This article was written by the Rev. Eileen O’Brien, Rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church.

Posada season has arrived!  Starting December 16, Posada season is nine successive nights of parties culminating in Christmas Eve. The central drama of Las Posadas is the journey of the Holy Family to a place of rest where the Christ child may be born. Two strangers, Maria and Jose, seek posada – shelter, rest, safety, peace – basic things that all human beings need but that are shared so inequitably in our world. This dramedy plays out in two acts as the party moves from house to house.

Act 1 is El Rechazo, or The Rejection.  During this act, the whole company following the children playing Maria and Jose knocks on at least two different doors. People gather outside the door as witnesses to the journey of the Holy Family, and a smaller group gathers on the inside to represent the response of the world to them. A sung dialogue takes place between outsiders and insiders across a threshold, and if you are just listening to the song and not the words, it sounds sweet and playful, but there is a dark and realistic humor to it.

At the threshold between insiders and outsiders, desperation meets fear and suspicion of the other.  “I can’t open to you; you could be a tunante” – a scoundrel, someone who takes advantage.

At the doorway, humanity seeks the humanity in the other. “My wife can hardly walk any further. Don’t be inhuman. Be merciful – have charity, compassion.” There the outsider meets violent rejection.

At the threshold, Joseph seeks some sort of recognition, first of his name, but his name is not recognized, then, of his worth based on his ability to serve: I am useful – I am a carpenter.

At the doorway, life and death are on the line. Will there be a place for the Christ child to be born?

There’s always a lot of awkward hilarity at each door, but Act 1: El Rechazo, the rejection, has played itself out at numerous doorways and thresholds for the immigrant community that sings sweetly there. The longing of human beings to encounter human beings through charity and compassion, instead of meeting with senseless violence and the closing of doors, is the beating heart of the journey of las Posadas. Placed alongside this longing is a demand: that we find our humanity, so that we can open the door.

The good news is that our drama does not end in tragedy.

If act 1 is El Rechazo, Act 2 could be called: les reconozco, I recognize you!  Remember that we’ve been to at least two other doors at this point. It’s cold and the warmth from the candles isn’t really doing it for us. Child Mary and Child Joseph are so done with this. We have reached the final doorway.                  

Desperate pilgrims sing outside.                

The Host (Inside): Oh, you are Joseph! Your wife is Mary! Come in, travelers. I did not recognize you.                           

The door opens and all sing as the outsiders pour into the house, jostling for space.

It doesn’t make sense, this ending. Suddenly those on the inside recognize Mary and Joseph. Eyes and hearts and doors are opened. Come in! Accept this small corner even if the dwelling is poor; we offer it from the heart. Recognition and radical hospitality make room for survival and indeed for something new and life-giving to be born.

Somebody’s knockin at your door. May the spirit of Posada season bring about miracles of recognition among us, and may we find our common humanity at the threshold.