The Christmas Collision

As we think of Christmas, words like peace, joy, and hope often come to mind, but what about “collision”? For Mary, the birth of Jesus was a collision of her plans with God’s greater purpose. Her quiet dreams of marriage to Joseph were interrupted by the unexpected announcement that she would carry the Savior of the world. While the Gospels of Matthew and Luke provide the story, the Gospel of John offers us a deeper theological reflection on Christmas. John doesn’t recount the birth, but explains its meaning—the radical collision of heaven and earth in the person of Jesus. This collision continues to impact our lives today, changing everything.