O LITTLE TOWN OF NAZARETH 1
There were no shepherds abiding in your fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
Nor angel with heavenly host appearing
in your skies praising God, and singing,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men.”
There were no magi 2 from the east following
a star till it came and stood over a niño wrapped
in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger
because there was no room for them in your inn.
Nor did they fall down, worship and present
to a baby born King of the Jews gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh.
But from you, a tiny colonial dot in the ocean
of the Roman Empire, a carpenter was born
and lived until he heard about a voice
crying out in the Judaean wilderness,
and decided to hike to the Jordan River
and find out what’s happening.
1 During the life of Jesus, estimates suggest that Nazareth had a population of approximately
200 to 400 residents. — EasyAsk from a DeepSeek app
2 Astrologers
FASTERS AND FEASTERS
Juan el Baptista’s disciples and the Pharisees had a habit of fasting. Some people asked Jesus,
“Why do Juan ’s and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but yours don’t?”
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot,
so long as they have him with them. 3
“To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?” Jesus asked.
“They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:
While Pedro pretends he’s playing a flute, Maggie snapped her fingers and danced as she sang:
“We played the pipe for you,
and you did not dance.”
Andrés clapped his hands. “Sock it to me, hot mama!”
Santiago in a mournful baritone sang:
“We sang a dirge,
and you did not cry.”
Jesus said, “For Juan el Baptista came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say,”
‘HE HAS A DEMON,” Natalia shrieks.
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking,” Jesus said, “and you say,”
‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and cholos” Felipe said with a snarl
as he pointed to Jesus
“But wisdom is proved right by all her children,” Juan said.
“Pass the wine,” Jesus said. “I’ll drink to that.”
3
According to Dominic Crossan Major differences between John the Baptist’s and Jesus’s
views was John the Baptist said, “God is coming soon—Be ready. You fast in preparation for
what is coming.
Jesus on the other hand said, God is already here—Be obedient. You feast in celebration for
what is already here. A mustard seed may be small but it’s already here
God’s imperial reign was not an apocalyptic event but a process.
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