Is there a room for me tonight?

A true story that hit too close to home nowadays.

As the soon to be "king" is going to be born in a manger, in a city called Bethlehem 2000 years ago, Mary and Joseph keep looking for a room to stay in one of the inn.

"Is there a room for us tonight?"

Some of the answers might be:
"No, sorry my friend, but the inn is full already."
"I am sorry what did you ask? A room? YOU are asking for a room while I am already collapsing in my chair trying to manage the influx of people coming in from the census and staying in this inn? NO, sir, bugger off."
While Joseph and Mary are knocking outside, the inn owner think to himself, "I'll ignore them, I'll turn a blind eye just for the sake of my own convenience."

Us, being an outsider, can see how unrighteous the act of the inn owner at times when we hear this story being retold for 2000 times already in the course of history.

But, the reality is, folks, we don't need to think far in the grand scheme of ways about incarcerating discrimination, injustice, and ending poverty in this world. It starts right here, in our own family.

I am sure all you readers have people who are hard to be loved in your family. I, for example, have too many to mention, not to consider honorable mentions if I have to pick the top 10 most unbearable person in my own family. Or maybe it's just my family, maybe yours is perfect, I don't know.

So, this Christmas, when you see Uncle Joe trying to be funny when he's not or when Auntie Jane keeps being too nosy on your state of singleness or lack of children if you're married, remember this question that a young family in Bethlehem was asking to the inn-keeper, "Is there a room for us tonight?"

Maybe, just maybe, all they need is love, and acceptance. A tender voice that let them inside our own life tonight in Christmastime. I know it's hard, I know it's painful. I've done it. And it bruises my own soul in many many ways.

And when all things put in perspective, this is the night, when we celebrate the joyous coming of Christ, who was born in a manger, regardless of what the inn keeper say earlier tonight. This is the night that started it all. Without it, there will be no one who would say, "Come to me all who are in labor and pain, and ye shall find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

So, cherish this moment. And when that one family member bothers you again, remember what St. Josemaria Escriva said about 50 years ago, "Don't say: 'That person gets on my nerves.' Think: 'That person sanctifies me.'"

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you have enough (just like me) sanctifier around for Christmas!