What if the Christmas story happened in our day?

Mary and Joseph might well have been on the motorway.

Instead of the bright and guiding star,

Lights from car after car after car.

The night was foggy, wet and cold,

The bus in which they travelled was rickety and old.

Joseph was a worried man full of fear,

For Mary his beloved wife’s time was near.

He consulted with the driver, a very kindly man,

“Don’t worry mate” he said “I’ll do what I can”

He left at the next exit and set them down

At the hospital in a very busy town.

The lady at the desk sadly shook her head

 “due to the cuts, I regret I have no bed,

 Perhaps you could go private at the nursing home”

Joseph and Mary then began to roam.

Searching for shelter from door to door,

Just when time was running out and they could walk no more

They came upon the shelter of a homeless group,

Who smiled at them and offered to share their soup.

This story is different, there’s no donkey or ox,

This time the Son of God, lies in a cardboard box.     

Sr. Julian Burrows