When I was in high school, I spent a memorable Christmas at my grandfather’s house outside of Oaxaca, a mile high in the mountains of Mexico. It was a long trip, more than a week’s travel time in all, perhaps as long as might have taken Joseph and Mary to traverse the 70 miles between Nazareth and Bethlehem.
My mother was not pregnant, but she was encumbered with six children, the youngest of whom was only 4. No donkeys either. We took the train to Mexico City — the lot of us crammed into three compartments for two nights, the conductor proudly announcing he had found seating for “¡ocho!” in the dining car at each meal — then drove a wheezy rented van through the mountains to Oaxaca. I don’t imagine it was an easy journey for my parents, despite the joys to be had when we finally arrived.
Read the rest at Philly archdiocese's online magazine: Phaith.
Photo is from Wikimedia and used under a Creative Commons license.
"Will I make room for Christ?" is the key question in our faith. If we are unwilling to make room then I don't think there is much else that is of consequence in our lives. Thanks for sharing this story from your childhood as it obviously had an immense impact on you.
ReplyDeleteOh this is so lovely... will I make room? I have such clutter, such mess, so few empty spaces.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to read about Oaxaca. You have such interesting stories, your life, not made up!
Will I make room? ... I have so much room to share! My heart however may need some 'hollowed out'...
ReplyDelete