“What are you doing, O Magi? Do you adore a little Babe, in a wretched hovel, wrapped in miserable rags? Can this Child be truly God? … Are you become foolish, O Wise Men … Yes, these Wise Men have become fools that they may be wise” (St. Bernard of Clairvaux).

Women of Mission: Following the Star

The Advent and Christmas seasons are full of journeys. At the beginning of Advent, we read that Mary, soon after conceiving Jesus, traveled what must have been a very physically challenging journey to stay with her cousin Elizabeth. Then, when we celebrate Christmas, we read about Mary and Joseph’s (again, likely very difficult) journey to Bethlehem, where Mary gave birth to her Son. Finally, at Epiphany, we read about the Wise Men’s journey to meet their Savior.

This year has been a journey. Every year is, but 2020, especially, has felt more arduous and demanding than most that we have seen. Traveling through the last 12 months has left many of us feeling weary, disconnected, and distracted. 

However, Advent and Christmas are a gift, a time for us to remember our mission and why we are traveling this journey as Christians seeking a closer union with our Savior. 

As we travel through Christmas and begin 2021, allow your eyes and heart to be redirected and transformed by the light of Christ. As Mary, Joseph, and the Wise Men followed the star of Bethlehem, let us focus ourselves this Christmas on Jesus, our true star, our hope, our light, and our God.

There’s something special about being pregnant during Advent.

Every time you hear about the Annunciation, you picture Jesus being created in her womb. Every time you see a picture of Mary, you see the roundness of her belly. And, every time you hear about one of the several journeys she took during her pregnancy and soon after Jesus’ birth, you think, “How on earth did you do it?”

I started my second trimester soon after Advent started, so I was leaving the fog of morning (all-day) sickness and fatigue and starting to experience more of those moments of wonder and joy when I realized, “There really is a child inside me.” It made Advent more poignant, and it also made me reflect a lot on the journey of pregnancy and the journey to Christmas.

A Season of Journeys

There are so many journeys during the Advent and Christmas seasons. Mary journeyed to Elizabeth after she conceived Jesus, and she journeyed back to Nazareth in what must have been a trip full of trepidation at what came next. She journeyed with her new husband, St. Joseph, to Bethlehem when she was about to give birth, and she, Joseph, and Jesus journeyed to Egypt sometime after the Epiphany to flee Israel until Herod’s death. While these journeys had important destinations, I have to wonder if, like for many of us, the journeys themselves had important lessons to offer Mary and Joseph.

On her way to visit Elizabeth, did Mary “ponder in her heart” the child she carried? Did she spend the journey in prayer, seeking guidance and peace in what came ahead? What about on her way back? Was her return journey before or after she spoke with Joseph and before her family and friends knew about her pregnancy? If it was before, did she spend that journey growing in courage in preparation for those difficult conversations?

On their way to Bethlehem, I imagine Mary and Joseph became much closer as husband and wife, learning more about each other and making plans for how to raise the child of God. Joseph may have come to see just how “full of grace” his new wife was, and Mary may have been comforted by the strength of her husband and her son’s foster father. The physical demands of such a journey, at the end of her pregnancy, must have helped Mary gather strength.

The Wise Men, too — the ultimate reward for their journey was, of course, to lay eyes on the Messiah, but what spiritual fruits did such a long journey reap for them?

Embracing Your Journey

Whether it’s pregnancy, a job search, a business launch, or the discernment of a vocation or major decision, we tend to keep our eyes on the prize — on the destination at the end of our journey. But consider what you might gain by staying “in the moment” of your journey.

Of course, my husband and I can’t help but imagine our baby — the moment of birth and what comes next. We won’t even know the gender for a few more weeks, let alone anything about our child’s personality. But (and this was much easier after the first 10 or 12 weeks!) we’ve also committed to staying present during this pregnancy. The journey includes many difficulties, but it also includes seeing our baby on an ultrasound, feeling him or her move around, and watching my belly grow. Every moment is a gift, and while many moments don’t feel like it, even those more painful, uncomfortable, or frightening moments are making me a mother and my husband a father.

2020 was a difficult year, full of crises, loneliness, and fear. But I’m willing to bet that you had some moments on the journey that helped you grow. Maybe you even had some that were happy or peaceful. Let’s focus our memory on those moments and keep our eyes on that star — Jesus Christ — as we journey through 2021.

Taryn Oesch DeLong, managing editor of Catholic Women in Business, is an editor and writer in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and works in digital media. Passionate about supporting women in work, in life, and in health, she is assistant editor and contributing writer at FemCatholic and an almost-certified fertility awareness educator. When she’s not helping writers craft stories and writing her own nonfiction and fiction, you'll find Taryn reading Jane Austen and drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea, playing the flute or the piano, or volunteering. You can follow Taryn on Instagram and Twitter @tarynmdelong, on Facebook, or on her blog.