There's Only One Way to Get Pregnant

I've had the experience of speaking to many people, even religious people, about the mystery and majesty of the Christmas story. I can still picture that one elderly lady saying to me with a wink in her eye and a smirk, "There's only one way to get pregnant."

A lot of people think that way. Even the community that Jesus was a part of.

What was going to happen to Mary? Because, you know, her marriage had not been consummated. How's she going to explain that? She's probably going to be put to shame, and they're going to assume that she has committed adultery because there's only one way to get pregnant.

In the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verse 41, His own people said to Jesus, "We were not born as a result of immorality. We have only one Father, God Himself."

Apparently, they think there's only one way to get pregnant. But how ironic that they say, "We have only one Father, God Himself." Can't that be true for Jesus?

That was Mary's question, because she too thought there's only one way to get pregnant, and she told the angel, "This is not possible."

But the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God because He has only one Father, God Himself."

There are beautiful words to describe what God is going to do in the life of Mary, who found favor in God's eyes. The child who will be born will be holy—it's God's work, only God's work—and He will be called the Son of God.

So let's remember this Christmas who Jesus is. Let's not bring Him down to our level. Let's not think that this is just some far-fetched idea because there is a God. I remember Bono said that, “if there is a God, surely there can be an incarnation.”

Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.