
For me, Christmas is about women.
Of course, the child is holy, precious and perfect – the child is a promise fulfilled. Yes, we read of strong and complex men, seeking God. They are useful in this story, but they are not necessary. Joseph is required for his lineage, covering, and gracious complicity, but certainly not his seed. Zechariah is first to see an angel, but is henceforth silenced for his stifling lack of faith. Men are led into this story, to behold God and to make safe passage for their families – and men are born, men that would change the shape of all humanity.
But this story is about women.
The obedience of women. The courage of women. The absolute humility and service of women, letting life into their bodies, in order to let heaven onto earth.
The women of Christmas are imperative, and empowered. This story is not so much of a child born, but the journey of a pregnancy and birth, by a new mother. A process of growing, stewarding and protecting, to allow that child to survive. A shaming, and a surrendering. An aching journey, and a fierce labour, under some of the harshest circumstances.
Both Mary and Elizabeth are active collaborators, tested to the edges of their faith. They stand, front and centre of the narrative, commissioned and honoured by God, with nothing to their names but their trust in Him.
These women are offered impossibly difficult tasks. They give the same immediate, joyful response:
‘Yes, I’ll do it.’
*
Earlier this month, I was commissioned to write a series of short spoken word pieces for The Salvation Army, to be performed as the nativity scenes in their carols. I chose to write the story from the perspective of Mary. I may not have received an immaculate conception, but I too, was pregnant, and I too, felt incredibly nervous about the weight of responsibility handed to me.
Writing this piece connected me to the birth of Jesus, and my own child, in a way I never expected.
This is the mountain of Christmas, a journey so freely gifted to us all.
The Mountain
Scene 1 – Mary and Elizabeth

Gabriel: There was once a priest, Zechariah, who had a faithful wife called Elizabeth. They had given up on having a child, until an angel came and told them they would become parents to a true man of God. When Elizabeth was six months pregnant with her son, John, her cousin Mary came to see her. She too, was miraculously pregnant.
Mary:
It takes a long, long time to make a child
The stirring of a love so devoted
The slow dance between the groom of God
And his blind, beautiful people
To the song of all songs
The yearn to reconcile them
The fight to make them one
Elizabeth:
And we wait
Where it seems love has turned to law
Through the divorce of the divine from the earth
In this dark night
We sit in Israel’s dust, and we wait
We wait for God
Mary:
We wait for God
Both:
We wait for God
Mary:
We wait
For the small whisper in the ear of a young bride
The suggestion
That this ember of love
Might be made manifest inside of
Her heart
Entrusted to the little woman
Who has no lineage, no wealth, no education
Who
just – has – God.
And what can you lose, if you just have God?
And what else in this world can you gain, if you truly have God?
Mary:
You are my portion.
Elizabeth:
You are my portion.
Mary:
How do you hold the whole world inside of your heart?
Elizabeth:
How do you take the tongues of angels as a promise?
How do you tell the ones you love that God has entrusted his message to your body?
Mary:
When your betrothed will not understand the claim
And your parents will not abide the blasphemy
Elizabeth:
That you’ve been given the son
Set to prepare the broken way to peace
Mary:
That you’ve been given the son
The one son
Who will choose to walk that way faithfully
Elizabeth:
And what can you lose, if you just have God?
Mary:
And what else in this world can you gain, if you truly have God?
Elizabeth and Mary face one another, kneeling.
Elizabeth:
My child leaps for joy at the presence of his brother-saviour. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!
Mary:
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
Elizabeth:
It takes a long, long time to make a child.
Mary:
How do you hold the whole world inside of your heart?
Scene 2 – Mary and Joseph

