The true light,
that enlightens every man, was coming into the world." (Jn 1:5-9).
Our Father
Mary
lived in the temple from the time she was weaned until she was twelve.
She was trained in the spirit of the law and prophets: philosophically an
Essene. The Essenes prayed, fasted, and denied themselves pleasures, as a
sacrifice, to beseech God to send the Messiah. Mary, along with many other
Essene men and women, committed herself to a vow of celibacy as part of a
“prayer chain” to bring the Messiah.. Mary’s private prayer was to be allowed to be the handmaid of the mother of the
Messiah.
Thus, she learned to weave and sew providing the items needed for service in
the temple while learning skills necessary to be a handmaid.
To protect her wish to maintain her vow of celibacy, the priests, with the
consent of Mary’s father,
betrothed Mary to Joseph who had also committed himself to lead a life of
celibacy. Mary’s betrothal was arranged by the priests. The kiddushin, the
betrothal ceremony, was celebrated before she left the temple, when she turned
twelve. With the betrothal Joseph committed himself to provide for Mary’s support
after she was no longer supported by her father. At twelve, Mary could no
longer stay in the temple,
so she returned to Nazareth to rejoin her family. At that same time, Joseph
relocated from Bethlehem to Nazareth to be close to Mary whom he was now committed
to protect and to provide for after she no longer lived with her parents.
Mary
turned 14 on August 5, 3 BC.
On December 9, 3 BC, Mary is 4 months past her 14th birthday. A betrothal
with intent to consummate the relationship usually only lasted a year unless
one of the betrothed was under age: 12 for a girl, 13 for a boy. Mary has been
betrothed 2 years and 4 months after becoming of age, well beyond the normal
time between the kiddushin, betrothal, and the nisu’in, the husband taking his
bride to his home.
When a couple is betrothed they are committed to each other, but each remains
with his or her own family. (HM-1)
December 9th,
Tevet 2, was the last day of Chanukah
that year. While at the local well
drawing a pitcher of water, Mary sensed a presence, heard a voice, and seeing
no one she became frightened and fled to her home.
There,
the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her saying: “Hail Mary full of grace! The
Lord is with you." (Lk 1:28)
Grace
is what draws us to God. This is the only time in scripture that an angel
greets someone by title in addition to a personal name
and the angel is also indicating that Mary is already completely drawn to God. (HM-2)
Mary
was greatly troubled and wondered what sort of greeting this might be (Lk 1:29). Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God (Lk 1:30).”
Gabriel
says: “Behold you will conceive and bear a son and you will name him Jesus” (Lk 1:31). (Yeshua:
‘Yahweh saves’).
“He
will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High’, and the Lord God will
give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of
David forever, and of his kingship there will be no end” (Lk 1:32-33).
That
is the Messiah! Mary is to be the mother of the Messiah! (HM-3)
But
both she and Joseph have vowed to live a life of celibacy. Mary asks: “How can
this be, since I have no relations with a man?" [I am under a vow of celibacy
] (Lk 1:34). (HM-4)
The
angel tells Mary: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy,
the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35). (HM-5)
God
himself is to Father the Messiah! Mary’s vow of celibacy is key to her
selection (Is
7:14)
There can be no possibility of another
father. (HM-6)
Gabriel
continued: “Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old
age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For
no word from God will ever fail (Lk
3:36-37).”
Mary’s
child is to be the long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God! How could Mary have
said anything but yes? There is one rather large problem: Joseph, her
betrothed. When Mary is found to be pregnant, Joseph can denounce her, and she
will be stoned for adultery.
Mary’s response is one of complete surrender to God: her heart’s only desire is
to do God’s will. To even consider the consequences is to attempt to control,
which is against the complete surrender to God’s will.
Mary says: “Behold I am
the handmaid of the Lord; let it be it done to me according to your word.” And
the angel departed from her (Lk 1:38). (HM-7)
God’s
plan for salvation was dependent on a human. With Mary’s “Yes” came the
Incarnation: God assumed human nature! God entered his own creation! Jesus is
both God and is fully man.
As
God’s plan unfolds, it is Tevet 2, the
last (8th) day of the celebration of Chanukah. The number 8
signifies new beginnings. The feast of Chanukah celebrates the re-dedication
of the temple after it had been profaned by the Syrian armies under Antiochus
Epiphanes. It took 8 days to complete the re-dedication. For the people of
Israel, that 8th day, in 3623, 139 BC, represented a new beginning in
their relationship with Yahweh. In the year 3759 on the same day on the Jewish
Calendar, which occurred that year on December 9th of 3 BC, it was another
very new beginning in God’s relationship with man! God
has become man! That day, the completion of
Chanukah, was called the little celebration of light and was closely tied to
the big celebration of light during the Feast of Tabernacles. That day the
true light that enlightens every man came into the world. (HM-8)
God
has answered Mary’s prayer, Joseph’s prayer, the prayers of all the Essenes,
and of all Israel! What joy she must feel! (HM-9)
Elizabeth
got it right when she said: “Happy is she who believed that there would be a
fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk 1:45). Share Mary’s
joy! (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
“And the angel
departed from her”[21]
I consider it important to focus also on the final
sentence of Luke’s Annunciation narrative: “And the angel departed from her” (Lk 1:38). The great hour
of Mary’s encounter with God’s messenger—in which her whole life is
changed—comes to an end, and she remains there alone, with a task that truly
surpasses all human capacity. There are no angels standing around her. She
must continue along the path that leads to many dark moments–from Joseph’s
dismay at her pregnancy, [the flight into Egypt, learning the names of the
children slaughtered by Herod’s soldiers, the journey back to Jerusalem in
search of her son], to the moment when Jesus is said to be out of his mind (Mk 3:21; Jn 10:20), right up to
the night of the cross.
How often in these situations must Mary have returned
inwardly to the hour when God’s angel had spoken to her, pondering afresh the
greeting: “Rejoice, full of grace!” And the consoling words: “Do not be
afraid!” The angel departs; her mission remains, and with it matures her inner
closeness to God, a closeness that in her heart she is able to see and touch.
Why would God
become part of his creation?
We are spiritual
beings immersed in a physical experience, constrained by time. You, Father, chose
this physical experience as the mechanism to raise spiritual beings that are
made in your image and likeness. From all eternity, You planned to come into
your own creation to show us how to be like You. You knew man would fall. You
wanted us to learn to love. You wanted us to choose to love. You wanted us to
learn that there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone. As
the father of us all You knew the way to teach us was to teach by example; so,
You, in the person of your son, became man to give us the example. You wanted
us to learn to see beyond ourselves. We need to be shown. Give me the grace
to learn. Give me the gifts of the Holy spirit so I can help to draw others to
you.
