A Christmas theme that has always fascinated me is the Bethlehem innkeeper who encounters Joseph and a very pregnant Mary looking for a place to stay after traveling some 90 miles from Nazareth on a donkey. It is such a powerful image. It is easy to portray the innkeeper as a cold-hearted villain who ignores the tired and suffering couple but that doesn’t seem to reflect reality. We get enough hints from the story that the innkeeper would like to help but his options are limited. Matthew tells us that Bethlehem was overflowing with visitors who came to take part in the census. It is likely that all of the rooms at the inn were already taken, especially if the couple showed up late at night.
Up until the past century the “hotel” of the Middle East was a caravansari. Essentially, it was a large courtyard surrounded by a wall. There were rooms built against the wall. The innkeeper would rent out the rooms along the courtyard’s wall. Then, if there were more people than available rooms, the overflow could camp in the courtyard. It wasn’t much protection from the elements, but it was relatively secure from thieves and thugs. Joseph and Mary could have camped in the courtyard with the other overflow guests. I imagine that the innkeeper’s wife saw that Mary was going into labor and was going to give birth almost anytime. They couldn’t kick any paying guests out of their rooms, but they realized that Mary could use some privacy in order to give birth. The innkeeper and his wife came up with the best idea, given the available options. Have them stay in the stable. It was private, compared to the courtyard. It was relatively warm, given the body heat generated by the horses, donkeys and other animals kept there. The abundant straw in the stable provided a soft mattress for the mother and baby. The arrangements weren’t fancy but, given the options available to them, they were generous and represented a real desire to be of help to the couple.
When I was a kid, every Christmas NBC and the Hallmark Hall of Fame would present a performance of “Amal and the Night Visitors”. It was the story of a crippled boy who came from a poor first century family. One night there was a knock at the door. When they answered the door they found a young couple with a newborn baby. They were asking for a place to stay the night. The family was apprehensive, as they heard that King Herod had ordered the death of all male children under two years of age. The baby was clearly targeted for death by Herod. They were afraid to get involved. However, they found the courage to invite in the young family and to care for them over the next few days, until they were ready to continue their travel to distant Egypt. As a result of their kindness, Amal found that he was cured of his disability.
While most of us are not shepherds, Magi, kings, or the Holy Family, it is not uncommon to encounter someone in need of help. We can relate to the innkeeper or to Amal’s family because they are us. Matthew 25 reminds us that when we encounter the least of our brothers and sisters, we encounter Christ. Our kindness to them is our kindness to Christ. While Amal or the innkeeper literally encountered Christ in their kind acts toward the Holy Family, we also encounter Christ in our service to those in need.
The challenge facing the innkeeper and Amal is the same challenge that we face every day. The Christmas season helps that challenge stand in sharper relief, but it is the fundamental challenge facing every Christian. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Merry Christmas! Feliz Pasqua! Feliz Navidad!