 The world feels heavy right now. There's a lot of fear about what's happening, what's coming next, fear for neighbors and families. The news cycles through crisis after crisis, and social media amplifies every reaction.
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 It is where the rubber hits the road. That might be one way of describing the subject of morality and ethics when it comes to the Christian faith. Faith is lived out in the daily decisions we make about everything. How and where we spend our money are moral and ethical decisions. The way I treat others, from co-workers to neighbors, and the way I raise my children, are all exercises in moral and ethical decision making – doing the right thing. For a Christian, the ground from which our morals and ethics grow is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Doing the right thing is doing the Jesus thing.
 In the pre-modern age, asking the question, “Got God?” would have been unthinkable. Everything in heaven and earth was an expression of the transcendent reality of the divine. Today, this question has a growing number of people responding, “Nope. Don’t need one.” Now, there are still plenty of folks who would say they did have God, or at least desired God in their lives. Thirty years ago, when I started teaching confirmation it was rare to have a student say they did not believe in God. Today, it is a frequent statement, and I suspect the majority would say they did not have or need faith if they felt safe enough to be honest.
 The new year came and went. There were parties, countdowns, promises about fresh starts. We celebrated (if you do that sort of thing). Then we went through the weekend. Some of you are probably still making the rounds with extended family, squeezing in one more Christmas gathering because there are just so many people to visit this time of year.
And then, back to work. Back to regular life. Back to whatever your days usually hold.  According to St. Luke, when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem the town’s population had swelled because of a census. Normally, people would go to the home of a relative and seek shelter. The obligations of hospitality in that culture would ensure an open door. The accommodation would be a guestroom, perhaps just a corner of the living quarters partitioned with a blanket for privacy.
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