Why was I blessed to be shown God’s love
while others have not?
God
has a plan for each of us. We each have a role to play. God has given me a
task that requires the gifts he has given me. Help me, Mary, to do what God
has planned for me. Give me the guidance to see the direction I must go. Lead
me to your Son for if I stay close to him I will be safe. Mary help me to
realize that everyone has a role to play in God’s plan. Help me to see Jesus
in everyone. God loves us all the same and each has been given what is
required. We are all brothers on a similar journey. After all the greatest
human that ever lived, other than Jesus, who was also God, was you Mary, who
aspired to be a handmaid! In the spiritual dimension, greatest is determined
by love; not power, fame, or wealth!
Mary’s love for God allowed her to risk
life: Trust
When
I love, make a sacrifice for someone, there is no guarantee that the beloved
will accept my gift. Jesus, when you sacrificed yourself on the cross, you
knew not everyone you loved would accept your sacrifice. You were willing to
take the heart break of rejection you loved us so much. Mary, you loved God so
much, you were willing to risk anything, simply because it was your Love, God,
who asked. Mary’s trust in God was such that she did not even need to consider
the consequences. It was God’s will, that was enough!
Prayer as more than words
Mary,
you were completely drawn to God even as a little girl. Your whole life was
made into a prayer as you took a vow a celibacy. Prayer is communicating with
God or the saints in heaven. We can also communicate with more than words.
Just as a picture is worth a 1000 words, an action is worth a 1000 pictures.
Help me to love without seeking recognition as you did. Help me to do things for
others without them knowing they have ever been done. Cleaning up a mess (pet or
child made a mess) before anyone knows it has ever happened and then never
mentioning it. Doing chores that belong to others to make their job lighter. Every
act of love is a prayer in action. Help me to be grateful for all that has
been given me, remind me to thank God for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Remind
me to be grateful to others. It makes someone feel good to receive
acknowledgement of their contributions. As we are all members of the Mystical
body any act of gratitude is an act of gratitude to your son. Never let me
forget that your special ones are closest to your son. That an act of
kindness to one of the special ones whether infant, aged or handicapped is a
prayer you will never forget.
Coincidences
The
Annunciation happened on the last, 8th day of Chanukah. That feast celebrates
the re-dedication (new beginning) of the people’s relationship with God. The
number 8 stands for new beginnings. God became human on that day.
Mary
wanted to go to help Elizabeth and there were visitors from Jerusalem who would
be returning home after Chanukah. Nazareth was an out of the way place.
Caravans to Jerusalem were not a regular occurrence.
The Festival of Lights
The 8th
day of Chanukah, on which all the lights on the Menorah are lit is closely tied
to the Feast of Tabernacles at which there were four giant Menorahs lit in the
Court of the Women in the temple to symbolize the light provided by the pillar
of fire during the Exodus. The light could be seen all over Jerusalem and was
even visible in Bethlehem. What a coincidence that the Light of the World
would also be conceived on the eighth day of Chanukah and 40 weeks later be
born on the Feast of Tabernacles. I wonder which had the greater light: the four 75ft Menorahs in the Court of the Women or the 4 million candle power of the 8 candles per Menorah in a half a million homes of the Israelites.
Visitation - approximately 12/16/-3 to 3/19/-2 about 3 months
(Lk 1:56)
A Love Story
Our Father
As
Mary reflected on the words of the angel, she realized the angel had given her
a sign in the pregnancy of Elizabeth. Gabriel had said: “Elizabeth, your
relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month
for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:36-37). (HM-1)
Mary
rejoiced for Elizabeth. Aunt Elizabeth
lived only 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) from the temple where Mary lived for 8
years. Being childless, Elizabeth devoted care and attention to the children
in the Temple. During her stay in the Temple, Mary saw much more of her aunt
than she did of her parents, who lived 90 miles (145 kilometers) away. Mary
knew how much her own child would mean to Elizabeth. As she thought about
Elizabeth, Mary also realized that Elizabeth, because of her age, would need
help during the last months of her pregnancy and she was already in her sixth
month. Mary was delighted at the thought of helping Elizabeth. She had to go
to Elizabeth! Now Elizabeth needed her!
 |
|
It was the last day of Chanukah, an 8-day
Feast, one of the few that does not require travel to Jerusalem. Chanukah was
an opportunity for people from Jerusalem to travel to spend the holiday with
friends and relatives who did not live in Jerusalem. (On the other holidays,
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, everyone had to come to Jerusalem).
There were likely visitors from Jerusalem in Nazareth who would be returning to
Jerusalem right after the feast, on Tuesday December 10th, the 3rd
of Tevet. We are told that “Mary made haste” (Lk 1:39) so, Mary likely joined that caravan going from Nazareth back
to Jerusalem, leaving the following morning. Elizabeth lived in Ein Karem,
Israel, which is about 5 miles (8 kilometers) west of Jerusalem. Mary only
went with the caravan as far as the turn off to Ein Karem, which is about 2
miles (3.2 kilometers) from Ein Karem. “Mary entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leapt in her womb (Lk 1:40-41), and Elizabeth,
filled with the Holy Spirit, realized that Mary was the mother of the Messiah.
(HM-2)
Elizabeth
cried out in a loud voice; “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the
fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?” (Lk 1:41-43). Elizabeth
knows!
Mary
followed the sign given by the angel Gabriel and is rewarded with confirmation
of the angel’s message! Now, suddenly Mary has someone with whom to share her
joy! God has not only filled Mary with joy at the Annunciation, He wants Mary
to experience the full measure of joy, so He has now provided someone to share
it with. Someone who also has great joy to share: Elizabeth was barren and now
she is pregnant and in her 6th month (Lk 1:37). Elizabeth
has just recently come out of seclusion (Lk
1:24) and somehow Mary
already knows and has come all the way from Nazareth to help her. Joy is not
complete until it is shared. (HM-3)
Notice
also that Mary turns everything to God. Mary immediately proclaims how great
God is: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,
for He has regarded the humility of his handmaid. For behold henceforth all
generations will call me fortunate;
for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And
his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown
strength with his arm, He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their
hearts, He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the
lowly; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent
empty away. He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy, as He
spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his posterity forever” (Lk 1:46-55).
