The Scandal of Christmas: Advent Reflections on Four Unlikely Figures

The Scandal of Christmas provides readings for an unforgettable Advent. Amid all the familiar trappings of the Christmas season?the decorations, the carols, the food, the gifts, the holiday movies? it is easy to miss the fact that the story of the incarnation of Christ is one of the most unlikely, inconceivable, and scandalous things God has done. An elderly priest and his wife as the parents of the forerunner of the Messiah? An unmarried teenage girl as the mother of our Lord? A poor man from a backwater town as Jesus' earthly father? The Creator of the universe as a helpless human baby? Unbelievable. Ludicrous. Borderline blasphemous. And yet, God did choose ordinary, unimpressive people to play starring roles in one of the greatest miracles of all times: the Incarnation. This Advent season, set aside your preconceived notions of the way God works?to discover anew the incredible, world-changing story of God with us. Meditate on four figures of the nativity: Zechariah, the faithful man God remembered; Joseph, the ordinary man in the shadows; Mary, the peasant girl behind the Creed; and Jesus, the irreverent Word made flesh. You may find that the God who delights in undermining our expectations also delights in exceeding them at every turn. In addition to their stories you'll be captivated by simple, yet profound, illustrations by modern-day artists.