(LifeSiteNews) — As people around the world prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas morning, our minds are drawn back to the first Christmas and the miraculous story of Jesus’ birth in a stable.

As magical as it sounds, with the star of Bethlehem overhead and shepherds and Wise Men coming to adore the newborn, the first Christmas is more a story of Mary and Joseph’s total abandonment and trust in God rather than a perfect fairy tale.

This theme begins at Christ’s conception, when Mary told the angel, “Be it done unto me according to God’s word.” While Mary understood the gravity of her “yes,” she could never have imagined what God had in store for her Child. Nevertheless, Mary risked everything when she told Joseph that she was expecting a baby.

In much the same way, Joseph placed blind trust in God’s providence when he determined to care for Mary and her Child. Even Jesus’ birth required total trust in God. While most couples are able to plan their birth in advance, along with necessary medical and practical provisions, any plans made by the couple were discarded when they learned that they must travel to Bethlehem at the same time as Jesus was due to be born.

Doubtless the couple worried that Jesus would be born along the way to Bethlehem and they would not make it to the city. Likewise, when they were told there was no room at the inn, they must have wondered if they would find shelter at all.

However, even in the foreign town of Bethlehem, God provided for the Holy Family, leading them to the stable where Christ was born and laid to rest in the manger among the animals. Shortly after, Joseph again blindly followed the angel’s directions and fled with Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape King Herod’s massacre of male children under two years old. Doubtless Joseph questioned how he would provide for his family in a pagan and foreign country, but nevertheless he trusted in God’s providence.

In much the same way, Christians journey through life as through a dark tunnel which is illumined by the light of Christ. However, Christ does not light the entire path, but rather each step, forcing us to place our trust in His providence.

Often we can feel discouraged when trying to navigate a world overcome by sin and intent on destroying the Christian family. However, we should take comfort in the fact that we do not have to know every step of our journey to heaven. Nor do we need to confront every evil in the world, but rather to follow Mary and Joseph’s example and carry out our duty of the moment. While it may seem significant at the time, its effect on the world could have eternal consequences.

Mary and Joseph could not have imagined that their acceptance of Jesus would lead to His crucifixion and the redemption of humanity. Even more hidden was how Christ’s establishment of the Catholic Church would transform the world.

Just as the Holy Family was unaware of God’s plan for them, likewise we must not expect to know every turn that our life will take, but rather place our trust in God.

Indeed, perhaps if we could see everything that God has in store for us, we would find it overwhelming. However, God, in His knowledge, only gives us the trials which we can face in that moment.

So as we navigate our way through the snares of the world, let us remember Mary and Joseph’s abandonment and trust in God which led to the birth of Jesus Christ and the salvation of the world.