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She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

When I think of the story of the first Christmas, a story we are all so familiar with, many thoughts and questions come to mind. I first of all think of the kind of world Jesus was born into and the particular circumstances surrounding his birth. I think of the arduous journey Joseph and Mary undertook in compliance with the decree issued by the Emperor Augustus; I think of the fear and disquiet in their hearts as they wonder how and where their son will be born; I think of the humble, smelly stable that Jesus is eventually born in, and I wonder: could this really be the son of God the Almighty, and if so, what message is he conveying to us through this extraordinary event?

Jesus, the word made flesh, is born in poverty and powerlessness. He is entirely vulnerable and helpless. He is ignored by the important people of Jerusalem, the religious leaders, the "holy" people. Instead, he is visited only by shepherds, representing the poor and marginalized. They are people regarded as religious outsiders, unclean, immoral and definitely far from God.

So, the first revelation of the Incarnate God is to the poor. They are the first to hear the Good News. They are dazzled by the glory of God and a choir of angels telling them that a light has come to dispel the world's darkness. Jesus is the Light of the World. Isaiah prophesies in today's First Reading:

The teaching of the Gospel starts right here in the stable. The birth of God's Word in these humble circumstances is a proclamation of what Jesus has come into the world to do. He comes to bring freedom and peace to all those who feel weighed down by the struggles of life. As Isaiah says again in the First Reading:

In the light of this message, surely the feast of Christmas should be for us a time to rededicate ourselves to the moral and spiritual values exhibited in a love that includes all in its provision of shelter, food and companionship? Are you aware that we have thirty-seven hundred homeless individuals here in Contra Costa County alone? Many of them are physically and mentally disabled. Is there more we, as a Christian community, can do to take up and alleviate their plight?

There was no room for Joseph, Mary and Jesus in the inn. For whom do we need to make room for in our hearts this Christmas? Whom do we need to be reconciled with before another year rolls around? Where do we need to make more room for the poor and homeless in our state provisions? Where do I need to make room for spiritual and personal growth in my life? Where do I need to make room for my parents or kids for whom I have so little time these days? Where do we need to make a little more room in our lives and in our world for the love, healing and compassion the story of the birth of Jesus calls us to?

Everything we do, say and think shapes our world. Let's lift our thoughts this Christmas in gratitude for what the celebration of this holy season represents: the power of love and the rebirth of hope for humanity.