Gabriel: Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire, and all had to travel to their ancestral hometowns to be accounted for. Joseph – Mary’s husband – was from the line of David, so Joseph and Mary travelled from the Galilean town of Nazareth, up the steep road to Bethlehem, in Judah. Mary was heavily pregnant.
Mary:
It takes a long, long time
To pace this pilgrimage
To reach
The summit as a destination
The place of our fathers
The lofty goal that will count us
As three
Sometimes I wonder if this journey is a test
This impatient wait my punishment
But I breathe you in
And I know –
Both:
Obedience is only walking the path
Already paved by the Spirit
And we never walk it alone.
Joseph:
Obedience is an embrace of the mountain
And it always embraces us back.
Mary:
Climb, little wife
Joseph:
Climb, little bodies
Mary:
Climb little donkey
Joseph:
Climb, little man
Mary:
I am carried by every inch of heaven
And I choose to believe it.
There are nights I wonder
If the heaviness
Is not part of the gift of God
If the pressing against my lungs
Or the aching in every bone
Deems me unworthy
Of the call
Because I do not feel strong
Because I do not feel ready
Because I do not feel blessed
Because I am tired
And I cannot
I cannot
I cannot –
Joseph:
Climb little wife
Climb little body
Both:
Obedience is only walking the path
Already paved by the Spirit
And we never walk it alone.
He turns out to audience.
Joseph:
There are nights I wonder
If the mystery is just my foolishness
If my belief is my gullibility
If this child is just like my flesh
Broken, and weary, and naïve to
the pain of this world
To the brutality of this road.
Then I wonder
If, perhaps, God is within it
If perhaps, He is beyond it
Perhaps that’s the very reason He has come.
I wonder if I am unworthy
Because I lead them up this mountain
Because I lead us to be counted
Because I lead them deep into that I do not know
And I cannot
I cannot –
I cannot –
Mary:
Climb little man
Climb little body
Both:
Obedience is an embrace of the mountain
And it always embraces us, back.
Mary:
It takes a long, long time
Joseph:
We are carried by every inch of heaven
And we choose to believe it.
Scene 3 – Mary and Gabriel

Gabriel: When Mary and Joseph arrived after their long journey to Bethlehem, she went into labour. There were so many travellers, that there was nowhere left for them to stay. In desperation, they accepted the offer of an animal’s stable, where Mary laboured into the night.
Mary:
It takes a long, long time to birth a life
To birth a new age
A new hope
A new day
A new kingdom
We have waited so long
And yet I still claim you’ve come early
It is a surge
This universe contracting
Even the stars are moving
To push my heart
Open
I choose to receive it
I choose to receive you
Gabriel:
Do not be afraid
This is the last night
The final break of light
This is the other side of the mountain
The rush at the revelation
You have waited
And you have fought
And you have pushed
And here is your portion
Mary:
Here is my portion
And I tremble
For I have no roof
I have no women
I have no bed
I have no towel
I have no blanket
I have no candle
But Lord
I have you.
The shepherds enter.
Gabriel:
You need no lantern
You need no sun
The light is coming
We herald the arrival
Of the eternal flame
The constant comfort
Comes to Earth
Mary:
Do not leave me
Gabriel:
Do not be afraid
Mary:
Do not hurt me
Gabriel:
Do not be afraid
Mary:
Do not break me
Gabriel:
Do not be afraid
He comes not to break
But to be broken
He comes not to hurt
But to heal
He comes not to leave
But to remain
Forever
Mary:
I have not got the breath
But I breathe in truth
I have not got the strength
But Lord I have you
Obedience is only walking the path
Already paved by the Spirit
And we never walk it alone.
Obedience is an embrace of the mountain
And it always embraces us, back
Climb, little wife
Climb, little body
I am carried by every inch of heaven
And I choose to believe it.
I choose to receive it.
Joseph walks in carrying the baby
Jesus.
Received by every piece of this earth
As son, as friend, as God, as King
As lamp unto my broken feet.
The nativity scene gathers.
Gabriel:
Bethlehem your night is over
Warm yourselves by this, His fire
Hallelujah, hallelujah
The heart is open
The light has come.
Hallelujah, hallelujah
The heart is open
The light has come.
‘Beauty for Ashes’ by Ineke Hopgood
Thank you. Wome lead where men cannot go. Into the deepest darkest valley to bring light and life by God’s grace.
Thank you for this. Have a joyous full-of-wonder Christmas and a new year full of blessings!
Thank You Anna, so beautiful.