The Story of Mary III: Catholic Version The Ministry Years - Chapter 21 – Jesus is Rejected

NOTE: THESE CHAPTERS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN A MUCH IMPROVED, EXPANDED BOOK, "A SWORD SHALL PIERCE YOUR SOUL" from FriesenPress

After spending a few days with Jesus in Capernaum, Mary decided she needed to go home. She had enjoyed being able to spend time with Jesus’ new friends, and even their families. The family of the one called Simon, in particular, had been such good hosts.  

She had listened with intent wonder at the things she heard Jesus sharing with the young men, and not only them, but the crowds that seemed to gather around nonstop. Jesus was getting known. More amazingly, she saw Jesus healing people of diseases and even casting out evil spirits. Sometimes she wondered if Jesus was overdoing it. He hardly seemed to take a rest. It was hard to believe this was her son doing all this. It made her realize anew what all those voices from the past had said about her child. Now, she was seeing it come true. But where would it go? She was soon to find out one of those possibilities.

Mary pulled Jesus aside one morning and said, “I think I need to go home. The children are getting restless. Your brothers need to go back to work. Why don’t you come back with us? Our people in Nazareth could also benefit from hearing your teaching and even from your healing.”

“Thank you mother, for your invitation,” Jesus replied. “I must ask the Father about it. Why don’t you go on home with the family and I will follow if it is his will.” Suddenly pulling her close, Jesus kissed both of her cheeks and added, “You know I love you mother, and always will. Our Father will take care of you. Go in peace.”

Mary turned to gather her children and her things, marveling again at Jesus’ manner of speaking. Suddenly he was a mature man, speaking with authority. Where had this come from?

Not long after, Jesus left that place and came to his hometown,making his way back to Nazareth after all. One Sabbath day, he went to the synagogue. His disciples were with him too (Mark 6:1). People had heard about the things Jesus was doing and were glad to see him. Those who had known him better growing up and knew what a brilliant student he had been, were eager to hear what he had to tell them. They had also heard of the miracles he was doing in the villages and towns around the Sea of Galilee and were hoping they could see some miracles too. 

Mary was told he was at the synagogue and she hurried to see what was happening. She had not seen Jesus for some time and missed him dearly She was beginning to realize how much she had come to depend on him after Joseph’s death. She knew he had ended up at Capernaum and seemed to be making that his home. He was apparently staying at the home of one of the young men Mary had met at the wedding in Cana, a fisherman named Simon, son of Zebedee.

Jesus’ brothers and sisters followed alongwith Mary and they arrived at the synagogue just as they could see through the door that Jesus was standing up and making his way to the front. Doing so indicated he was ready to take a turn at reading. The leader of the synagogue gave him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah to read. Jesus took the scroll and unrolled it to find this passage:“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:16-19).”

Luke 4:20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him. 4:21Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”

Those in the audience were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. Many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did he get these ideas? And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands?  They turned to one another,  speaking well of him.  Ashe went on to explain what he meant, his fellow Nazarenes nodded in approval andamazement. (Luke 4:20-22). They believed they knew what it meant to be poor, as many of them were. Many also had experience being captives. They certainly felt oppressed, even under their own King Herod, let alone the Romans. Hearing that it was time to proclaim “the year of the Lord’s favour” lifted their spirits. Was Jesus going to help them shake off the yokes of their oppressors! It all sounded too good to be true.

As they listened to this some naysayers began to question what he said. They said to each other, Isn’t this the carpenter, Joseph’s son? Is ne not the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?”  (Mark 6:2-3, Luke 4:22)?  Whereas just a short time before they had been buoyed by his words, they now began to question how a local boy like Jesus could make these claims for himself. So, they took offense at him. They soon had everyone beginning to discount what Jesus was saying. They had expected him to do some miracles for them but he was doing nothing of the kind. Without such deeds, how could they believe he had any power to do what he was talking of.

As if reading their minds, Jesus saidto them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ You really feel like saying, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, do here in your hometown too.’”He added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown and among his relatives, and in his own house (Mark 6:4). Let me remind you of a truth from the prophets: There were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land. Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian (Like 4:23-27.” 