When did I last turn a complement to God’s glory where it truly belongs? When did I last give glory to God? (HM-4)
It
is important to realize the humility of Mary. She did not consider herself a
candidate to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary truly considered herself just
a handmaid who loved God and her people. She
loved so much that she had committed to make her whole life a prayer to bring
the Messiah into the world. Now she is to be the instrument that brings him
into the world. (HM-5)
Elizabeth
is also someone with whom Mary can share her concerns as well as her joy. As
Mary thinks about her situation she turns to Elizabeth for advice. Mary has shared
the story of the angel’s visit with Elizabeth. Thus, Elizabeth knows that
Joseph isn’t aware of it and that there was no mention of Joseph during the
angels visit. Mary had a deep love and respect for Joseph. She does not want
Joseph to be hurt nor does she know how to tell him. Mary and Elizabeth surely
talk about the approach to telling him and concluded that it was a problem best
left for God. They would not presume to know the rest of God’s plan or
Joseph’s place in it! It is the height of arrogance to attempt to do God a
favor. They would simply trust God to
handle it. (HM-6)
Mary
would meet her betrothed, Joseph, for Passover. As Mary’s betrothed, Joseph would
have been expected to join Mary’s extended family to celebrate the Passover
Seder meal. He probably traveled from Nazareth with Mary’s parents for the
festival in Jerusalem.
 |
| One Year Old Male Lamb |
Mary’s
extended family: relatives, friends and neighbors numbered at least 70: men,
women, and children. The minimum number required to consume a year-old lamb was
10 adult males (males over 13) with their immediate families, while the average
number was 20 adult males. A year-old male lamb weighed from 70 to 100 lbs.
(32 to 45 kg). A small lamb weighing 70 lbs. (32 kg) produced 27 lbs. (12 kg)
of meat.
The entire lamb needed to be consumed. Anything left over had to be burnt.
Joseph has not seen
Mary for at least 3 months. By Passover Mary was in her 15th week
(see the 4th month), enough to tell on a woman who was accustomed to fasting: a regular
practice for a devout Israelite. Mary was likely self-conscious and Joseph was
perceptive enough to recognize the problem. Mary saw the confusion and pain in
Joseph’s face. There was nothing she could say.
 |
| Stages of Pregnancy |
Elizabeth was overcome by the stress of the
situation: seeing Joseph as he looked at Mary, watching Mary as Joseph looked
at her, trying to protect Mary, trying to communicate to Joseph the integrity
of Mary, but Mary is obviously pregnant, and yet Elizabeth cannot address the obvious.
The combination of the stress of Mary’s situation and the stress of Passover Meal
preparations: three meals for the extended family, 70 plus people, to be
prepared before sun down was likely enough stress to cause Elizabeth to go into
labor and deliver early! That would
have distracted Joseph and the rest of the family. (HM-7)
After Elizabeth’s baby is born and the Seder
meal finished, things began to settle down. Joseph laid down for the night in a common area (likely the
roof) with the rest of the extended family.
His
thoughts return to Mary and her situation. Mary left suddenly 3 months ago,
had she been attacked? He was hurting. He felt betrayed. Then he considered
the consequences to Mary. It was not his child, so if he denounced her she
would likely be stoned to death as an adulteress. Over the two and a half
years that he has known Mary, he has grown to love her. Mary was such a good,
kind, and loving girl. She had an incredible love of God. It was difficult to
understand how this could have happened. He could not let such a one be stoned.
If instead he just submitted a writ of divorce to the Great Sanhedrin,
then she would be a repudiated woman and free to marry the father of her child,
if that was what she wanted. But, because he had not divorced her for adultery,
people would think that he was the father. He would be considered a “deadbeat”
father and be scorned and possibly even shunned for casting Mary off while she was with
child. As shameful as that would be, he could not leave Mary subject to the
law (stoning). Joseph chose to divorce Mary privately rather than to make an
example of her (Mt 1:19). He chose to
give up his own reputation for Mary. Joseph chose to take on “Mary’s guilt”,
just has Jesus has taken on our guilt. There is no greater love than to give
up your life for someone (Jn 15:13).
 |
| Typical home during Jesus' time |
Joseph
fell asleep, praying over the problem, but his decision has been made. An angel
appeared to him in a dream. It must have
been a dream as only Joseph, in a crowded room, saw or heard the angel and yet
it was so real that Joseph was wide awake at the end and could not doubt its
reality.
The
angel said: “Joseph son of David, do not fear to take Mary, your wife, for what
is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit: she will bear a son and you will
name him Jesus, ‘Yahweh saves’, for He will save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:20-21).
Naming
Jesus was an adoptive act. Joseph was to adopt Jesus as his own son. The Angel had asked Joseph if he would take Mary
into his home and be the father to Jesus. I wonder if Joseph slept at all the remainder of the night. Joseph pondered the implications of being
a father to the Messiah, a father to the Son of God! He had thought, with his
vow of celibacy, he would never get to experience the joy of fatherhood. He
had thought that, even though he was a descendant of David, he was not worthy
to even be considered to be in line for the fatherhood of the Messiah. He took
the vow of celibacy as a prayer to bring the Messiah. Now the Messiah was not
only coming, He was coming into Joseph’s care! His sorrow has turned to great
joy: his prayer for the Messiah has been answered. Mary is not an adulteress,
she is the mother of the Messiah! He can hardly wait for Mary to awake.
Consider
the joy in the house on the following morning, the morning following the Seder
Supper. Mary and Joseph shared the stories of their respective angelic visits:
“Mary, an angel came to me last night…” Think of the flood of relief and joy
that poured over Mary at those words!
Elizabeth
and Zechariah are now parents of a son, just as the angel had told Zechariah. They
are now also overwhelmed with relief and delight at the sight of Mary and
Joseph together: hand in hand and grinning from ear to ear! One look at the
joy on Mary’s face and Elizabeth knows that Joseph is also part of God’s plan.
Mary’s
parents are told that they will be grandparents after all, of the Messiah! (Remember Mary’s father had to give his permission for Mary to take a vow of celibacy.) (HM-8)
The
Seder celebration has a custom of setting an extra place at the table for
Elijah, because of the tradition that Elijah would return on Passover.
That year, with the birth of John the Baptist, whom the angel Gabriel told Zechariah
had the spirit of Elijah (Lk 1:17), Elijah did
return for the Seder meal on Passover of 2 BC.
Normally the father of the groom determines when a
marriage for a betrothed couple will be formalized: the nisu’in is celebrated
under the wedding canopy. Hence the saying “Only the Father knows the day and
the hour” (Mt 24:36). The father
determines the day and the hour based on the couple’s behavior. Think about that in the context of Mt 24:36. (HM-9)
But
if Joseph was 30 years old then he alone could decide when the nisu’in is
celebrated. Joseph and Mary likely celebrated it that same day, while together
with the extended family in Jerusalem. Zechariah, a priest, has known Mary’s
situation for three months. He gladly officiates at the ceremony (with someone
reading the words for him as is normally done even today for a priest or
minister who lost his speech to a stroke).
