Photo: Jens Kreyenborg

When I saw the photo of my friend and her baby, it reminded me of the representation of Mary with a similar pose.

There are so many versions of Mary – Chinese, Indian, European, African. My friend is mixed! Mary seems to want to identify herself with everyone.

Like Calvary, Bethlehem is not a one-off affair in the past. It happens every time a child is welcomed with joy. Whenever we acknowledge our need for others and our weakness, it is Bethlehem.

Mary is every mother receiving the gift of life and sharing that gift with modern-day shepherds and wise people. The relationship between mother and child is at the heart of the mystery of the incarnation. God is with us again.