When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. How could Jesus talk of occasions where God had seemed to pour his favour on Gentiles. Given the Jews animosity to the Gentiles, going back especially to the time of Babylon, then Greece and now Rome, this was not something they could accept. How could their God help the Gentiles? Had Jesus forgotten all they had suffered under the Gentiles? The Gentiles had not done them any favours.

How could Jesus only speak of good things done to Gentiles? It sounded as if he was twisting the words of the prophets to make them say something new and different. They really did not know what Jesus was trying to tell them. They only knew they did not like the sound of something they could not understand. It sounded to them like blasphemy, to so misuse the prophets and attribute grace to the Gentiles to God! 

Suddenly they were all on their feet and rushing to the front of the synagogue. Jesus’ followers were caught off guard by this sudden onset of hostility. Before they could intervene, the crowd pushed forward, grabbed Jesus and practically carried him out of the synagogue and dragged him out of the town. The penalty for blasphemy was death and this mob was intent on that. 

Mary was shocked as she saw her beloved son treated this way. She wanted to cry out and tell them they were mistaken, to beg them to let Jesus go. Jesus would never say anything to favour evildoers like the Gentiles. But seeing the murderous looks on her neighbours faces and hearing their angry cries, she felt afraid for her other children, let alone herself. How could they turn on one of their own like this? What if they turned on them, as Jesus’ family? And where were Jesus’ young friends? Could they not have helped stop this?

Mary followed from a distance, keeping well back of the crowd. She saw Jesus’ friends at the back of the crowd, trying vainly to break through to help their teacher, but to no avail. She had to see what was going to happen to Jesus. She gripped the hands of her children and ordered them to stay with her. She saw the crowd drag Jesus to the brow of the hill at the edge of the town, pushing him to the edge of the cliff. They wanted to throw him over the edge! It was obvious they really were intent on killing him. But, suddenly she saw Jesus simply turn back, pass through the crowd and into the circle of his friends and together they simply disappeared. No one could touch him (Luke 4:28-30)!

Mary had seen it all unfold. She was still too terror stricken to really appreciate what she had just seen, that Jesus had been spared. She had felt powerless in the face of these angry citizens. She wished she had not come; she felt especially sorry that Jesus’ siblings had seen and heard this. What questions they would have, never mind the confusion in her mind. What would they think of their brother when they saw how their fellow Nazarenes thought of him. That Jesus deserved to die for what he had said? And how could people be so unbelieving? Sometimes Mary had begun to wonder if Jesus was going a bit too far, getting carried away with his deeply ingrained sense of mission and God’s calling. 

Mary’s heart ached as she trudged home. She was glad that she had heard some people crying out in his defense that Jesus had indeed laid his hands on them and healed them. Mary assumed that had been before she and her family had caught up with Jesus at the synagogue. However, he was not able to do many miracles there, except to lay his hands on these few sick people and heal them. 6:6Jesus told her later, he had been amazed because of their unbelief.

Mary got her children their evening meal but she really had no appetite herself. She was glad for their silence, that she did not have to answer questions about all of this. As she wearily lay down for the night, she just felt exhausted, and was glad for sleep. All she had energy for was to quickly breath a silent prayer to Yahweh for Jesus, first of thanks for his apparent deliverance, but then also for his safety and his future. 

The Story of Mary III: Catholic Version The Ministry Years - Chapter 20 – Jesus at a Wedding

In the following weeks, Jesus came and went from his Nazareth home. Mary was never quite sure what he was all up to as he often left early and came home late. He didn't always take the time to tell her what he had been doing or where he had been. Sometimes he still stayed at home and helped his brothers out with some of their work. They all appreciated this for they had really come to love Jesus as a son and sibling.

