“Required by Emperor Augusts to register, Joseph and the very pregnant Mary journeyed from the meager comforts of their home in Nazareth to the overcrowded and unwelcoming city of Bethlehem. Not one person opened their door to the coming of the Messiah. Mary found herself giving birth in a stable, among the field animals, and laying her precious infant in a bed of hay.

The mystery of Jesus’ nativity offers much to ponder. God chose to be born in a human form of Jesus in a modest and humble way. There was no cradle, royal robe, servants, or castle awaiting the birth of this King of Kings. Even the very basics were lacking. The most important being to walk this earth entered this world in the most unpretentious, poorest, and dirtiest locations and at quite an inconvenient time for his mother.

When wondering where, how, when, and with whom we find God, we can look to this mystery for some of the answers. Be alert and look around you. Jesus may be found in unexpected times and places. ”

(Excerpt from The Rosary Prayer by Prayer available from Amazon.com, ACTA Publications, and my website. Illustration by Joseph Cannella.)