NOTE: THESE CHAPTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN A MUCH IMPROVED, EXPANDED BOOK, "A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR SOUL" from FriesenPress
Before long Joseph was wakened by the crow of a rooster. He knew it was time to get up and go back to work. Then, all the events of yesterday and especially last night came flooding back. He dashed out to where his mother was ready with some breakfast for him.
“Mama, mama,” he cried, “Is Papa still here?”
“Yes, Naomi said, “He’s around somewhere.”
Joseph ducked outside into the fresh air of the morning and saw his father puttering in the garden.
“Papa, Papa,” he said excitedly, “Remember what I told you yesterday? About Mary and the angel?”
Jacob straitened up and turned towards his son, “How could I forget something like that?” he said wryly before Joseph could finish, “You were quite upset, even confused. For which I can’t blame you. You had a lot on your mind.”
“Yes, yes,” Joseph raced on, “But last night the angel came to me-“
“Whoah,” his father broke in, “Two angels in two nights? After so many years of silence?” News had not yet reached the family about the recent angel appearance in Jerusalem, “That’s a bit much to take in, to believe. Are you sure you weren’t dreaming about Mary’s experience with all that on your mind?”
“No, father, no,” replied Joseph earnestly, “In fact, the angel told me much the same as was told to Mary. But he said more. He said I was to have no fear and marry Mary anyway. Then he said that the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit, that she will give birth to a son and we are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins!”
Jacob rested his chin on his hands as he listened to his son, “Well,” he answered as he tried to absorb Joseph’s words, “This is beyond anything I have ever heard. I wish I knew more of what it meant. If this is from The Highest One, we will find out in time. Did you tell this to your mother?”
‘No,” Joseph replied, “I thought I should tell you first.”
“Very well,” Jacob answered, “Let’s go in and have something to eat while we talk about this.
Jacob’s father lifted his eyes heavenward and asked for a blessing on the meal and then they ate in silence.
Joseph could hardly contain himself but he thought he should wait for his father’s leading. Eventually Jacob pushed back and crossed his legs to sit upright, “Naomi,” he began, “Our son appears to have had the same kind of nighty visitor that he told us Mary reported.”
Naomi straitened up, eyes wide, “What? Joseph, what did the visitor, the angel, tell you?”
“The same as to Mary,” Joseph began, repeating what he had told his father.
Naomi looked at Jacob, “Jacob, what does this mean? What are we to do?”
Jacob considered things for a minute and then replied, “I think we just have to wait and see what The Highest One is doing. I guess it won’t hurt to go ahead with the engagement. However, I am still concerned for Mary – and you too Joseph.”
“There are several reasons why we need to keep quiet about this. First of all, you know what some might look for in terms of punishment for being pregnant under these circumstances. We don’t want anything to happen to our children. We know what the old law says but we also know many of our leaders in these times do not believe Jehovah is that punitive, as to want people killed. He would rather be gracious and forgive they say. Still –“ he hesitated, “There is another reason why we have to keep quiet. You know how King Herod feels about any challenge to his rule, and the angels are telling us this boy is to be a king? Not to mention the Romans.”
Then he leaned forward and intoned ominously, “and I hear some of our Galilean hotheads are again planning a revolt. Ah, they are crazy – between you and me I say that. We just don’t need trouble.”
Joseph had heard some of his young friends talking of this too but he had kept quiet. Violence was not his way.
“Anyway,” Jacob said, rising from his place at the meal, “We need to go and talk to Joachim and Anna about this, and of course, Mary. Come, my son.”
Joseph got up, leaning over to kiss his mother on his way out, “Pray for us mother,” he said, before the two men turned and walked out into the new day. They pulled their cloaks tighter around them as they stepped out into the still cool morning air.
They walked in silence around the side of the hill on which Nazareth was built and then downhill on the path that lead across the valley to Sepphoris. In the distance, they could see its imposing buildings and walls, bright in the morning sun.
No comments:
Post a Comment