Mary did know from some of the things that Jesus said and what occasionally drifted back to her through her neighbors that Jesus was making new friends around the Sea of Galilee. Some of them were apparently young fishermen. It seemed that he was gathering them to himself as followers and beginning to develop something of a reputation as a teacher, perhaps even a rabbi, according to some. Mary also learned that the people who heard Jesus’ teaching were very impressed with his conviction, his authority and originality. They said itg sounded much more powerful than what they usually heard from their usual rabbis.

It so happened, that about that time, Mary and her family were invited to a wedding in the nearby village of Cana. Marry was able to let Jesus know that he was also welcome to attend. He was not home when Mary decided to leave for the wedding. However, she was not surprised to find Jesus already there, along with some of his new friends (John 2:1-2). He seemed glad to have the opportunity to introduce them to his mother. She, in turn, seemed to find them good enough company for him. She took a special liking to one of them, whose name she learned was John. He seemed to be a very gentle soul, and he told her intently what a good companion Jesus was turning out to be and how she ought to be very proud of him.

The wedding proceedings were carried out and then everyone settled in for what they all enjoyed most, the feast. Suddenly, Mary noticed, that to the horror of the steward of the feast, it looked as though the wine was running out. Mary knew from some things that she had seen Jesus do around home and in their community, that he cared significantly when people ran into troubles such as these, where they were not really totally to blame. She had also seen some things that indicated to her that he indeed appeared to possess powers such as she had heard about that prophets of the past had. Sometimes these powers had enabled these individuals to perform what appeared to be miracles.

Something stirred within Mary and she felt obliged to informed Jesus of the distress of the steward of the wedding feast. Jesus was enjoying feast with his friends and his rather curt apply to her plea seemed a bit out of character for him. He had simply said, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come (John 2:4).” However, the last sentence of his response told her even more strongly that she was on the right track with her request of him. She understood that, in their society, to be an adult male and publicly ‘listen to’ the words of a female, even a mother, was not customary, so she was neither hurt nor offended by his response..

She quietly withdrew but not before she said to some servants in passing, " Whatever he tells you, do it (John 2:5).” Mary retreated to her place but kept her eyes on Jesus, believing that something very much out of the ordinary was about to happen. She was not disappointed.

“Therewere six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washing, each holding twenty or thirty gallons (John 2:6).” Mary observed, with no little pleasure, that Jesus, in spite of his remark, seemed to be following through with her request anyway.She heard Jesus tell the servants, “Fill the water jars with water.”  So, they filled them up to the very top. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the head steward,” and they did (John 2:7-8). The servants were well aware that Jesus was something of a guest of honor, given that he had been welcomed even with his small retinue of young followers, so they did not question what they were told to do. When the head steward, at their request, tasted what they brought him, he was amazed. He thought that the wine supply head been used up. The servants could see that there was something different about what he was tasting but he did not speak to them. Instead, he quickly turned and called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the cheaper wine when the guests are drunk. You have kept the good wine until now (John 9-10)!” 

Mary was both relieved and pleased at the turn of events. She understood immediately what had happened and it did not take long for Jesus' friends to also realize what had happened and soon everyone was thanking Jesus for his amazing help. Some of the young men not knowing if Mary had kept abreast of what had happened, came to tell her what they had seen. She smiled and told them that this was just a beginning of what they could expect from their new friend, Jesus.

"You already know from your own experience," she said to them, "that Jesus is no ordinary young man. Who knows this better than his mother? I tell you, I have been told about these things since before his birth, and I am only beginning to see come to pass what has been prophesied to me by angels and people of wisdom alike. Jesus is a very special servant of The Most High, as I know you are beginning to see for yourself."

As far as Mary knew, and Jesus friends corroborated this, this was the first of his miraculous signs, at least in public. In doing this he revealed in a new way what Mary and the young men with him all came to understand as his glory, and it made these young men, Jesus’ disciples, believe in him all the more (John 2:11).

Mary and some of Jesus’ followers were still talking about this when Jesus joined them himself. 

“I think I’ve had enough of weddings for today,” he said with a laugh as he sat down beside his mother. Looking fondly into her eyes he went on, “Mother, why don’t you and the family come down to Capernaum for a few days and see where I am staying and what I am doing?”

