. To be able to love truly it is important to be detached from everything and, especially, from self, to give gratuitously...This detachment from self is the source of a balanced personality.  It is the secret of happiness.