"He chose surroundings that were poor and simple..."

A blanket, book and dog... I could see baby Jesus in his humble home with Mary and Joseph content with simple things.  Theodotus of Ancyra (446) writes this amazing mediation of why God chose to send his son to a poor girl rather than a king or emporer..."Suppose he had been born the son of an emporer.  They would have said:  'How useful it is to be powerful!'  Imagine him the son of a senator.  It would have been:  'Look what can be accomplished by legislation!'

But in fact, what did he do?  He chose surroundings that were poor and simple, so ordinary as to be almost unnoticed, so that people would know it was the Godhead alone that had changed the world.  This was his reason for choosing his Mother from among the poor in a very poor country, and for becoming poor himself."

"The Lord of all comes as a slave amidst poverty.  The hunter has no wish to startle his prey.  Choosing for his birthplace a unknown village in a remote province, he is born of a poor maiden and accepts all that poverty implies, for he hopes by stealth to ensnare and save us."  Theodotus of Anacrya

Lord Jesus, thank you for the way that you show us how to live... poor and humble.  Thank you for leaving no doubt that you are God and that we need to give up all in order to follow after you in the path of Truth!  We fall on our knees before you and sing praises to hightest heaven!  "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts.  Heaven and Earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest."  We want to be small like you and may we serve our families in love and caring.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Amen and Halleluia.

Bless-bless, Barb

"At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd."  Matt 9