There was nothing Mary would have liked to do more at that moment. As if reading her concern before she could voice it, Jesus added, nodding towards his friends and looking about at them as if to get agreement, “We’ll come down to your house and help you get things in order and ready to come with us.”

The young men with Jesus all voiced their agreement. So, it was arranged and off they went (John 2:12). Not without Mary noticing Jesus’ use of the phrase ‘your house’ though. She couldn’t help but reflect with some sadness, ‘My son is really growing up and moving on. He doesn’t even call our home his anymore.’

The Story of Mary: The Catholic Version III The Ministry Years - Chapter 19 – Jesus is Baptized

The day that Mary was dreading somewhat came soon enough. One morning before Jesus went to work, he simply said to his mother, “I think the time has come for me to go and pay a visit to John. I want to see what he has to say to me, about me. I believe his words will make it clear to me what I should do and when.”

“Jesus,” Mary responded, sighing inwardly with a heartache only a mother can have, especially one having some foreboding sense of what lay before them, “When the angel told me about your birth, I said I was in the hands of The Highest One as his servant. That is still true. Therefore, I must let you go and, indeed, give you my full blessing, love and support as you do.”

“And, for my part,” Jesus replied, “I will do what I can over the next week or two to see what James and Joseph can do to carry on in my absence. They will now not only have to earn and bring home money but help a little more around home at times. I will also have to bring to a good end my own employment.”

True to his word, Jesus discussed and arranged this with his brothers and his employers. So it was that, some ten days later, Jesus bade his family farewell, “I can’t promise when I will see you again,” he said truthfully. “You know I will keep you all in my prayers, as I have all these years when we have been together, especially since father died. But you know, I must fulfil my heavenly father’s calling, and I know he will look after you too.”

This reference to The Highest One as his heavenly father was something Jesus had begun to use ever since that time he had stayed behind in the temple in Jerusalem years before. Mary still wondered what he had learned there that had brought this conviction to him. She knew too though that he only spoke like this in front of the family. No one else ever referred to Jehovah that way, and although the family had gotten used to Jesus doing so, it still seemed strange sometimes.

So it was that Jesus left Nazareth and began the trek down to the Jordan Valley and along it in pursuit of his increasingly renowned relative. The days went by and Mary waited and yearned for her beloved son’s return. Finally, one day, some 6 weeks later, to her great joy, Jesus was at the door. Mary left her chores and ran to greet him. Then she insisted he stay with them and have something to eat and tell them what had happened.

Jesus was pleased to do so. He too loved to be with his family, especially as he knew the times for this were fast disappearing. 

“I found John,” Jesus began, “and I persuaded him that I too needed to be baptized by him. “And you know, mother,” he continued, leaning towards her and looking at her, “When I came out of the water, my heavenly father spoke to me in a clearer way than I have ever heard before. He said, ‘This is my Jesus Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3:1-170.’ Oh, I tell you, that was wonderful. You have no idea how reassuring it was. That was just the sign I was looking for, the identification I needed. But you won’t believe what happened next,’ he said, pausing for effect, “It was as if something came over me and before I knew it I was somewhere - I have no clue where – in the wilds of Judea. I can only believe it was The Spirit of Jehovah took me there. In fact, I know it was. It is the gift of baptism.” 

“I did not know where I was and I had this strong conviction there was a purpose to be there – to fast and pray and prepare for my mission. I began to do that, but then, the strangest thing happened. The evil one appeared. That was a trying time, let me tell you. He tried to tempt me in different directions than what I knew Jehovah was calling me. It was only with His help and the use of passages from his word, the Law and the other writings, that I remembered and used in my defense that I could fend the evil one off. When it was all over, I was starved and – mother you know about these things – angels came and fed me! The next thing I knew, I was on my way home (Matthew 4:1-11).”

Mary marveled at all of this. She still did not grasp what it all meant. “Well,” she said finally, “I’m just glad you’re home safe and sound.”

“But you know, I can’t stay, mother,” Jesus answered, “I have to be about my father’s business.”

