ALIVE: Chapter 106 The Journey to Bethlehem

Mary asked to stay in her home until it was time to leave for Bethlehem. She wanted to be alone, to pray and to rest. She was so grateful to have been taught to read in her youth at the Temple. During the day she scoured through her papa’s Pentateuch, and books of history, and the Book of Prophets. She looked for more prophecies about her Infant and about herself to guide her and to strengthen her for the difficult journey that lay ahead.

Sometimes she read aloud for her Son to hear. She imagined that He must know all of this, but that His mind was being emptied while in her womb; she would need to teach Him all over again. “Imagine that,” thought Mary with a giggle, “teaching God about His creation? I who know not a crumb of what He knows! God is funny. He makes me laugh.” God smiled at His young mother, and with a spirit-nod confirmed that indeed her Holy Infant knows more than is written in the volumes she has been reading. But she was also right that’s He will enter the world as waking from a dream, with only a vague and fleeting recollection of where He came from. Crying and cooing. 

“Yet” said the still smiling Lord as He silently assured Mary that what will remain, and never leave, will be His wisdom, His love, His essence. “Our Son has a lot to teach you, My little mother!”  

This was a most Holy Week for Mary. This week of peace, privacy and prayer, the cycle of sunrise, afternoon, sunset, and dark nights uninterrupted was even better than the weeks with Elizabeth. She was with the Lord, the Father of her Son. Her Holy Child filled her soul with wisdom as His DNA circulated through her bloodstream into every vein and artery saturating her with fluid divinity.  

Even as the Babe within her was preparing to enter the cold world of sunlight and starlight, Mary was growing too in the womb that was the home of her parents Joachim and Anna. She felt herself evolving slowly, becoming more yielding, more peaceful. How ironic to realize that she was the baby of God. With a child’s innocence and sense of joy, she drew near to her Lord as He was as nearer to her than He had ever been to Moses.

In the words of Saint Isaac the Syrian ~600 AD. “As an infant goes up to a snake and clasps it’s neck, and it does him no harm. An infant goes naked on days of cold and ice, when everyone else is dressed and covered up and the cold steals over all his limbs unfelt. He sits naked on a day of cold, ice, frost and suffers nothing, because the body of his innocence is swaddled with another, invisible garment woven of that hidden Providence which protects his tender limbs, lest any harm come near him.” (Homily 72). So it was sweet and innocent Mary, who was God’s infant, that ever so gradually shed the fear of discomfort during the long days ahead on the donkey over rocks and vast dry desert plains. She became as desensitized as the infant to conditions that would torture any other fully pregnant woman. 

Other than in reading and praying, her communion with God was wordless. As a hard peach with sunlight and time grows soft and luscious, young Mary slowly ripened. The week ended with Mary feeling strong and ready. 

As if the neighbors and friends knew to stay away, no one visited Mary during this sacred week, not even Misha, her best friend, who by then had been betrothed to a man in another village. Joseph was too busy to visit her as he worked late every night by the light of oil lamps, to finish his orders before the journey. His children too were busy helping him. Joseph expected that it could be months before his return to the workshop. Little did he know that it would be years, because of their flight into Egypt. 

Ruthless, uncaring Time eventually reclaimed the gift of this sacred week. Mary heard the familiar rhythm of Joseph’s knock on the door and got up from her chair to answer, expecting him to tell her that he and the beasts of burden were ready.

“Hello my love. How was your week?” asked Joseph.

Not able to express in words what she experienced, she simply replied, “Pretty wonderful my dear. I am ready.” she smiled.  Joseph noticed the glow in her countenance but didn’t mention anything as it seemed too personal, even for him to mention. 

“We leave the day after tomorrow, at daybreak. I will pick up the animals tomorrow. Would you like me to stay here with you, or pick you up then?”

Mary replied timidly for fear of offending Joseph. “I’d like just a little more time alone, if that’s okay with you. I will be ready, I promise. But come in now. Let’s have some tea. Have you had supper?”

Joseph handed Mary the bag he had almost forgotten. “Here, for you my dear, Rachel sends you supper.” 

“How nice!”

Joseph tended the fire while Mary set the table. 

Sitting at the table and watching his young pregnant wife wobble about the kitchen Joseph was in awe of her. He knew that he couldn’t even imagine her experience of the week alone. “I hope you have been eating well. You are feeding our Son too.”

“Oh, I am. Please thank Rachel for this meal though. She is such a good cook. I have much to learn from her. I think her falafel is the best I’ve ever eaten. Bless her hands.”

