I Wonder About Christmas

Christians throughout the centuries and around the world have professed these words: “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”  I have trusted these words and the truths they represent from the first time I heard them.  And yet, there is a lot to wonder about here.  I wonder what “conceived by the Holy Spirit” means and if Mary experienced this or just became pregnant.  I wonder if Mary had morning sickness, odd cravings, or heartburn during her pregnancy.  Did she have a touch of postpartum depression after Jesus was born?

I wonder about Joseph.  He had to be the earthly father of God’s Son.  No pressure there!  I wonder what it was like to change the diaper of God’s Son or burp him after a feeding.  I know the song says, “No crying he makes.”  But was Jesus a fussy baby?  When did he start sleeping through the night?  I realize that it seems a bit sacreligious to ask these questions.  It feels a little too earthy and common to wonder about God’s Son this way.  But that is exactly the good news of Christmas.  The Son of God didn’t just become like us.  He became one of us.  He took on all aspects of our reality.  He took the form of a servant.  And not just a servant, a helpless little baby.  The Word became flesh.  And it was a word we can understand.