The Story of Mary: Catholic Version: III The Ministry Years – Chapter 18 Jesus Grows Up

We resume the story many years later. Mary has been through a lot and Jesus is now a full-grown man. Life has not been kind to them. Some ten years after our last chapter, Joseph was killed in a work-related accident. Jesus, although the youngest, took over as the man of the house as his older brothers were usually away working. Having had years of experience working with his father, he was capable of working on his own, so he could work to support the family. Indeed, he insisted on doing so, “If I don’t do this for you and my and sisters,” he had told Mary, “I dishonour my father and am not worthy of being your son.”

Mary had to reflect on what a good brother Jesus was. She could see how much he really loved and cared for his siblings. He was such a good role model, playmate and so gentle, yet firm as he got older. She knew he would never abandon them. Years later she would be reminded of all of this.

“But what about your mission?” Mary asked. Jesus had talked increasingly as he grew older of what he believed the Highest One had called him to do. He had also long ago told her that his understanding of his life’s vocation meant he would never marry. Mary had been somewhat disappointed in that. She had seen how good he was with his siblings and believed he would be a wonderful father. As it turned out, he had used those characteristics to help be a better all-around family member.

“There will be time for that,” Jesus had said. And so, Jesus gained experience as a brother-cum-father figure. As he worked he also gained more understanding of the dynamics that shaped the society he found himself in. It had been some years since he had stopped attending synagogue school. His teachers had said he did not need their help anymore; they were not sure there was much more they could teach him. They had encouraged Mary and Joseph to send him away to school. However, his father’s death had put an end to any such ideas with Jesus’ taking over the breadwinner role. 

Sometimes Mary was concerned at Jesus’ talk with her about what he saw wrong in their world. It intrigued her that it was not so much the situation with their being under the thumb of Herod and the heel of Rome. He had more to say about how he perceived their own religious leaders failed them. However, he always had kind words for the teachers he had learned from.

Once, when he was old enough that Mary thought he could grasp the significance of what she remembered of what the angels and then the shepherds and visitors from the east had said about him and what they had done at his birth, she had shared all this with him. She told him what Anna and Simeon had said when they had first taken him to the temple. He had sighed when he heard some of those words, especially the part about a sword piercing her own soul. Taking her hands in his, she thought she had seen tears forming on his eyes when he had said so tenderly, “I wish for your sake in some ways the things you heard will not happen.”

Then, a few years back, they had heard that Jesus’ cousin John had begun his mission. Jesus and his parents had sometimes talked about his annunciation and the path his life might take. Word filtered back that John had left his parents’ home in Judea and gone east into the wilderness, living an ascetic life. Then they learned that he was preaching repentance. A repeated theme seemed to be“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near (Matthew 3:1-2).” Later reports said people from Jerusalem, as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him,and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins (Matthew 3:5-6).

Then, one day, a neighbour who had traveled down to see this all for himself, came back to Nazareth with word that John was talking about baptizing with water, for repentance, but that someone was coming after him who was more powerful than he was. Indeed, John was saying that he was not worthy to carry his sandals. John said this person would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). When this man was telling this to Jesus and his mother, who were curious about what was happening with Mary’s cousin, Mary looked over at Jesus to see how he was taking this all in. Indeed, Jesus was leaning forward, listening most attentively. He wanted to know everything the man could tell them, even where John was generally to be found. 

When the neighbour had left, Mary asked Jesus, “What does this mean to you? Do you want to go and see what John is doing?”

“I do,” Jesus said, “I think he holds the key to when I am to begin my ministry. But when is the right time for me to go and see him?” 

“Jesus,” Mary began, “I know you feel responsible for us here. But you know James and Joseph are able to help us get along. We will be alright. You must fulfil the words given to us around the time of your birth.” Mary’s heart was somewhat heavy as she uttered these words. She knew this was the right thing to do, to release Jesus for that for which he had been born. But at the same time, she loved her son dearly and really wished she did not have to let him go.

