The birth of Jesus is not only a spiritual event, but also a profoundly social one. Friar Jaazeal Jakozalem accompanies us in a reflection from the poverty of Bethlehem to the political and economic tensions of his time. The incarnation reveals a God who assumes human fragility and stands with the poor, challenging our structures of injustice and our commitment to solidarity today.
Love from the human experience
The story of Mary and Joseph is a profound “love story between humanity”, which demonstrates how affection and commitment can flourish even amidst the difficulties of poverty. The biblical narratives do not place them in an economic context of palaces or prominent social circles.
While their genealogy traces a lineage through majestic kings and common faces, their vital reality was humble: Joseph was a dedicated tektōn (a master builder skilled in carpentry and masonry), and Mary was a woman of deep piety and holiness from the working class. God arranged for this modest love to be the channel for the birth of the poor child of Bethlehem.
The manger and the human economic crisis
Jesus was born in a profoundly human situation, in a turbulent political climate, where Mary and Joseph were mere subjects of the Roman Empire. Their journey to Bethlehem was a forced migration for imperial tributary purposes; even in the womb, Jesus felt the tensions and fears of that dangerous journey.
Today we suffer an economic crisis from which we long to escape. We question the political decisions of a few who impose social burdens fueled by corrupt practices of failed leadership that deprives the poor of their rights. These realities demand our urgent action: the dizzying rise in food prices, oppressive rents, and exorbitant hospital and educational fees.
We are witnesses to the scandalous lifestyle of the political and business elite—the 1% who benefit from a system of poverty—while 99% continue to suffer. Jesus was one of that 99%, born in the economic tragedy of his time. The “reality of Bethlehem” remains disconcerting: a Savior born in an animal shelter, the only room available for a migrant family.
The atmosphere of tranquility
The “Silent Night” paints the image of a star shining over an occupied village. This irony of contrast persists today; the “great stars” of global power often become figures of oppression, speaking of peace while waging invented wars.
Instead of seizing opportunities for true reconciliation, war remains the primary language of global diplomacy. As “small stars”, we are called to emit rays of genuine peace and not to contribute to indifference. While some nations evade the call to tranquility, we must demand a just and lasting peace, the same one that the birth of the Messiah announces.
A challenge to serve
This new year presents us with a challenge of solidarity. It invites us to make the incarnation of Jesus relevant by adopting a transformative attitude, serving those in need wherever our conscience and our faith call us to act.