Since John was born on Passover, his circumcision would have taken place on Passover Yizkor.
Circumcisions took place on the 8th day even if it fell on a
Sabbath. Mary and Joseph would have stayed for the celebration. They would
not have left for home until Nisan 23.
And it happened that
on the eighth day they came to circumcise
the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah,after his father. But
his mother answered and said, “No, he will be called John.”
And they said to her,
“There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” And they made signs to his
father, as to what he wanted him called.
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote as follows: “His name is John.” And they were all astonished and
at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of
God. Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.
All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, for He has visited us and accomplished redemption for his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for
us in the house of David his servant [a prophecy concerning
Jesus] - as He spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old - Salvation from our enemies from the hand of all who hate us; to
show mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant. The oath
which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us that we, being rescued from
the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and
righteousness before him all our days.
“And [concerning his own son] you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways to give to his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our
God, with which the Sunrise will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”(Lk 1:57-79).
[Jesus is the dawn from on high, the “Sunrise”, who will visit us bringing ‘life’, ‘light’, and ‘peace’].
After
sharing such a powerful experience as that which occurred throughout the Feast
of Passover; Mary and Joseph did not leave until they had made plans to return
in the fall when they would be relocating to Bethlehem, a suburb of Jerusalem.
Both Mary and Joseph knew that Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be
born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2), Joseph’s home
town. Even if they hadn’t remembered it, Zechariah would surely have reminded
them. Knowing Mary was carrying the Messiah; Zechariah would have reviewed all
the scriptural prophesies relating to the Messiah.
Mary
and Joseph had been betrothed for almost 3 years. Mary has been away from
home, Nazareth, for just over three months and returns a married woman.
Joseph’s family is from Bethlehem where the wedding would have normally been
held. No one in Nazareth would have expected a wedding in Nazareth.
Mary
and Joseph left Nazareth for Bethlehem 3 weeks before Jesus’ birth, the last
week of August. They then fled from Herod by going from Bethlehem to Cairo, Egypt.
The Holy Family did not return to Nazareth for almost 8 months. They did not
return to Nazareth until after Passover in 1 BC, returning from Jerusalem with
the caravan from Nazareth on Sunday, April 15th, 1 BC. The
timing of Jesus birth versus the formalization of the marriage would simply
never have arisen. (HM-10,
GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the
Visitation
Mary’s initial thought was service
Mary,
your initial reaction to the angel’s message was to go and help Elizabeth. You
immediately decided to go take a 90 mile, 6-day walk to help someone. My
reaction would be: “Good for her, I’ll bet she is excited.” Teach me to focus
on service for that too is prayer. It is taking an active part in the Mystical
Body of your son. Help me to recognize opportunities to serve.
Turn the praise back to God
Mary, when Elizabeth
recognized you as the mother of the Messiah, your first reaction was to turn
the praise to God. You turned Elizabeth’s focus directly to God. Help me to
keep in mind that all things come from God and all praise belongs to God. If I
am given the gift to accomplish something it is only because God has first
given me both the opportunity and the skills necessary to accomplish it. I
have simply been blessed to be his instrument.
Do not presume to do God a favor
God
can do anything. He does not need me to do anything for him. If he wants
something he will ask directly or through one of his messengers (angels). Most
often though, He provides both an opportunity through a series of coincidences
and a compulsion to do what He is asking. If he has not asked, it is not time
and He may even block my attempts to do so. It is presumption to think that
God needs me to do something. It is likely not possible to be more arrogant.
Lord give me the grace to recognize that when you have not presented the
opportunity it is simply not time. Give me the wisdom to recognize when it is
time. Give me the humility to accept that I am not finished. Give me the
grace to see what still needs to be done. Thank you, Lord for what you have
provided already. God has given me the desire, so I must change my prayer to
one of “Show me what I must do to be ready.”
Mary was given a sign by Gabriel
When Mary went to Ein Kerem to see
Elizabeth she was also responding to the sign given her by Gabriel. For her effort she was rewarded with confirmation of all that the angel had said, since Elizabeth realized she was carrying the Messiah. Elizabeth’s words: “Happy is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord” (Lk 1:45) were fulfilled
at that very moment.
Joseph was not told until he had decided to
give his life for Mary
Joseph,
God chose to wait until you had decided what to do about Mary, before He let
you in on his plan. I think He wanted you to know that you had in fact chosen
to give yourself for Mary. He wanted you to know you had freely chosen love.
Help me to love. Keep me aware of my choices in the little things of the day.
Picking up some trash on the floor, putting something left out away, taking out
the trash, a word of encouragement, an acknowledgement of the effort of
another, and doing what needs to be done are also acts of love. You lived a life
in the background, always there, always providing, always loving. Help me to
imitate you. God has shown me that in doing things for love, that are never
mentioned, God will not be out done in generosity: Peace reigns, the Kingdom
of God comes. I wish I knew more about you, Joseph. I love the staircase you
built in Santa Fe. That was something beautifully done and then you simply left,
asking for no acknowledgement or payment.
Nativity - September 13, 2 BC/Tishrei 15, 3760
The birth of the
Lamb of God
Our Father
That summer there came a decree, from Caesar Augustus,
that the entire world should be taxed.
Joseph, being from the house of David and intending to relocate to his home
town, Bethlehem, now also had to go to Bethlehem to register for the poll tax (Lk 2:1-3). The census during
the reign of Quirinius
required all to travel to their own city sometime
during the fall and winter months: when harvest was over. Harvest completion
was marked by the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkoth, an 8-day feast, beginning on
Tishrei 15.
The Feast is in remembrance of God’s physical presence
with the Israelites in the pillar of cloud and fire, during the Exodus (Ex 13:21). It is also
called the Feast of God with us, in Hebrew: “Emanuel”. (HM-1)
The Israelites lived in booths, called a sukkot,
during the Exodus. They were accompanied during their journey by the physical
presence of God in the Pilar of cloud by day and a Pilar of fire by night.
They were also provided water from the rock that accompanied them during the Exodus.
Thus there are three components to the celebration of Tabernacles: lights,
water, and booths:
- The Illumination of the Temple Ceremony in which four oil fed lamps, seventy-five-foot Menorahs, provided light to the
entire city all night long just as the pillar of fire provided light during the
Exodus (Jesus is the light of the world).
-
The Joyous Water-Drawing Ceremony.