The Story of Mary: Catholic Version: II Another Special Birth – Chapter 17 Staying in the Temple

When the Passover Festival came to a close, the family from Nazareth prepared to return. They all said their farewells to their Jerusalem family, Joachim and Anna and their relatives form Ein Kerem, Elizabeth and John, and set out. The streets were full of people and it was hard to keep together. Joseph and Mary had all they could do to keep their family together. At the same time, they knew the older children, having made this trip often enough before, knew their way back. As for Jesus, they had already seen him joining some friends so knew he was in good company.

When they passed beyond Jerusalem and joined the throngs of pilgrims heading east, they still assumed Jesus was with his friends or siblings somewhere in the crowd. However, when they got to their first night stop and Jesus was nowhere in sight, they did begin to feel some concern. They searched the area where they were staying and asked many fellow travellers if they had seen Jesus or the older children. Of course, they had to provide a description but it was still all to no avail; there were dozens of young people on the road. They did find the older children but not Jesus. They decided they had no option but to return to Jerusalem next morning to find him.

They went straight to Joachim and Anna’s but he had not returned there. Now they were even more concerned, and so were Jesus’ grandparents. This was not like Jesus, to do things without telling them. Mary’s parents and the other children joined Joseph and Mary in the search as much as they could. It wasn’t until the third day of searching they found him. Some citizens had told them they had seen a boy in the temple for the last couple of days surrounded by rabbis who all seemed to be taking a keen interest in the boy.

Joseph and Mary left their older children with their grandparents and went to the temple. Sure enough, there was Jesus, surrounded by rabbis, scribes, and even some Pharisees and members of the Sanhedrin. Joseph and Mary were not sure what they should do in the face of this august gathering. They indicated to some of the men in the outer circles that this was their son and they needed to take him home to Galilee from the passover feast. Some said, “Well, then you must simply inform these men and claim your son.” The group was so intent on their discussion they hardly noticed Joseph then trying as respectfully as possible to push his way in until he was right behind Jesus. Mary was right behind him. Some in the circle started to look at who this was intruding but before anyone could say anything to them Mary had reached Jesus and, touching him on the shoulder and said, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety (Luke 2:48).”

Jesus looked up at her, almost too innocently, and placed his hand over hers, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my father’s house (Luke 2:49)?”

“I’m not sure what you mean by that,” Joseph interjected, “But can you come home with us now?” 

The learned men around them murmured approvingly and some of them said to Jesus, “Yes, now you must obey your parents and return home with them.” Turning to his parents they said, ‘This boy is unbelievably knowledgeable and mature. Take care of him. See to it that he gets the best schooling you can afford. I am sure we will hear more of him.”

The three from Nazareth bowed and thanked the men for their interest and their praise as they backed away from them, with Mary grasping Jesus’ hand tightly in hers. Then, Joseph, Mary and Jesus turned and made their way to her parents to collect the other children and explain what had happened. Joachim reprimanded Jesus gently for the worry he had caused them all and Jesus apologized. He seemed genuinely sorry for the anxiety he had caused but at the same time did not suggest he had really been doing anything wrong in what it was he was doing. Mary noted this change with some concern.

Just the same, they said farewells once again and started over on their return trip to Nazareth. This time jesus’ parents made sure they kept Jesus near and he obliged. He seemed quite happy to be travelling back with his parents and brothers and sisters. Eventually, they all reached home together. 

Mary kept pondering over the strange things that had happened in her life, not the least being this last action of Jesus himself. She still did not know what to make of it all. Nor did she know where it was really leading. However, things settled down again. 

Jesus was enrolled in the advanced synagogue school for promising boys. He loved this and delighted in coming home and sharing with his parents what he was learning form the scriptures. They, in turn, were amazed at what he gained from them, how he seemed to speak of what he read with such authority. He also often seemed to see things in the law, the prophets especially, and wisdom literature that no one else did. He started at the same time to learn to help his father in his trade and Joseph noted that he was a quick learner and did very good work. He soon became a real asset to his father’s business. This made him proud of this unusual son. All told, Jesus continued to grow and seemed to become unusually wise for a boy his age. However, no unusual or unacceptable behaviour followed for quite some time.