Joseph smiled the heartfelt smile of a proud father, wondering where Rachel learned to cook without a mother. He was always too busy in his workshop to think about how his home was being run. Everything just appeared, the clean clothes, the meals. In a flash of gratitude Joseph sensed how blessed he had always been, and then it passed leaving a calm,  like a wave that had consumed him for a moment and rushed on to disappear while licking the shore.

...

On the last day alone with her Holy Baby and His Heavenly Father the air was cool and thin, sunbeams fill the cloudless sky brightly illuminating all of Nazareth. Chatting children, roosters crowing, vendors barking, dogs barking, mothers scolding, surrounded Mary with the sounds of her beloved village. She was hyper aware of the joy of being alive. She knew that there was nothing at all to be concerned about. She relished every moment of that blessed day, reading, praying, packing, cleaning; even her simple meals were delicious. She lamented the eggs that could never become chicks, but she was grateful for the nourishment they gave her and her Son. Speaking of her Son, she felt him turning and descending, preparing to enter the world. Oh, Mary thought how she wished He could be born on this blessed day. How she longed to hold him in her arms and rock him back and forth in her clean and cozy home. 

...

Mary was already up and dressed, her satchels packed and the house as clean as ever when she heard Joseph’s knock on the door. She opened the door and was greeted by a warm and loving hug. Then Jospeh took her hand and said, “Come my Mary, let us start our journey with a prayer for our safety.”

“Of course” she replied. They went over to the water bowl and washed their hands. Joseph reached into the satchel he was carrying for his prayer books and garb. When they were ready Joseph took Mary’s hand in his. They faced the rising sun and bowed their heads. Joseph raised the Torah, and read the blessings and the psalms and concluded with psalm 145. They both felt so proud to be of the line of King David, to know him as their grandfather. What a joy. They had him to suffer with and to rejoice with, and now their Infant too will know King David, not just as a distant and famous patriarch, but He will know King David through his own flesh and blood. How fitting it was that they would bring David’s grandson to be born in his own birthplace. 

After saying the ritual prayers, Joseph fetched Mary’s satchel and they walked out of the door taking turns touching and kissing the mezuzah as they left. When she did that Mary got a flash of a memory that wasn’t even hers, but of her mother Anna and all the times she had done the same to the same mezuzah. She wondered if perhaps the sensation came from the mezuzah itself. The world changes, and the world ways stays the same. 

Joseph and Mary walked over to the donkeys that were already loaded with Joseph’s satchel of foods that his daughters prepared and the one with his own personal items. The proprietor and Joseph helped Mary hoist herself onto the animal, which went better than expected, then again Mary was young, and even in her condition, she was strong and flexible.

Jospeh mounted his donkey and they headed out with a caravan of others on their animals, donkeys and camels, all following the leader to Bethlehem. 

The first hour was difficult for all the travelers as they had to become accustomed to the position of their bodies and bobbing up and down, and as they became acquainted with their animals. Mary was glad that her donkey appeared to be particularly docile. He was a gentle creature as if he understood the honor and responsibility bestowed upon him and that he was born for this trip as no other. 

Mary drew strength from her hours of mental and spiritual preparation. She kept in her mind and in her heart the words of the prophet that her Son was to be born in Bethlehem, but that also the Messiah was to be from Galilee. Her every footstep had been directed by the Lord, her Lord, the Father of her Son. Perhaps never before since Creation had anyone been so sure of walking in God’s will than Mary and Joseph on this journey. The baby in her womb rested peacefully. He knew, somehow He too knew that the road from Nazareth to Bethlehem might have been as silently dazzling as the route from earth to Venus. 

The little band of travelers like an ancient parade through time signified the generations of humanity from Adam to David, and from David to Jesus. Adam failed, Saul failed. David reigned, Jesus reigned. This to show how perfect is God’s Wisdom, and His design. The first man failed, the first king failed. The second king succeeded, the second Adam would succeed. 

It was not merely by Roman rule that had David’s son to be born in Bethlehem too. It was by God’s design. The Lamb of God was going to join the shepherd boy. David, the King of Judah and later of all Israel, the man after God’s own heart was promised to have a son sit on his throne forever. Jesus is that son. Mary was taking the King not of Israel alone, but of all the children of God to the birthplace of the King. On the same patch of earth, two humble kings are born. This realization amazed and comforted Mary, cushioning the beast’s every step as she bobbed up and down on the donkey.

