ALIVE: Chapter 108, Christmastime in the Compression Chamber

Think about this; the Lord our God is the Creator of Time. 

Time. This inescapable element of life in which we live and breathe and have our being, we measure it by the sun that revolves around our heads in repetitious periods of light and darkness. 

Yet as God knows, and as many physicists have discovered, time is pliable. It is as matter to the Creator of the sun, the Orchestrator and Conductor of history. 

It is with God’s knowledge of the fluidity of Time, that the Bride of Christ, the Body of Christ, the Church declared that annually thirty years would pass as twelve days, or revolutions of the earth, between the birth and the baptism of the incarnation of His only begotten Son, and second person of the Trinity, Jesus. 

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After the three Persian men left, Mary and Joseph were exhausted. It had been such an intense day. The aroma of the frankincense lingered to mask the earthy smell of sweaty lamb’s wool. Mary, with her baby, laid down for a much needed sleep. The Baby was carefully placed between Mary and Joseph, and as usual the two little lambs snuggled up to Mary on her other side. She and her baby were enveloped in bodily warmth. The Baby slept too, for about an hour or two. Curious about the world that He had just entered and ready to be a part of it, He wasn’t as sleepy as His mommy. He was just chilly, even in his swaddling clothes, so much had the temperature fallen when the sun fell. So He cried waking Mary and Joseph and the lambs and the goats and the donkey. Mary tried to feed Him, and though it took a few attempts, he eventually latched on. The cries that awoke every being in the manger subsided into mesmerizing sounds of sucking and contentment that lulled the sheep and even Mary, back to sleep. 

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When the Baby woke up again, an hour before sunrise, Joseph was reminded of the many years he went without a full night’s sleep after the birth of his other children. But he was older now and too aware of the unique situation he was in to be irritated. Besides, he didn’t need as much sleep as he had as a younger hard-working man. This day after His birth was the Sabbath and the family prayed and rested. It was a perfect Sabbath, a holy Sabbath, the Infant king’s first sunrise, afternoon warmth, and sunset. He slept. He opened his eyes and looked around at His mommy, and His daddy. He smelled the animals. He took in every element of life on earth, learning quickly, as all infants do, what it means to be human. He was shifted from Mary’s arms to Joseph’s who paced around the barn jingling Him up and down. He was set down on the straw bed but didn’t like that at all and let it be known in cries of disapproval, so he was lifted again and hugged and jiggled. He sucked His mother’s milk like a baby calf every hour for twenty minutes, and twice during the day he slept soundly for an hour or two. 

The following days brought a new rhythm of life to the manger. The animals were taken out as usual early in the morning to graze in the fields. Joseph stayed close incase Mary or the Baby needed anything. Servants from the inn brought meals to the family. On the third day, a little delegation from the Inn came to welcome the infant into the world with gifts. The ladies remarked how alert the Child looked with his curious eyes wide opened, inspecting them. Mary thought she even heard Him giggle at the funny faces the ladies made to entertain him. Peek a boo. 

On the fifth day a room at the inn became available! Hallelujah!  As much as Mary cherished her pets, she was grateful to move to the domicile of the humans. Joseph moved their belongings into the room.

The baby gradually grew accustomed to the world, eating and growing, cooing and crying. The tone of His infant voice was as melodic as chimes in the breeze.

Mary loved changing His clothes, even His diaper. One lady from the inn, volunteered to wash the clothes and even the diapers for Mary as her gift. 

“That is so very kind and generous of you! Thank you!”

“Yes!” repeated Joseph, relieved that it wasn’t to be his chore.

Joseph, as patient as he was, nevertheless was anxious to return to Nazareth and his workshop. He wondered if they could return after the circumcision or if they had to wait for the days of purification of Mary. He hoped that his children were faring well without him. 

“This week has gone by so quickly!” Mary exclaimed to Joseph as she paced the room holding tight the swaddled baby who was fussing and uncomfortable, patting his back to bring up the bubble after his feeding. 