The Story of Mary: Catholic Version:II Another Special Birth - Chapter 16 First Passover in Jerusalem

Life seemed to pass uneventfully for a number of years after the adventures of the first years of Jesus’ life. Joseph continued his work as a builder. Jesus was well received by his older siblings, James, Joseph, Jude, Simon and sisters Hannah and Elizabeth (Mark 6:3). 

When Jesus came of age his father enrolled him in the local synagogue school. There, Jesus began to hear even more of the scriptures than if he just went to synagogue with his father. He also learned to read and write Aramaic at an elementary level. 

Jesus was a promising student who most definitely impressed his teachers. This made his parents proud of him. It also meant that when he approached his twelfth birthday, his teachers and other friends who knew the family well began to tell Joseph and Mary that they should enrol Jesus in school beyond age 12. Only the better students were known to be given such opportunities. Friends and neighbours might not have understood, but to Joseph and Mary, all of this did not come as a complete surprise. If Jesus was a special child of God, destined for a future role as the angels had told them years earlier, it should not be surprising that he learned these things so well.

Coming of age at his twelfth birthday also meant Jesus was eligible to celebrate Passover with his parents in Jerusalem. Given Jesus’ history as they knew it, Joseph and Mary were both agreed this was something they should certainly arrange. This it was that Jesus travelled to Jerusalem with his parents in the spring of his 12^thyear. They joined an ever-growing crowd of other pilgrims bound for the same destination as they would their way southeast through Galilee and then alongside Samaria until they came to Jericho. Jesus listened to the stories he heard from his peers and his elders about the Samaritans they bypassed, but he did not join in the negative remarks that were made. Leaving Jericho he heard stories about the dangers of that leg of the journey up to Jerusalem. By this time though, the pilgrims were a steady throng of celebrants, singing together and to one another the psalms customarily sung at this time on this road when en route to the temple. Jesus had learned the songs in school and synagogue too and loved to join in as best he could. 

Jesus could feel the excitement build as the wayfarers neared Jerusalem. Passing through Bethany they crested the peak of Olivet and there lay the city and the temple, gleaming in the sun.  Jesus wondered whether the emotions that ran through him as he surveyed the scene before them were shared by his fellow travellers.  He was not filled with any sense of being superior to his peers and their parents but he felt a certain calm, growing conviction that no one else, certainly not anyone his age, understood the significance of all of this as well as he did. As they continued down and across the valley Jesus thought over the rituals and the offerings and sacrifices they were soon to take part in. 

Of course, it would all begin with a passover meal. He looked forward to this, which would take place at his grandparents Joachim and Anna’s home. That was their first destination. By this time he and his siblings had joined a number of his peers on the way and they enjoyed lifting their voices and singing the psalms as loudly as they could. As they approached the gate into the city before them the group began to disband as Jesus and his siblings and friends began to look for their parents. Eventually they spotted them and waited for them to catch up with him. 

“We were wondering whether you were going to get lost,” their father half-teased. 

“Oh, I think our son knows where he belongs,” Mary opined. 

Jesus face was beaming as he joined his parents as they made their way to his grandparents. Joyous greetings and blessings were exchanged on arrival. Jesus’ grandfather took pride in explaining to him what the procedure was going to be for celebrating the passover. Having made sure Jesus knew what it was about, he was invited to join in the preparations. Joachim had already purchased a lamb for the feast; it was tied to an iron ring in the gate to their courtyard. Jesus looked at it with a deep sense of wonder, this animal who was going to be sacrificed to take the place of the firstborn son, according to the ancient Exodus story.

When it came time to slaughter the lamb, Jesus was amazed at how willingly the lamb went with his father and grandfather, having no idea what was in store for it. It made no sound of protest and suddenly its blood was spilled on the ground and its life was taken from it. In no time it was skinned, cut up and roasting on the spit prepared over the home fire. As the family gathered for the meal, Joachim led them all through the repetition of the stories and then the prayers that his people had developed over the years as the celebration of the passover meal. Jesus drank it all in, enjoying his growing understanding, seeing how it all fit together in fulfilment of longheld understandings of the occasion. He was learning so much. 