From great concern for Mary’s health and safety Joseph too was rendered peaceful and humble by the scriptures they had read. He had been so busy finishing his projects and getting his house and children in order that the journey opened a welcome window for the cool breeze of rest and contemplation. The rhythm of the animal’s steps corralled his thoughts. He was concerned about Rachel, his daughter and her imminent marriage. Poor child without a mother to make the wedding plans. He hoped the young man would be worthy of such a treasure, and such a good cook! Rachel would leave her sister to care for the younger brothers. He taught his sons all he could about carpentry. He was glad to have had a good profession to pass on to them. Too bad Jesse and Michael had to move to other towns to start their businesses. Nazareth just wasn’t big enough or wealthy enough for too many carpenters. They will be fine, Joseph assured himself.

From time to time the caravan stopped for the riders to get down and stretch their legs, eat and relieve themselves. The third stop of the day was an overnight. A large barn became a hostel where the people could set up their beds under shelter from the chill of the cold nights and from marauders. 

“How are you doing my love?”

“I’m okay, probably better than I expected to be. The baby has been still.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes. What has Rachel made for us, Falafel sandwiches?” Mary said with a smile. When will we arrive? One more overnight?”

“Ha. I’m afraid that we have six or seven more overnights! Then you can rest. I hope we will find a room. I’m starting to be concerned about that.”

“The Lord will provide” said Mary not knowing that indeed the Lord did provide, a manger where the magi and the star could easily find them, rather than in a locked room of a building. The birth would be a public affair. Jesus was a gift to the whole world, not to a mother and father alone. 

The angels were unusually silent among themselves. Solemnly did they accompany the donkeys, Mary’s human angel Joseph, and the Infinite in her womb. The angels, knowing what no human could know of the magnitude of the situation hovered over the holy family in fear and  awe mileafter mile, day after day. What mystical contrivance transformed the only begotten Son of God, begotten before all ages, light of light, true God of true God into a helpless infant? Only the angels understood the magnitude of what was really happening. Fellow travelers blindly hoisted themselves back on their donkeys after the rest stop for another tiring session of bobbing up and down on their beasts of burden in awe that a man would bring his young pregnant wife on such an arduous journey.

Mary was no ordinary young pregnant woman. Her week alone with the Lord and her angels prepared her for the week on the dusty road, as an athlete prepares for the competition. She was strong and peaceful where others complained, crying for food or water, or the comfort of a still chair. Mary stoically rose above the physical conditions like an airplane rises above dark clouds. The solemn angels gained a respect for her that they never expected, and so silently they traveled in record slowness until the troupe reached Bethlehem. 

A cacophony of bells rang in the heavens to herald the arrival in Bethlehem. It was over! Finally! 

Joseph was the first to dismount and rushed over to his wife to help her down. Majestically, like the regal queen she was becoming, Mary, slipped off of the donkey into her husband’s outreached arms. 

“Are you alright my dear?  Here we are in Bethlehem!”

Mary looked around at the smaller unfamiliar village. The stone streets were filled with people, residents and visitors. David had a big family! Judah had blossomed like an almond tree in spring. “So, we are.” said Mary who was indeed relieved to be there and longed for a cup of tea and honey, and to bathe the desert off of her, and to wash her dusty clothes. 

“I will take you to the square and let you rest while I find us a room.” added Joseph.

“No, please let me go with you. I’d rather walk than sit any more.” replied Mary. 

“Yes, I can see that. Are you sure?”

“I am. Come, let’s go.”

The angels cringed. They knew what will happen. They knew that doors open for kings who are born in gold filled palaces. They knew that like David the Christ would not be born a king, but would be proclaimed one in the end. In awe they watched as God condescended to empty Himself of all knowledge and power to become a helpless infant. They wondered what He could be thinking in the womb, He who thought the world into being. This band of angels assigned to accompany Joseph and Mary on the journey to ensure that she didn’t fall, and that no bandits hurt her, would not find them a comfortable private room where they could rest after such an arduous journey. That was not the desire of the Father. They wondered how dignified Joseph and especially Mary, the privileged princess, would react. They saw the exhaustion on their faces. Oh from what heights God plummeted, from what ledges Mary and Joseph tumbled. Humility. 

Dismounted, Mary felt more exhausted than when she was on the donkey, when she had to be alert. 

They walked carrying satchels from boarding house to boarding house. The disappointments mounted, each harder than the one before. Mary’s aunts, Salome and Mary had died, and her cousins all left Bethlehem for Jerusalem, or Parts of Judaea. Imagine there was nowhere to stay in the village of her mother. 

“Joseph, I’m ready to sit down now.” cried Mary at the lowest point in her young life. 