Joseph looked at his young wife admiring her vitality and her patience. He flashed back on the day that he first met her at the temple. It had only been less than two years ago. She was still so young, but she was no longer a school girl. Motherhood suited her well. Daydreaming, Joseph thought how her transformation into motherhood was like the ripening of a pear, how it goes from hard gritty crispness into a smooth succulent texture.  

Mary woke Joseph out of his daydream saying, “Is the priest expecting us?”

“Oh! I almost forgot. I will go to him today and let him know we’re coming tomorrow.”

Joseph was glad to have a reason to walk into the village.

Mary wanted to walk too, but she knew that she wasn’t permitted to as she was still unclean. 

No sooner had Joseph left when Mary heard a gentle knock on the door. She laid the baby down on the bed and went to open the door. 

“Greetings, my name is Esther. I heard you have a baby...and that your mother is not here. May I help you?” Esther was a middle age woman with exceptionally white porcelain skin, rosy cheeks and big blue eyes. She was neither stout nor thin and she carried herself gracefully although she was muscular from years of work in the fields. Esther had five grown children of her own, and she loved babies which attracted her to Mary.

“Yes, by all means, please come in!”

Esther confidently walked into the room and went straight to the bed where the baby was lying on his back looking up at the ceiling. Without asking, she scooped Him up in her arms and gave Him a hug. The baby accepted Esther and didn’t cry. 

“I think He likes you Esther. I was thinking of taking him outside for some fresh air, do you want to come?”

“Yes, replied Esther. Do you know how to wrap Him up in a sling, so you don’t have to hold him?”

“Actually, I have seen women walking around like that, but I have no idea how to do it.”

Esther was glad to hear that she could teach this young girl something. She handed the Baby to Mary and then reached into the bag she and pulled out a cloth, just the right size. “This is my gift for your Son. Now let me show you how it’s done.” 

Mary and Esther worked on the technique many times until Mary could tie her Son to her all by herself.

“This is wonderful! Now I can carry Him while I’m cooking and cleaning! What a relief! Thank you Esther. Ready to go for the walk?”

Esther and Mary walked around the property. It was a clear clean day. The smell of a burnt sacrifice wafted through the air and smelled so good, that it made the ladies hungry. The Baby fell asleep bobbing up and down hanging on His mother as has He had for so many months in the womb.

The ladies introduced themselves to each other with details of their origins, and personal history as ladies often do. Mary was surprised to hear that Esther too had been the only child of an elderly couple, except that they lived near her mother’s kinfolk and had many cousins and aunts around. Her mother passed away first and Esther kept her father for several years while she was raising her children, until he passed too. She was so grateful for the opportunity to care for him. Listening to this brought nostalgic memories of Joachim to Mary and of how much he loved her and showed it. How she missed her papa. 

“Oh my, the sun is about to set. I must be going. Have a blessed time tomorrow. I’ll come back if that’s okay with you to hear what you named the Baby.”

“Of course you can! Perhaps we will come to your house after the berit milah (bris).”

“Good idea! I will make a cake and you and your husband come over to celebrate!”

“Wonderful! Thank you Esther.” They hugged a warm new-friend hug, and Esther left Mary and her Baby, content and feeling loved. There is no better feeling.

It wasn’t long before Joseph returned and let Mary know that the priest was ready for them. Mary enthusiastically told Joseph about her visitor, as if she had been visited by an angel. He was pleased and thought to himself that Esther was a gift from the Father to this motherless young mother. 

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The next morning the family scurried around the room gathering all that they needed. Joseph was impressed when he saw Mary skillfully wrap the Baby in the sling that Esther taught her to make. Then she grabbed her bag and they walked to the home of the priest.

“Welcome. Please set your Son down on this table and remove his swaddling clothes.” 

Joseph lifted the Baby out of the sling and unwrapped him until the baby was naked. Oh did He cry! Being so used to close confinement in the womb, and in the swaddling clothes and sling, the new experience of laying naked on a hard table was unpleasant and unwelcome and the Baby expressed that in no uncertain terms.

Mary chanted her lullaby to calm Him as best as she could from a distance. While she was chanting and the priest and Joseph were near the Baby, Mary reached for her bag and pulled out the myrrh that the Persians had given them. She reached out to hand it to Joseph who took it and turned to hand it to the priest. 

“We have brought myrrh to anoint our Son at this time.” said Joseph.

“My my! Where did you get this myrrh!” exclaimed the priest who was of the poor sort, and accustomed to the poor villagers. He received the precious myrrh and set it down beside the beleaguered baby. 

Joseph replied simply that it was a gift and left it at that. Then, Joseph picked up the knife and handed it to the priest. 

The service of circumcision began just as with every Hebrew son of Abraham since Ishmael to enjoin this child to the Covenant of Abraham with God. 

Joseph began, “bereshut moirei verabotai,” (“with the permission of my teachers and the community.”) Joseph and Mary responded in unison as they had rehearsed, “l’chaim,” (“to life.”)

Then the priest recited the blessing, “Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning circumcision.”

Joseph added, “Blessed are You, L-rd our G‑d, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.”

The priest looked at Joseph and asked, “What is this Child’s name to be?”

Joseph replied slowly and solemnly, as if he was about to emit a most sacred sound, “His name is Jesus. As he heard himself say Jesus, Joseph perceived a flashback of his vivid dream when the angel told him that he is to name the Baby Jesus, adding, “for He will save his people from their sins.” Joseph often wondered what the angel meant by that. 

Then the priest began to slice away the foreskin from the little member of the Baby who screamed and cried at the assault. Mary flinched and tears came to her eyes. Tears of compassion and tears of joy over the exalted meaning of this moment. 

Joseph continued, "Baruch atah A-donay, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu le-hach-ni-soh bivrito shel Avraham Avinu", (“Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to enter him into the Covenant of Abraham our father.”)

Mary respond: “Ke-shem she-nich-nas la-brit kein yi-ka-neis le-to-rah oo-le-choo-pah oo-le-ma-a-sim to-vim.” (“Just as he has entered into the Covenant, so may he enter into Torah and into good deeds.”) Ba-ruch A-tah A-do-noi E-loi-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam she-he-chee-ya-nu v'ki-yi-ma-nu vi-hi-gi-ya-nu liz-man ha-zeh.

After the circumcision cut, and the bandaged installed, the priest looked up at Joseph and over at the precious myrrh. With one hand on the naked Baby’s squirming  belly, he reached for the bottle of myrrh as if it was liquid gold. Joseph intervened and helped the priest by picking up the bottle quickly and opening it. The fragrance instantly like a spirit rose out of the little bottle and filled the room. Even the Baby noticed and gradually calmed down to smell the essence of a field of flowers. 

Enveloped in the fragrance of the myrrh, the priest poured it on the baby and rubbed it all over over Him, his little arms and legs, his belly and his face and neck, the he gently turned Him over and spread what was left on his hands over the baby’s back and his little buttocks. 

Calmed, His little eyebrows came together in an expression of curiosity and wonder. 

One of the angels in the room, said loudly to the other angels that the Baby sensed the familiarity of the anointing and was trying to recall it. While the archangel who came for this ceremony spoke up, “No no no. The child is being purely sensory now. He enjoys the aroma and the feeling.”

“Think what you will, and I will too.” replied the first angel, which silenced the archangel as they continued to observe Mary who just then stepped in to wrap her crying baby while chanting to Him Glory to God and Alleluia. 

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Genesis 17:1-14

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.” God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Let the circumcision sink in. How beautiful and powerful it was. Don’t let it pass you by that the myrrh that was rubbed on Jesus by Mary Magdalene for his funeral was as the myrrh that was rubbed on Him during His covenant ceremony, signifying His kingship at both ends of His earthly life.