Luke 1:26–35; Matthew 1:18–25

A baby in a manger. A star high above. A widemouthed mother staring in amazement with her husband nearby, equally awestruck. Lowly shepherds, lost in mute worship, as the magi would be in days to come. A nation unaware and unconcerned, preoccupied with the ever-increasing grip of Roman authority, taxation, and demands. The cries of that baby were the first audible sounds of God’s voice from a human throat . . . but nobody was listening. Nobody was expecting the arrival of the God-man—certainly not in Bethlehem. Or at a stable. Or from a virgin’s womb. But today we are listening. We do care. We go back for a visit, fully persuaded that we shall leave the scene different from when we arrived.

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