“Of course my dear.” They found a tree to sit under and Joseph dropped all the satchels he was carrying. Then he opened the one with the small blanket which he set on the ground for her to sit on. Mary took his hand and carefully lowered herself onto the earth. Then Joseph sat himself down close to her so she could lean on him as her pillow. Tears of exhaustion spilled out of Mary’s eyes. She wiped the tears away, closed her eyes and spoke to God. “I don’t know why this is so difficult, but I won’t complain my Lord. I love you.” And then Mary fell into Joseph’s lap and sleep rushed to her rescue. Joseph sat being her pillow and looked down upon his precious charge. What a gift she was to him. What a gift she was to the world. He stroked her head as she slept admiring her beauty and her peacefulness. What kind of woman would not complain and perhaps even blame him for the discomfort?

After a while Mary opened her eyes again and looked up at Joseph and the evening sky and then around at her surroundings to get her bearings. Joseph said. “Good morning my sunshine. Did you sleep well?”

Mary simply smiled her reply.

Why don’t you stay here with the satchels and I will try some more and come back for you. 

“No, I want to come with you. I feel better. I’m ready.” she replied stoically. 

“How about a little food first?”

“Okay.” And she reached for the satchel with food and found some fruit and cheese.

Joseph ate too. Then the couple was refreshed and ready.

As it turned out, it wasn’t far before they spotted a large boarding house on the outskirts of the town beside the fields. They looked at this large building and at each other with hope. 

When the homeless couple arrived, the rotund innkeeper greeted them joyfully which raised their hopes even more.

“Kind sir, do you have a room for us? As you see, my wife is quite full with child and we have been looking for hours since we arrived from Nazareth early this day.”

“I am afraid not, but I see you are desperate and the sun is setting. I can carve out some space in my barn for you. It is a shelter and I have plenty of hay you can make a bed with. I am sorry, but it is the best I can do.”

Joseph looked at Mary inquiringly for her approval, then to the innkeeper he said, “Oh, don’t be sorry, we would be pleased.Thank you.”

The innkeeper came out from behind his counter and grabbed two of the satchels then said to Joseph, “follow me.”

The barn was large and open. The innkeeper set down the satchels and pointed to the bales of hay. Mary walked over to her satchel and opened it to retrieve her blanket.

“I have more blankets my lady, and the well is nearby. Why don’t you get settled and then come to the dining room for supper. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Joseph replied, “No, thank you; you have been very kind and we are grateful.”

Joseph and Mary looked around the stable in dismay. Over there was a donkey chewing his cud. And over there were two young lambs tussling with each other, while their empty-minded mother stood waiting for feeding time. The strong smell was earthy of hay and the sweat of animals that never bathed. 

“Mary, sit on that hay bail, while I arrange a bed.” Joseph tried to sound positive and stable trying to normalize a very unusual situation as if that was possible. Mary obeyed and simply sat quietly looking around at her temporary home. What could be a more appropriate scene for the son of God to descend from the throne room of the heavens, from glory more luminous than the sun into the home of brute animals? Where was the divinity? Where the honor due the king of kings? As she sat watching Joseph scurry around moving bales of hay, Mary grinned and then chuckled to think that the Lord could not have found a more lowly place to place her and Joseph. 

Mary felt the baby turn inside of her, his elbow poking the wall of her womb, looked around at the crowded manger and thought to herself, “Yes, this is earth my son. We share it with all sorts of animals who are as unaware as a rock of the brilliance of their Creator. The animals who care for their bodies only, for food and shelter. Sleeping and waking. Pain and pleasure chasing the tail of the other. The strata of life from the pinnacle of God, my God Who has been so near to me during these months, and Joseph, my blessing, my angel.” She looked over at Joseph who was busily making furniture from hay. “He is a good, and loving man, a good provider, and look at these innocent furry animals living to supply us with food and clothing. Yes, welcome to earth my son. Breathe in the baseness of life in this place.”

Then Mary watched as two little lambs, curious about their visitors, went over to Joseph and sniffed around him. She looked at the donkey ignoring them all. Mary thought about Noah and his animals floating in their protected ark surrounded by the sea filled with the dead and fish swimming all around them. A stinging chill suddenly came upon her as night fell and there was only an oil lamp to warm themselves by. She stood up and grabbed the blanket she was sitting on to wrap it around her shoulders. Her nose was so cold  and she wished that she had the curly tight fur of the little lamb. Soon her teeth started chattering. To try to divert herself from the cold, she continued to think about being in Noah’s ark and realized how perfect it was for God to surround them with animals as He had Noah. “It’s as if the world is starting for the third time!” she thought. “In the beginning, God made the animals, and on the same day He made Adam and Eve. The first world. Then, the world started all over again, after the flood when Noah and his wife and his sons and the animals were all there was of life on earth. The second new world! And now, how perfect!!! Just as the animals found refuge from Noah and the ark, Jesus and Joseph and I are finding refuge in the shelter of the animals.” Mary chuckled at the coincidence. “My Son the animals are near again for the third start of a new world on this earth. I don’t know what it is, but I think God has great plans for you!” 