On Sukkoth, water was also poured
over the altar in a special ceremony. This ritual engendered such joy that it
was celebrated with music, dancing and singing all night long. It celebrates
the fact that during the Exodus water flowed from the rock that accompanied them
during their journey (Jesus is the source of living water.) (HM-2)
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| Expensive Sukkah Exodus Encampment Minimum Sukkah |
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| Holy Land Caravansary |
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Tabernacles is also called Shelters or Booths because during the entire eight days, all Israelites are required to live in shelters, called sukkot, like they did during the Exodus. The sukkot are tents for the wealthy but for the common people, like a carpenter and his wife, it was a kind of lean-to. A sukkot must have at least 3 sides, allow the stars to be visible, and have a cover of branches: a leaky thatched roof. If it rains you are supposed to get wet!
Joseph needed to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of
Tabernacles as it is a convocation during which every Israelite male over 13
was required to go to the designated place of worship: Jerusalem. Bethlehem is
a suburb of Jerusalem, just 5 miles (8 kilometers) to the south. Although it
is only 70 miles (113 kilometers) from Nazareth to Jerusalem the route the
caravan would take was 92 miles (148 kilometers) to avoid going through
Samaria.
Travel arrangements were complicated by the fact that a large group, most of whom are on foot, could only travel 15 miles (24 kilometers) per day
and Jerusalem was 92 miles (148 kilometers) away via the Kings Road. That meant a 6-day trip. Normally you would begin a 6-day trip on Sunday and arrive on Friday in time for the Sabbath. The Feast of Tabernacles, the 15th of Tishrei, was always a Sabbath and that year it fell on the Sabbath so for the 92-mile (148 kilometer) trip one would need to leave on the 9th. But the 10th of Tishrei was always a Sabbath since it was Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day the year. Then the 8th that year was a Sabbath and the 1st and 2nd was the Feast of Trumpets also a Sabbath. Unless you wanted to spend a Sabbath or two in a caravansary you were going to have to
leave on the 24th of Elul (August 24th). Thus, there
were probably 2 caravans from Nazareth that year. The first on the 24th
of Elul enabling the travelers to spend all the feast days in Jerusalem and the
second caravan would have left on the 7th of Tishri (September 5th)
giving those travelers an extra ten days to finish the harvesting, but their
trip was 8 days instead of 6. The additional 2 days were spent in a caravansary
joined in prayer with other travelers. It can be noted that a group with
mounts (donkeys, horses, or camels) could easily make 25 miles (40 kilometers) per
day making the journey in 4 days but everyone would need to be mounted. A group
with no children or elderly could travel 20 miles (32 kilometers) in a day,
making the journey in 5 days.
Mary and Joseph joined the first caravan, as that provided
them the safety of travel in a caravan with their possessions, since they were
moving to Bethlehem. It also allowed them to spend the feasts of Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur with Elizabeth and Zechariah as they had planned. Mary
and Joseph loaded their possessions onto a donkey cart
and joined their neighbors traveling in the caravan from Nazareth to Jerusalem.
During the 6-day journey from Nazareth
the caravan stopped for the night at caravansaries: inns with a central courtyard. The central courtyard was intended for the pack animals: camels, mules, donkeys, horses, and oxen that were used to
transport the travelers and their baggage. The courtyard provided security for
the travelers’ property from wild animals and bands of thieves. The poor travelers stayed in the courtyard with the
animals while the wealthy rented space in the inn. The courtyard in
unpopulated areas usually contained a mini market providing provender for the
pack animals and food and supplies for the travelers. (HM-3)
Mary
and Joseph likely separated from the caravan at the turn off to Ein Karem just
as Mary had done when she went to help Elizabeth. They still had 2 weeks
before the baby was due and they haven’t seen Elizabeth and Zechariah since
John was circumcised and Zechariah regained his speech. They remained with
Elizabeth and Zechariah through the first of the holidays. They planned to
leave Ein Karem for Bethlehem on the 14th of Tishrei, Friday the 12th
of September, and set up their sukkah in Bethlehem thereby spending the eight-day
Feast of Tabernacles with Joseph’s family. Joseph planned on preparing their
house
while they were living in the sukkah as was required during the eight-day
feast. They set out on Friday morning for the 6.75-mile trip to Bethlehem. (A donkey cart can travel 3 mph and can travel for 10
hours/day).
At 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) per hour traveling by themselves the trip would
only have taken about 2.5 hours. They were traveling along the south side of
Jerusalem never more than a few miles (kilometers) from Jerusalem which would
have been safe traveling.
Travelers without family or friends in Jerusalem, upon
arriving in environs of Jerusalem, set up their sukkot in the central courtyard
of the caravansaries with the pack
animals and baggage. This allowed them to leave their property in the caravansary
and go to the Temple or market, as was required, without fear of losing their
property. With the courtyards filling up with sukkot even the caravansaries as
far away as Bethlehem filled quickly. For the next 8 days, no one lived inside!
The Greek word for “caravansary” which is used
by Luke in his Gospel has been translated into English as “inn”.
Arriving
at the caravansary in Bethlehem early Friday afternoon, Joseph discovers the
courtyard is already full of sukkot (there is physically no room in the “inn”, the
caravansary courtyard, to set up even a poor man's sukkah). (HM-4)
Joseph
has family in Bethlehem, so he seeks them out to set up his sukkah with theirs
and at the same time to arrange for assistance for Mary who was now beginning
labor. It is suggested that rather than use Joseph’s sukkah, they use one of
the nearby stables
.
The stables were only used to protect new born lambs from the cold weather.
The stables are currently empty since the temple flocks are still in pasture.
Joseph’s
sukkah does not provide the required privacy for giving birth. The stable qualifies
as a sukkah, provides privacy, and is much warmer than Joseph’s lean-to. Joseph’s
family is there to assist Mary with the birth of Jesus. (HM-5)
When my daughter had her first child, a son, as she lay in the
hospital bed holding her son, she looked up at me and said: “I didn’t think it
was possible to love a human being this much!” Worn out from hours of labor, hair
in dis-array, with no makeup, her face radiated with so much joy, I have never
seen her so beautiful!
Consider
the joy felt by both Mary and Joseph. They also know that their little baby
boy is the long-awaited Messiah! The baby is God’s Son. God’s own son is the
answer to their prayer for the Messiah! (HM-6)
Their
joy is magnified when shepherds arrive
with news that a host of angels had appeared and that the angels were singing praise
to God. The shepherds explain that the angels told them where to find the
child (Lk 2:8-16). Mary and
Joseph are now sharing their joy with the shepherds! (HM-7)
The
shepherds to whom the angelic host appeared had been tending the temple flocks.
