“How can this be since I am a virgin?”  Mary

“And they brought forth their firstborn son and wrapped him and swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.” Luke 2

What comes to mind when you hear the above passages?  Most likely some type of image of Mary piously and prayerfully conversing with an angel, or maybe the pristine scene of a creche, so common during the Christmas season.  While so very comforting, these types of images cover the trauma that is part and parcel of the Christmas story.

Consider for a moment the trauma that Mary was facing.  She was an unwed mother living in a culture that stoned women for adultery.  This announcement by the angel could very well have been her death sentence.

Or what about Joseph?  We are told that when he heard this news he had in mind to divorce Mary quietly.  We know that being a “righteous man” he didn’t do that.  Nonetheless he was still saddled not only with the responsibility of providing for a new family for which he was unprepared, but also the potential shame of being betrothed to a harlot. Trauma.

Then there was the journey to Bethlehem.  It was in a sense a journey of immigrants, going to a place with Mary full term, where they may or may not have had any familial or tribal support.  Trauma.

And of course, there was the birth itself, in the most basic of settings with the very real prospect of Mary, or Jesus, or both dying in childbirth.  Trauma.

And sometime later there was the escape to Egypt where they would live as refugees. Trauma.

The Christmas story that we so cherish is one filled with trauma.  It is good for us to keep this in mind for at least two reasons.

The first is that we live in a world filled with trauma.  Yes, there is the trauma that we see being played out on our Televisions, laptops, and phones with innocent individuals murdered, tyrants who terrorize women and children, hostages taken by Hamas.  That is horrible and horrific, but the trauma hits much closer to home, as our own communities are beset by immigrants and those who have no home, just like the holy family.  The trauma that they have experienced in fleeing persecution or finding themselves in such situations are traumatic.  But the trauma is even closer than that.  For the truth is that with very few exceptions each person who has lived this life, walked this earth, has experienced trauma in various shapes and sizes. 

There is the trauma of childhood abuse, rape, robbery, sickness, divorce, untimely death of loved ones, losing property and possessions, being diagnosed with dementia or an incurable disease . . . the list goes on and on and on and on.  Trauma hits us in our deepest, most emotional, most spiritual self.  What is your trauma?  And how have you, how do you, cope with it?

There are many healthy possibilities, one of which is through an intentional, deliberate, devoted, spiritual practice.  Because trauma is something that is experienced so deeply, it takes something that delves deeply into our innermost depths to provide healing.  I personally believe this is where the story of the first Christmas can be so beneficial.  For this baby who was born into trauma also lived and died in trauma, and through this “Christ Spirit” actually promises to dwell within us to slowly, lovingly, compassionately, provide healing for whatever trauma we’ve experienced. 

As I enter into this Christmas season my intention to focus on this word trauma, this condition with which so many are afflicted, and to utilize the familiar story and scenes of the Christmas story to provide healing, for myself and others.