I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled to different parts of the world. Since much of the travel was work-related, I’d often be on my own. I explored new places by myself and tried to learn about the local cultures by simply being there. During one trip to Mexico City, I went out walking by myself on a Sunday afternoon. I was staying in Zona Rosa and left my hotel paying close attention to where I was walking. I wanted to be able to retrace my steps to get back to my hotel. After a couple of hours, I made my way through areas I was exploring back to the familiar hotel. In my exploration of the city, I felt a unique sensation of being anonymous in a major city where no one knew me while also felt very connected to the vibrancy of the city and people going about their activities. I had similar experiences in Tokyo, London and Sydney. Yes, I’d encounter people. I purchased things. I got food to eat. Knowing that I’d be identified as “an American,” I always tried to be polite lest I be viewed as “an ugly, rude American.” In those encounters, no one really knew me. I don’t know if I made an impression on the people I encountered. Yet, these experiences made an impression on me.
I’ve been thinking about the sacred stories of Christmas. One of the things that has caught my attention is that in these stories there is a variety of different people with unique backgrounds. We know the names of some of the key figures: Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zacharias, and John. But we know very little about them. There are other people who are very important characters in the stories. We don’t even know their names: the innkeeper, the shepherds, and the magi. We really don’t know how many shepherds there were. We assume they were an uneducated lot who lived with their animals. While we talk about “three kings,” the magi surely weren’t kings, the number three is based on the number of gifts but the number of magi is not in the sacred story, and we don’t know whether or not they were all men. Yet, all these people continue to inspire us two millennia later even though we know nothing about them.
Like the shepherds and magi, most of us lead lives that are mostly hidden from others. Like me wandering around an unfamiliar city, most of what we do is rarely noticed by others. Few people make it into newspapers beyond their birth announcement or obituary. Even fewer people are written about in history books. The majority of people are important to their family members and close friends, perhaps some co-workers and neighbors, but not much more. In moments, we may be helpful to others or help to make them feel better about themselves. But we will each mostly fade from the lives of others and not be remembered for very long. Over our brief span of life, perhaps we aim to do the best we can to be a positive presence for others. That itself can be a beautiful thing but doesn’t really impact the history of humanity.
Much like us, the people in the Christmas stories weren’t striving to be famous. They led ordinary lives as best as they could. In doing so, they were open to possibilities and responded with genuineness and courage. Joseph simply had a dream. He was open to the message and responded with trust. The shepherds were in the field and encountered something celestial. They responded. The magi – they were the best scientists they could be and followed the evidence before them. (Yes, magi were astrologers and astronomers. They were considered scientists who gained knowledge by observation.) Even though most of their names have been long forgotten, we remember what they did. Their faithfulness and trust continue to inspire us.
At Christmas, we sing, Joy to the World, and celebrate the birth of Jesus. While we don’t know much about the historical Jesus, we know that his life and teaching have had a profound impact on the world and people’s lives for a couple of millennia. But the others? The other people in the sacred stories are much like us. They led hidden lives. Yet, the lives they lived were faithful and open to respond to new possibilities. Because of their faithfulness and openness, we remember them today.
Perhaps this year, as we recall the sacred stories of Christmas, we’ll be aware that there are people just like us in the stories. They wander into the events of the stories much as I wandered through new cities on my own when I visited those cities. It was in that wandering that they did things that continue to be remembered today. Indeed, all who wander are not lost…. they may be living life in ways inspired by faith.
Photo by Stefan Stefancik from Pexels