The Sadducees had a monopoly on Paschal lambs. The Sadducees’ flock had more
than 600,000 sheep and goats. They controlled all the pasturage for 6 or 7
miles (10 or 11 kilometers) in all directions from Bethlehem. When a ewe gave
birth, a Levitical
shepherd inspected the lamb. If it was a male without blemish both the ewe and
the lamb were moved to a separate flock and especially cared for. The lamb was
destined for the Paschal sacrifice in the Temple. The shepherds, likely all
Levites, were sent by the heavenly hosts to the stable in Bethlehem to inspect
God’s First Born, Mary’s first born: The Lamb of God! (HM-8)
Jesus
is Mary’s first born, born in a stable used by the Levitical shepherds to
protect new born Paschal Lambs from the weather. He is inspected by the
Levitical shepherds and found without blemish! How else could the Lamb of God
be born?
Mary’s
child is born in Bethlehem which means “House of Bread”. Where else would the
Bread of Life be born?
Jesus
is born on the Feast of Emanuel, the Feast of God with us! When else would He
who is God, is now with us, and is even called Emanuel (God with us) by Isaiah (Is 7:14), be born?
Jesus
is conceived and born on the two Jewish celebrations of light. How else should
the “Light of the World” be brought into the world?
The
joy experienced by Mary and Joseph at the birth of Jesus, the source of living
water, is the exception to the saying in the Talmud: “He who has
not seen the Water-Drawing Celebration has never seen joy in his life.”
Mary
had much to ponder in her heart. (Lk 2:19) (HM-9)
This
gives additional meaning to the words of Jesus to Pilate when He said: “for
this I was born” (Jn 18:37). Jesus was a
first born, born in a stable used for the temple flocks to protect the new born
lambs, inspected by the Levitical shepherds, found without blemish, and thus
set aside from his birth for a Paschal sacrifice: The Lamb of God. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the
Nativity
God’s Providence
Mary, how many hundreds of millions of people read the story
of the birth of your son and thought: Why was Joseph so late that there was no
room in the inn? Why was there no one, in a culture that valued highly “providing
assistance to travelers”, to take you in so that you could have your baby in
the warmth and privacy of a home? God had a plan! Your son was born in a
stable used for the temple flocks to protect new born lambs from the weather. He
was inspected by the Levitical shepherds and found without blemish thus marked
for sacrifice on Passover as the Lamb of God. All these things happened by the
Providence of God not just for those living when you lived but also for us
living 2000 years later. Luke says you pondered these things in your heart.
Did you see the connections? I take my life on the surface, based only on what
my own senses perceive, one day at a time. It is inconceivable to me that my
life too is part of God’s plan. My part may be small but it is a part of his
plan. The only requirement is that I love. Love is action not feeling! I must
reach out to those with whom I come in contact. When I submit myself to become
God’s instrument He will use me in ways that I will only understand after I
die. What a joy to look forward to.
Coincidences?
We see coincidences all the
time. We run into a friend at a store or are thinking of someone and they
call. There is math for that: it is called probability. What is the
probability that if I go into a store I will see someone I know? That is a
fairly high probability, I know a lot of people. When you combine two
independent events: “What is the probability I meet someone in the store I know,
who was at Mass this morning?” The number of possible successful outcomes is
now significantly reduced because most of the people I know were not at Mass
this morning and I don’t know all the people who were at Mass this morning.
However sometimes the series of coincidences (the number of events) gets to be
so long it becomes obvious that this was planned: Linda always stops at the
store, on her way home from Mass, to pick up a gallon of milk so she has fresh
milk for her kids. If I meet her at the store after Mass the probability was
100%. When the probability of accidental happening gets so small and yet it
happens that implies that it was planned! Jesus is the Lamb of God. Lambs are
frequently born in stables. New born lambs are inspected by Levitical
shepherds. Unblemished lambs are sacrificed. What is the probability that
Jesus would also be born in a stable, inspected by Levitical shepherds, and die
on Passover? Oh, and that He would be known as the Lamb of God and that He
would be born on the feast of “God with Us”, the feast of Emanuel, that the
Light of the World would be conceived and born on the two celebrations of
light, that the Source of living water would be born on the day of the Joyous
Water Drawing Ceremony? It was planned that way! Help me Lord to see your
hand in the coincidences in my life.
Presentation - October 22, 2 BC/Cheshvan 24, 3760
Jesus meets his
Father
Our Father
On
the 8th day, September 20th, Tishrei 22, Jesus was
circumcised at the local synagogue and given the name prescribed to both Mary
and Joseph by the angel Gabriel.
After the Feast of Tabernacles, when the requirement to live in a sukkah ended, Joseph moved his small family into a home where they would be found by the magi
(Mt 2:10). (HM-1)
When a woman gives birth to her first child, if it is a boy, then he must be
redeemed by the father. The ceremony of redemption of a first born by his
father is termed a Pidyon Haben. It takes place on
the 30th day after the birth (for Jesus that would have been: October
12nd, Cheshvan 14th). The offering for redemption, five shekels (Nm 18:15-16), is not
mentioned in the New Testament but Joseph
understood his role as adoptive father and we are told that they had performed everything according to the law of
the Lord (Lk 2:39). (HM-2)
A woman, who becomes pregnant and
gives birth to a son, is ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as during
her monthly period. Then the woman must
wait thirty-three more days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not
touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary (Lev 12:2-4). The mother does not
attend the Pidyon Haben. At the
end of this period of purification the woman was required to make a sacrifice
of a year-old lamb for her purification and a turtle dove or pigeon for sin (Lev 12:6). If she could
not afford that, then a sacrifice of two turtle doves could be made (Lev 12:8).
(HM-3)
Mary and Joseph went to the temple to make the required sacrifice for Mary’s
purification (Lk 2:22). Mary, like any woman who has given birth while the
father is away, wanted to take Jesus to his Father, Yahweh.
As Mary
and Joseph entered the temple, after Mary’s purification in one of the many baths
located just outside the temple, Simeon approaches (Lk 2:27). Simeon recognized
Jesus as the Messiah, he takes Jesus into his arms saying: “Lord, now let your
servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your
salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples, a light of
revelation to the gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (Lk 2:29-32). (HM-4)
Simeon
,
follows Mary and Joseph into the temple and is thus present when they introduce
Jesus to his Father: “Yahweh, your Son!” Consider the joy felt by Mary and
Joseph as they presented Jesus to his Father. (HM-5)
Mary
also rejoices with Anna, an 84-year-old widow of the tribe of Asher, who
recognizes Jesus and goes off telling everyone who was looking forward to the
redemption of Jerusalem (Lk 2:38)
Both Simeon and Anna (Lk 2:36) filled with the
Holy Spirit, have recognized not Mary and Joseph but the child and give glory
to God! (HM-6)
Consider the joy Mary felt when strangers exclaimed over her new born. Even more so,
the joy she felt when her child is recognized for being special. Jesus is
recognized as the Messiah even as an infant! (HM-7)
As they were leaving the Temple Simeon blessed them and said to Mary: “Behold this child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many may be revealed” (Lk 2:33-35).
