We're getting close to the day the babe was born, as we follow the blogs to the birth of Jesus Christ as portrayed in the book TWO FROM GALILEE by M. Holmes. The first story of the series was MARY OF GALILEE, as it appeared some weeks ago, and every day but Sunday another of the series was written. Won't you join us?
Mary's pain was the only reality, her master. Beyond the pain was the stable and its dim world. Firelight threw shadows across the rough walls. The steaming kettle and vague shadow of animals were present, and sometimes from very far away and sometimes sounding close, the rumble of male voices could be heard from the yard. With the presence, too, of Joseph, it seemed like a small homey world surrounding her world of pain. Mary was conscious of Joseph moving about, bending to look over her, supporting her and suffering with her so she fought hard to still her cries. But she could not. Yet she tried hard to remember there was so demon within her, but the bloody grip of God.
She thought, too, of the beasts led to the slaughter in the Temple. They were moaning, moving closer to their fate--or was it...."Joseph, forgive me!" For it was not the cattle that she heard, but the moans and bellowing coming from her own lips. "It's all right; cry if it helps," Joseph whispered.
In her mind, the hooves of the doomed cattle drove on. She tried to reassure them: Never fear, sweet cattle, I will bring forth a new kind of offering to Jehovah. One day you will not need to go to the knife. And, also, she tried to reassure the child: Never fear, sweet child; don't let me frighten you. Come forth in triumph out of suffering.
Suffering? An excitement filled her and she sought to understand her hidden thoughts. Is there a secret to suffering? Truly to know the Lord God you must go down in the pit with him, suffer with him, be in the fire with him. She thought she saw the priest bending toward her, to comfort her in the pit. But it was not the priest, it was Joseph.
Bending toward her in his love for her he said, "I can see his little head. You must strive harder, my love. Bear down, bear down."
She obeyed, gratefully. There was a great ripping and flooding and burning, and he came forth out of her, out of Mary, his mother. Thus in blood and pain he came into the world, this son of God who was also man and the son of man. And Joseph lifted him up for her to see. They looked upon him together and marveled. His wholeness, infinitely small and red and perfectly formed. And when he squirmed in Joseph's arms and uttered his first cry, they thrilled the thrill of all mankind as it ran through them. This was life, human life, and they knew a miracle had come alive.
Mary drowsed with the child in her arms. Joseph had cleansed the babe and rubbed it with salt as she had directed. But the swaddling was done by Mary, making a little harness of the swaddling bands to help its tiny limbs to grow straight and strong.
So now she lay drowsing while Joseph busied himself, tidying up their small nest that had become their home. It was beautiful to him. He had taken the bloody straw and replaced it with clean sweet hay. He had bathed Mary and brought her fresh garments. He brushed her hair--and then brought the swaddled babe for her to suckle. Mary could feel the tugging, surprised at one so tiny to be so vigorous. How greedy for life he was! Feed me, he demanded! It was really quite funny. She smiled, half-asleep, and pressed the hot little bundle close. What bliss!
And so Mary rested on the night that her child was born. And Joseph kept watch. He needed no more to berate himself. He had not failed her. Her son had been safely born, and he had helped to bring him forth. So, he thought, that made this babe---in a new and wondrous sense--his son, too. His wife, his child--his family--sleeping now, and unable to restrain himself, he shielded the lamp and held it above their faces, if only to witness the blessed sight of them in this moment of his rapture. (End of today's story)
Look for the story again on 12/26, the day after Christmas. How I hope and pray this story increased your love and enthusiasm for Christmas--just as it did for me many years ago. Although studying the possibilities of the feelings and actions of Biblical persons cannot be fully accurate, it at least provides possibilities which may or may not have existed. They were and are, after all, real people with real lives. Only their stories are there and not their feelings. We can only imagine.
Have a wonderful Christmas! And may God bless each one of you!
Forever desiring His friendship,
Jo INMN
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