Joseph heard Mary’s chattering teeth and looked over at her. “Oh my dear!” Then he stopped trying to build a bed with hay and went over to hug her and warm her with his own body heat. “Come, I think this bed is good enough. Joseph had strewn a blanket over the straw and formed a pillow too. They laid down together and covered themselves with the other blanket. 

They were too cold to sleep, and so Mary said, “Isn’t this funny? How you and I are the only two people in the world that know that .... oh I don’t even know if I can say it aloud.”

Joseph competed her sentence, “that in your womb lies the Creator of the world.”

Mary blushed. “We could never say it. No one can know because they would probably...”

“Hurt you, and we can’t let that happen. But then it would only be the demons and those that they possess who would do that. The rest of the people would not even believe it, and they would mock you and criticize you. Yes, my dear, for as long as God wishes. This is our secret.”

Mary replied, “Well, I think us having to sleep in this cold barn is a great way to guard the secret.” And then she laughed a hearty laugh that warmed her from the inside. “And you, my dear are part of God’s great farce.” she added with a big smile. 

“And I am happy to be that.” Joseph added with a smile of his own and a hug for his wife. “Now let’s try to sleep. Then we will forget the cold.

As if sent by the Lord, the little lambs walked over to the mound that was Mary and Joseph and cuddled up to Mary to warm her and protect her.

Mary felt the warmth of the little lambs and their mother on her back and legs and she silently thanked God. Joseph noticed and squeezed her to express his own joy that the heavenly Father could so easily fill the gap of what he was unable to do for this blessed young lady.

Mary and Joseph woke up at the same time. By then the lambs were up too and milling around waiting for the shepherd to take them out. 

The shepherd boy opened the wide door, and said, “Are you folks okay? How was your night? Did you have enough blankets?”

Joseph replied, “Yes. The lambs kept us warm.” 

“The innkeeper asked me to tell you to go into the dining room for tea and breakfast.”

“Gladly, thank you.” replied Mary as she dug through her satchel to find her comb.

Joseph straightened out the bed, and Mary helped him by folding the blankets and putting them aside. “Today I will go to register, do you want to stay here or come with me?” 

The decision required weighing a desire to rest after the journey, against wanting to be near Joseph, and not to be left with the animals in the barn. Her body replied. Being so close to delivery, Mary was forced to yield to her need for rest. She didn’t think she could walk to the place and wait in line or whatever would have been required of her. She would have collapsed. “Considering all,” Mary replied. “I will stay here.”

“That is best my dear. I hope I won’t be long.” 

They walked over to the inn for their breakfast. 

“Ah my guests, welcome. How was your night? Did my flock treat you well?”

Joseph replied sheepishly, “Yes, we were fine. Thank you for the blankets. By the way, my wife will stay here while I go to register. Is there a chair or two you might bring us?”

“I think we can find one for you. Meanwhile please sit down at the table over there, and let us bring you some breakfast.”

The dining room was crowded but Joseph saw two available seats and took Mary’s hand to walk her there. The fellow travelers greeted the couple and made room for them.

After breakfast Joseph returned to the innkeeper to inquire about the chair. “Yes, I sent two over earlier. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you. I also sent over another oil lamp for a little more light and warmth. I wish I could do more. I am very sorry.”

“No reason to be sorry, we are grateful for all that you have done. Thank you. We will be fine, thank the Lord.” 

Joseph took Mary back to their manger and set her up. The lone donkey looked over and nodded. The lambs and goats would spend the whole day in the field. Mary smiled at the donkey and greeted it. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but it looked as though the animal smiled and greeted her back. She thought about how unusual that was and thanked God for His little miracles that encouraged her. 

“I’ll be fine. I will probably sleep some more. You go, my donkey-friend will take care of me.”

Joseph gave Mary a kiss on her forehead, and left his young pregnant wife sitting comfortably on the chair, covered by a blanket with her legs perched up on a bail of hay and a book in her hands and went to register his family for the census.