Mary
holds her son close to her heart as she realizes that Simeon’s prophecy will
come because of her son. (HM-8)
Simeon has witnessed what he perceives to be a dedication to temple service. Mary and
Joseph did not make a sacrifice for the redemption of Jesus after presenting
him to his Father so from Simeon perspective Jesus, the Messiah, has just been
dedicated to the service of God. Since Mary and Joseph must have forgotten to
record the dedication, Simeon was happy to take care of that for them
.
(HM-9)
Mary
and Samuel
(1Sam 1:28) were presented
to God by their parents because they each were God’s answer to a fervent prayer
for a child. They were intentionally dedicated to God’s service in the temple,
by their parents, even before conception!
Both
Samuel and Mary, dedicated to the temple, were brought back to the temple to
stay when they were weaned (able to live without their mother) but it was not
required to bring the male child until he became of age because his dedication
was for life.
God
initiated Jesus’ conception. Mary had no intention of dedicating Jesus to the
Temple. Mary and Joseph knew Jesus was to be the Messiah. They were simply
bringing Jesus to his Father. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Presentation
Joseph and Mary acknowledge the Fatherhood
of God
When
a woman whose spouse is on military deployment gives birth, the first thing she
wants to do is bring their child to his father. Mary, you were no different.
By law you could not go into the temple for 40 days. You were an hour away
from the temple, but you could not go. You were completely drawn to God as
Gabriel testified. Now you were holding your son, God’s Son! Joseph has
adopted Jesus at God’s request and he too wants to be with you as you brought
to God his own son. Just from a human perspective it had to be an incredibly
joyful moment. From a spiritual perspective, it was indescribable, even
unimaginable!
Joy tempered with sorrow
The presentation was a
complex event. It was at the same time a Joyful Mystery and one of your
sorrows. It filled you with incredible joy to be able to introduce your son to
his Father. Your joy was amplified when Simeon and Anna recognized Jesus as the
Messiah. As a new mother, all praise directed to your son was shared by you.
You were on such an incredible high when, as you were about to leave, Simeon
brought you down: “A sword will pierce your soul!” These were words you
immediately recognized to be prophetic. It made you want to hold your child
close to your heart because you knew it meant the sword would come because of
your son. There would be those who would resent, even hate, your son.
As Joseph took you by
night to Egypt you began to see just how much the world could hate; then you were
told about the children in and around Bethlehem who were killed as Herod
attempted to kill your son.
Many were children you had met in your brief stay in Bethlehem. They were the
children of the mothers with whom you had shared the joys of new motherhood. Your
heart was ripped apart. You felt all the pain of those 20 mothers. Your child
was safe but theirs were gone! Lord give me the grace to accept the losses
that must come. Allow me the wisdom and compassion to be able to console those
who feel the pain.
Joseph is the Adoptive Father of God’s Son
Joseph
was told by the angel to name the baby Yeshua, “Yahweh saves”. Naming is an
adoptive act. The angel was telling Joseph to adopt Jesus as his own son.
Joseph took Jesus to a Synagogue and made the offering of 5 shekels to redeem
Mary’s first born. Joseph knew that Jesus was conceived by the action of the
Holy Spirit and that Jesus would grow up to become the Messiah. Joseph, you
were a carpenter who swore to live a life of celibacy as a prayer to bring the
Messiah. Now your son is God’s son! What must it have been like to hold God?
To hold him in your arms and rock him to sleep? He must have fallen when he
was learning to walk, and you held him when he cried. God cried in your arms!
You taught Jesus to be a carpenter. You taught God! You learned humility from
your son. So, you chose to always remain in the background. You chose to love
and to serve providing for Mary and Jesus. Teach me to love as you loved.
Help me to provide for my family.
Adoration of the Magi
- November - December, 2 BC / Kislev
to Tevet, 3760
Our Father
We
all associate the “3 Kings” with the Nativity; the arrival of the kings is a mystery in the Franciscan Crown rosary. The magi didn’t arrive until after the presentation.
(Mary’s offering was two doves: they had not received any gold). The actual number of magi is unknown. What we know about the Magi is the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh which remind us of Isaiah 60:6. (HM-1)
Their
origin was from the East. It is thought from either Seleucia (Babylon was destroyed in 325 BC
and a new capital city, Seleucia, was established 27 miles (43 kilometers) to
the North) or possibly Persepolis if Cyrus or Darius had moved the wise men
back to Persia.
It took 4 months for a large caravan to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem.
It was 1090 miles (1754 kilometers). It is 1420
miles (2285 kilometers) from Persepolis to Jerusalem. A small group on camels
would average 25 miles (40 kilometers) a day carrying up to 300 lbs. (136 kg)
per camel for a few days. For a longer trip the average was closer to 18 miles
(29 kilometers) a day. Thus, the trip would have taken
a minimum of 72 days from Seleucia and 94 days from Persepolis, allowing for 1
day of rest for every 6 days of travel for the camels and men. (HM-2)
Beginning on Tishri 1 (September 11, 3
BC), the Jewish New Year of 3759 and throughout 2 BC, 3760, there occurred a
rare triple conjunction of Jupiter (the king planet, through its retrograde
motion) and Regulus (the king star) they intersected on 9/11/3 BC, 2/6/2 BC,
and 5/7/2 BC. The Magi
likely interpreted this rare triple conjunction as a giant neon sign in the heavens
blinking KING-KING-KING. This all began at the Jewish New year and all within
the constellation of Leo (the lion, a symbol of the tribe of Judah). So, it
heavily symbolized a Jewish King from the tribe of Judah, a clear indication
for those familiar with the Messiah.
(HM-3).
“Attempts to identify the Christmas star with a planetary
conjunction, comet, or supernova are futile. The protoevangelium of James
(21:3), Ephrem the Syrian in his commentary on the Diatessaron, and Chrysostom
in his commentary on Matthew all rightly recognize the so-called star does not
stay on high but moves as a guide and indeed comes to rest very near the infant
Jesus. Matters become clear when we recall that the ancients generally
believed stars to be animate beings, and the Jews, in particular, identified
them with angels (Job 38:7). The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy, 7 and Theophylact must be
right in identifying the magi’s star with an angel, and one may compare the
angelic guide of the Exodus (Ex
23:20, 23; Ex 32:34)”
(HM-4)
All this symbolism of a Jewish king from Judah was enough to get
the well-versed Magi moving to Jerusalem, but you can understand why the
average citizen of Jerusalem missed it.
