We're accustomed to thinking of Christmas as a commemoration, a day in which we remember the birth of Jesus. However, for those who personally lived the events of the first Christmas, that day was far more than a festival, far more than a time to exchange presents. It was a profound life experience.
The narrative in the Gospels about the birth of Jesus includes details that give us a glimpse of what this experience represented individually for each one involved in the nativity. For example, months before the birth, Mary had had to overcome doubt and fear when she found that she was expecting a baby fathered by the Holy Ghost. Joseph, for his part, being a person of integrity, may have struggled with pride and prejudice. But then he heard the message from the angel that told him to accept Mary and the child who would be born. Supported by the angel messages, these two grew spiritually and prepared themselves for the first Christmas.
When the couple did not find an inn in Bethlehem and they had to face the birth of their firstborn in a stable, they needed much trust in God and spiritual conviction about their divine mission. For them, the occasion must have been an experience of divine revelation, of spiritual victory, and of communion with God.
