Here we are in Advent again.  Every year the holidays seem to come and go faster.  This year’s holiday season finds us facing uncertain and tumultuous times. We may be tempted to look at the events around us and succumb to fear.  But Mary and Joseph lived in very uncertain and frightening times as well.  Herod the Great, King of the Jews, enforced Roman Rule even at the local level.

To assure his position Herod killed two brothers-in-law, his own wife Mariamne, and two of his own sons.  Five days before his own death he ordered the arrest of many citizens and decreed that they be executed on the day of his death, in order to guarantee a proper atmosphere of mourning in the country.  Scarcely a day passed, in fact, without an execution under Herod’s regime.  The political climate at the time of Jesus’ birth resembled that of Russia in the 1930’s under Stalin.

This was the climate into which a very young unmarried girl was about to bring a child.  Bethlehem must have been mayhem as they rode into town.  People were everywhere; there were no rooms in which to stay.  Where was the peace we see depicted on our cards and sing about in our carols? 

The peace came to Bethlehem with them.  Mary carried that Peace that passes understanding within her in the soon to be incarnate Son of God.  Scripture assures us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  In the Person of the Holy Spirit, we now carry that peace within us.

In these days we will not find our security by looking outward.  The stock market, the auto companies, our investments, none of these will save us.  They will not enable us to sleep peacefully.  We will find our peace as we look within us at the Promise that has been given to us.  We will know His peace as we choose to take Him at His Word.

In this time of preparation let us take time to revisit that place within us where, regardless of our circumstances, we can rest in His Presence and know His peace.

Blessings,