The Story of Mary: Catholic Version:II Another Special Birth - Ch. 15 Back to Nazareth at Last

The family stayed in Egypt for some time. As the days passed though, they prayed all the more earnestly for guidance as to when they should return to their homeland. Then, they received their answer.

The family had gone to sleep one night as usual. They had heard that King Herod had died but still they were uncertain. Then, Joseph became aware that he was again dreaming that an angel was speaking to him. This time he was less afraid than in the past. In fact, he was eager for the message, hoping it would be about going home. Sure enough, the angel spoke: “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead (Matthew 2:19-20).”

The reassuring message gave Joseph some peace and after reviewing the message and what they would now need to do, he fell asleep again. He did not think he needed to waken Mary to tell her now. When Mary woke in the morning though, he eagerly told her and the children about his latest dream.

Mary was also glad for the news. They ate breakfast and Mary fed Jesus. Joseph again went to settle what he owed with the owner of their current home. He also found his employer, thanked him for the work he had and told him about their leaving. Joseph was a good worker and the man was sad to see him go but gave him his blessing and a small gift to help them on their way. The family had sold their donkey some time after their arrival too, as they did not need it in the city and the extra money came in handy. Joseph knew the family he had sold it to still had it so he went to explain the circumstances and see if he could buy the donkey back. Sure enough, things worked out there too. All of this seemed to confirm to Joseph that they were making the right move.

So, later that morning, they set out (Matthew 2:21). They did not look forward to the long trek across the barren lands to Bethlehem but they did want to go home. When they reached Judea, they met some of the citizens and talked over what had happened since they left. They heard the awful news of how King Herod, intent on killing Jesus, Joseph knew, had sent and massacred all the children in the area under age two. He had even pursued Mary’s Aunt Elizabeth and her son John but they had fled to the hills and were saved. In his rage though, when Herod could not find John, thinking he might be the potential king, he had ordered his father Zacharias to be killed for not disclosing where John was. Mary was heartbroken when she heard this. It brought to her mind those troubling words of the prophet Simeon in the temple, the meaning of which she had never understood, but now began to catch a glimpse of, “This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed – and a sword will pierce your own soul as well (Luke 2:34-5).” Her heart ached when she thought of all the families who would have lost their sons – she scarcely wanted to think of it – because of her son. She could not believe that was what Jehovah wanted, but that he, being The Highest One, would of course know what was going to happen. She certainly did not anticipate that someday this child in her arms would himself explain this troubling story to her.

And when they heard that Herod’s son Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, they began to be afraid to go there. The things they heard about him were no better than his father.  The night after receiving this news, while they were still travelling north along the sea, Joseph had another dream. He received a warning that confirmed their fears. After talking things over between them, they decided to go back to Galilee (Matthew 2:22). Eventually, they arrived back in Nazareth and settled once again in their home there (Matthew 2:23). Again, they did not know it at the time, but this too was later shown to be a fulfilment of prophecy (Matthew 2:23).

Needless to see, Jacob and Naomi were overjoyed to see them back. It had been a long time. And what stories the family had to share! Naomi loved learning to be a grandmother to Jesus. He was the most delightful child she had ever known. As for Joseph and work, it turned out that the new king of Galilee, Herod Antipas, was on something of a building spree and, in fact, was trying to turn Sepphoris into an even more important centre. So, Joseph was fortunate in being able to go to work there and did not have to travel so far and be away from his family as much as in the past. It was not long either before Mary’s parents came from Jerusalem for a visit to be reunited with the couple and meet their grandson, of whom they had already heard so much even before he was born. Of course, they were also told the amazing stories Joseph and Mary had already shared with his parents. And they were as pleased as Joseph’s parents to see what a lovely child their grandson was turning out to be. They returned to Jerusalem confident that things were finally going well and all was still in Jehovah’s plans and he was no doubt working them out.