O Little Town of Bethlehem
O Little Town of Bethlehem… I always had an image in my head while singing Christmas carols this time of year- a mental picture of what the town where Jesus was born might look like. I pictured a small rural town…always at night…with bright stars, bursting with the secret of a savior…good news just waiting to break forth!
O Little Town of Bethlehem… I always had an image in my head while singing Christmas carols this time of year- a mental picture of what the town where Jesus was born might look like. I pictured a small rural town…always at night…with bright stars, bursting with the secret of a savior…good news just waiting to break forth!
Now when I think of Bethlehem, I think of a city two short bus trips away from my apartment… of markets decorated with bright fluttering scarves… and the smell of fresh baked pita bread that is still puffy and steaming… of the chatter of excited tourists toting their cameras. I think of my friend’s kitchen ringing with laughter and the bustle of everyday life. Bethlehem is a city that is alive with people. It is also a town that is suffering greatly… home to three refugee camps, spliced and surrounded by the wall, often plagued with a lack of water, with an economy that is in dire straits, and residents who can’t leave to come to Jerusalem without attaining a seldom-granted permit.
Bethlehem is all of these things- but it is also a place that is holy- for a number of reasons. It is holy because Jesus was born there. It is holy because it is a center of life for Christians like you, and me… just trying to live their lives… grow their families… dream their dreams and work for a better life.
For me, Christmas is a time of hope, a promise of great things to come, and sign that God is still speaking actively in our midst. I hope that this year when we are singing about the little town of Bethlehem… we will all take time to pray for peace in the land we call holy. A land that is holy not just because God’s son was born there… but because of all the children of God that live there today.
Krista Johnson is a Global Mission Intern with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. She serves as a Program Assistant. Her ministry is possible because of funds provided by the Week of Compassion of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).