I'll Be Home For Christmas

Those Wise Men sure started something, didn’t they? We could call them the first Christmas travelers. Now that I think of it, maybe it was Joseph? Actually the scriptures tell it was all the fault of Caesar Augustus. Here are the words found in Luke 2. “And everyone went to his own town to register” in the census. There, now we know who is to blame for all this traveling at Christmas time.
We’ve come a long way from those times. Imagine what is would be like in this world if we were to return to the family hometown to have the census taken. I mean, really, all the government wants us to do is, fill out a little card, put it in an envelop and send it back. That was simple. Well, except for the people who forgot about it and received another note from the government. This was followed quickly with the phone call and then the threat of legal action. I know, because my neighbour experienced all three.
But getting back to the Wise Men. They were travelers on a mission. They knew something and wanted to check things out. Today, to find out any of this stuff, all we have to do is check the internet, buy a plane ticket, drive to the airport, rent a car at the other end and drive to the Church of the Nativity. For those who want to be in Bethlehem this year, it might take you between sixteen or seventeen hours. But this was not then.
We know little of these men. They were called Magi. This is a specific occupational title referring to the priestly caste of a distorted form of Zoroastrianism. As part of their religion, these priests paid particular attention to the stars, or astrologists. So, we know they were smart (read wise) and educated. We also know they were men of means because of the gifts they brought, gold, frankincense and myrrh. A funny thing about this is, they probably brought more then three but they only listed the most important ones. You know the camel thing? Nobody knows that either. Could have been horses, or they could even have walked from what we today call Iran. After all it took some time for them to arrive.
Long time to arrive. Today in our society we want instant everything. Fast food, express lanes at the grocery store and at the border. Forget about money, just swipe the card and let me get going. I was in the store a few days back and here was a mother trying to extricate her darling child from the toy department. He wanted a toy. She explained there were only four weeks until Christmas and he might get it then. No, not good enough for him, “I want it NOW!” Another story, I’ll make it brief. I heard a couple of families tell me they open all their gifts on Christmas Eve. What! Ask a mother if she can give birth a day early.
Here is Mary traveling on a donkey, nine months’ pregnant. Don’t you think she would have rather been home waiting and then traveling after Jesus was born? Even the airlines won’t let “great with child” moms on the plane.
Doesn’t matter who started it, we all love going home. There are those who will actually do it. For many it is only a trip we take in our minds. This past summer I decided to drive around and take pictures of all the homes I have ever lived in. While standing at each house, I remembered when it was home to us. This Christmas, travel home. Go see family and friends. Talk to old neighbours. But do like Mary and Joseph, go home to your family because familys most important of all. On your way, sing along.
I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams