Again, let me give you a reminder that this major story of the bible has been flushed out to reveal the feelings and thoughts of its major characters. TWO FROM GALILEE, by M. Holmes tells us what Mary, Joseph, and their families may have endured and enjoyed during this historical time. Let's get on with the story, now taking place near Jerusalem:
Mary could now hear God in new ways: at dawn when the Temple's trumpets heralded in the new day and even the hills around her sounded with holy signals of the wild, she was filled with a new strangeness of awe, homesickness, and happiness. Even Elizabeth's home spoke of God, rich with warmth and calm. And color! Yet, its whiteness glistened like radiant sunshine or the purest star!
Near Zachariah, Mary felt a new adoration. His hair and beard, white and shining, fit well in his home. Zachariah's hands and eyes, each capable of complete communication, struck Mary as being princely, yet kind, and she loved serving him at table, bringing him a sweet, and sometimes even washing his old, tired feet. Surely, he had the ear of the Almighty, for his purity and power flowed like the breath of God.
Her anxieties had not disappeared, however. She longed desperately for Joseph, every moment. What was he thinking about right now? What were his plans? Would he ever truly believe her? Would her mother ever believe? Does father still believe? Then, Mary would remember the love she had for God and God's love for her. She believed God had brought her to Elizabeth to bless her and put her at peace for what was ahead. So, Mary prayed, "Lord, I ask to be given peace and the will to be worthy of the honor you have given me--to bear your son!"
While Mary adjusted to gracious living, Elizabeth taught her to work with mosaics, and they talked together while they worked. Elizabeth spoke about Zachariah in loving terms, teaching Mary the workings of the Temple priests. "Only once in a lifetime does the Temple rule allow a priest of our faith to serve in the innermost sanctuary, where God Himself abides. It was on this day for Zachariah, in the secret sanctum, that my husband had an experience that took away his speech. When he came out to address the multitude praying outside, he could not speak."
Elizabeth went on, "The priests work very hard in the Temple--exhausting work of lifting heavy animal carcasses to flay and scrape them, drain their blood, and carve them for offerings. The older men suffer most under this work." She smiled a wifely smile, "Maybe the Lord in his wisdom realized my husband would be a great comfort to me while we await our little one!"
Mary could not help but notice the difference between Elizabeth's life and her own simple life--Hannah's life! Two sisters, radically different; here it is calm and gracious, while her home in Nazareth was all noise, clashing and confusion. Mary wondered, "Where do I belong? Why did God bring me here to see this dignity and grace? Was there a specific reason? Was it to arouse such royal blood as does flow in my veins, to make me ready for some responsibilities of which I am unaware?"
She must remember that she carried a King.
I hope you are enjoying this story, fleshed out with the feelings of Mary, Joseph and others. Of course, we don't know what they really felt, but we can guess, perhaps rightly, maybe not. Whatever we may think, it is a joy to remember how very human they were at this time so long ago. And I believe God would like this story and its humanness, because He wants us to know that He loves the creatures that he made so long ago. And He called us "humans."
Lovingly,
Jo INMN
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