Show IL DEO v m gp q WW W W 77 v rhen JV HEN mary alary and joseph undertook their memorable journey from nazareth to bethlehem nearly two thousand years ago palestine was a peaceful and reasonably prosperous country but the heart of israel was filled with longing and uneasiness longing for the Afes messiah siah who according to the prophets the lord had promised his chosen people the messiah who would deliver then them from their trials and tribulations even as moses had led their forefathers out of the bondage of egypt and now it came to pass that caesar augustus had decided all the world should be taxed and every man should be enrolled each in his native city and it happened that joseph who lived in nazareth was a native of bethlehem in those days there was no macadam highway leading from the galilean hillside into beahl bethlehem e the city of david which nestled in the blue greet green mountains south of jerusalem and under ideal conditions bethlehem was several days journey from nazareth so mary alary and joseph started for bethlehem about the middle of december they carried a little food with them for emergencies a little extra clothing and some bedding they traveled very slowly because of mary alary and when she was too tired to walk another step joseph took the packs upon his shoulders so mary might ride the little donkey which trudged faithfully at his side THE THE little village of bethlehem was about six miles from jerusalem those last six miles were the longest and hardest for mary alary the mountain trail was steep and treacherous the atmosphere was lighter than the travelers from galilee were accustomed to and they were very tired fired and travel weary when they reached bethlehem the city of david where josephs ancestor king david had bad ruled fourteen generations before augustus and his census it was early evening but the inn was already crowded beyond its normal capacity with census bound travelers not even a corner was available where joseph could have spread a bed for mary in desperation joseph pleaded from door to door and with those whom he be passed as he be raced through the narrow streets of bethlehem in search of shelter finally someone directed him to a stable which was really a cave hewn into the rocky rock y ledge of the mountainside the stable to which joseph led mary alary was well supplied with clean straw and mary alary was grateful for shelter and privacy it was holy night there was no room at the inn that night but over in shepherds field about two miles south of bethlehem several shepherds were w ere keeping the night watch over their flocks when suddenly a great blaze of light appeared in the sky and seemed to descend upon the countryside the shepherds were very frightened and devout men that they were they called upon god to help them when they raised their e eyes y es from supplication the glory of the lord shone all around them and an angel stood in their midst assuring them there was nothing to fear for behold I 1 bring you glad of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of david a saviour which is christ the lord and this shall be a sign unto you ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising god and saying glory to god in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men THE HE shepherds hurried to bethlehem there to find the infant asleep in the manger even as it had been foretold unto them hit his stable was filled with a heavenly radiance and having wor shipped the child the shepherds were filled with a wondrous feeling of peace and the shepherds wondered and told others concerning those things which they had seen and heard several days later a richly appointed caravan wove its way through the crooked streets of bethlehem bearing wise men alen from the east who following the star of bethlehem which they had seen from afar had come to adore the newborn new born king and the star led them until it came and stood over the manger where the child was the wise men alen rejoiced when they saw the holy infant lying in the manger and they adored him they ordered gifts to be brought from their caravan gifts symbolic of what jesus was to become gold for a king myrrh for a great physician frankincense for a high priest all bethlehem crowded around awestruck awe struck and curious curi but mary alary pondered all these things in her heart and watched over the child with great diligence and that is the way it came to pass that jesus was born in bethlehem it could not no have come to pass in any other way before the sacred manger all men are equal and only from a lowly stable could the saviour draw unto himself all who are weary and heavy laden and truly only the heavenly host could praise god that first firs christmas night glory to god in the highest and on earth peace good will toward men dorothea Watz mann |