(HM-5)
The
wise men were of the group of scholars that was originally formed and led by
the prophet Daniel in Babylon. Daniel left an inheritance for the Messiah and
instructed the other scholars in how to determine the date of the Messiahs
birth based on the stars (Nm 24:17). His
instructions to them were to pass the task down through the generations of
scholars until the appointed time and then to take the inheritance to the new
born Messiah. The triple conjunction of Jupiter and Regulus indicated the time
was near. Leaving for Jerusalem on the first day of the following Jewish new
year would have them arriving in Bethlehem in late November or December
depending on whether they came from Seleucia or Persepolis and how long they
were delayed in Jerusalem. (HM-6)
Daniel had been shown the heavens at the time of the Messiah’s
birth and told them what to look for in the sky. Daniel had also been shown
the number of years that would pass before the coming of the Messiah. Armed
with the time frame to start looking and what to look for; the Magi found in
the sky the formation foretold by Daniel and headed off to Jerusalem as
instructed by Daniel
(HM-7)
The Magi would have arrived in Jerusalem sometime in November
or December of 2 BC saying: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” That they have come to
worship the new
born king implies that they were worshipers of Yahweh and followers of Daniel.
When Herod
the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with
him. Gathering together all the chief priests
and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In
Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet Micah:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of
Judah; For out of you shall come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people
Israel.’” (Mic 5:2)
While in Jerusalem seeking direction from the priests and
scribes, Simeon likely told the Magi to ask for Mary and Joseph when they got
to Bethlehem. (HM-8)
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared (the first conjunction of
Jupiter and Regulus). And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found him, report to me, so that I
too may come and worship him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. (The early Church Fathers assumed that the star was angelic at this point as the star had to have been low enough to designate which house it was over). When they
saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house, they saw the Child with Mary his mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures,
they presented to him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (Mt 2:1-12)
Herod
would have figured out that the Magi weren’t coming back by the end of December.
The triple conjunction began on 9/11/-3. It was now 12/-2 so if the baby was
born on 9/11/-3 he would already be over a year old so to be safe he ordered
the death of all boys in and around Bethlehem that were 2 years old and under.
Herod
died sometime between the total lunar eclipse on January 10, 1 BC
and March 25, 1 BC. (HM-9)
God recognized that Mary and Joseph would need money
to pay for the trip to and from Egypt as well as to pay for the redemption of
Jesus when he was 12. God provides. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Adoration of the Magi
The End from the Beginning and Artistic Contrasts
There are several elements which anticipate the stories
end. Here as there the issue is Jesus’ status as the King of the Jews. Here
as there the Jewish leaders gather against him. Here as there, plans are laid
in secret. And here as there Jesus’ death is sought. So, the end is
foreshadowed in the beginning. But there are also artistic contrasts. Here a
light in the night sky proclaims the Messiah’s advent. There the darkness
during the day announces his death. Here Jesus is worshipped and there He is
mocked. Here it is prophesied that Jesus will shepherd his people Israel;
there it is foretold that Jesus, the shepherd, will be struck and his sheep
scattered. Here there is great rejoicing; there we find mourning and grief.
Why would they bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh?
Isaiah speaks of the coming
of the light and that Gentiles would come on camels bringing gold and incense.
Both frankincense and myrrh are incense. Jesus, like Melchizedek, was priest,
prophet, and king; and He was both God and man. Jesus would choose to
sacrifice himself for us. Gold is a gift for a king. Frankincense is a gift
for an offering of a smell pleasing to God. Myrrh is a gift of an incense used
for embalming. What did Mary and Joseph do with the gifts? Is that where the
money for the redemption of Jesus came?
Why did God provide the celestial symbolism?
Mary, I suspect that you
didn’t notice the celestial symbolism. Yet God so arranged the events that it
is obvious that it had to be planned. It was another thing God did for us
living 2000 years later so that we would believe.
Finding in the Temple – April 5th, 12/Nisan 25, 3772
A foreshadowing
of Jesus’ death and resurrection
Our Father
The
Passover Festival in 3772 (12 AD) would have ended on Nisan 22 (a Sabbath) so
the caravan from Nazareth would have departed for their return on the 23rd
of Nisan. Mary and Joseph discovered Jesus was missing on that day (April 3rd).
Their return to Jerusalem would have been on the 24th of Nisan (April
4th) and they would have found Jesus on the morning of the 25th
of Nisan which is April 5th on the Gregorian Calendar. The finding
in the temple has traditionally been considered a foreshadowing of the death
and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, it happened on the Gregorian Calendar on
the same days as Jesus’ death, April 3rd, and Resurrection, April 5th. (HM-1)
This
mystery is both one of Mary’s sorrows and a Joyful Mystery. Being one of
Mary’s sorrows is an indication of how much Mary and Joseph were hurt because
Jesus stayed behind in the Temple. To hurt one’s
parents is a sin and Jesus didn’t commit a sin! We are missing something!
(HM-2)
When
Jesus was introduced to his Father as an infant (at the time of Mary’s
Purification); Simeon, a leading Pharisee, recognized Jesus as the Messiah as the family entered the temple. He saw what he assumed
to be Mary presenting Jesus for dedication to temple Service and so Jesus was recorded
as dedicated to temple service. Then, unless He was redeemed, when he
became of age, turned 13, he had to stay in the temple just as Samuel stayed in
the temple.
It
says in the Torah: The Lord said to Moses, “speak to the children of Israel
and say to them: If anyone vows to give himself or one
of his family members to the full service of the Lord, and circumstance changes
so that he cannot keep his vow, he shall pay a redemption price to be freed
from that vow. The value of an adult male from twenty to sixty years old
is to be set at fifty pieces of silver; for an adult female at thirty pieces of
silver; for a young male from five to twenty years at twenty pieces of silver …”
(Lev 27:1-5). (HM-3)
“If
anyone making such a vow is too poor to pay the required amount, he must
present himself or the other family member to the priest who will make an
adjustment of the redemption price according to what the man can afford.” (Lev 27:8). (HM-4)
Jesus
was 12 years old when he stayed behind in the temple (Lk 2:42). An Israelite
boy becomes of age at 13. The family traveled together each year to Jerusalem
for Passover, Nisan 15 (Lk 2:41).
Simeon lived until 20 AD
and would have remembered Jesus
and looked for his coming to the temple each year at Passover. Simeon would
have been looking forward to the day that Jesus would be coming under his care
and likely asked Jesus each year, from the time Jesus started his education, if
He was staying. Simeon had explained to Jesus that it had been arranged by his
parents when He was presented as an infant, an event that he, Simeon, had
personally witnessed. Simeon may even have shown Jesus where his dedication
was recorded. During each visit, after Jesus had begun his education, Simeon
would have spent time with Jesus to observe his progress. Simeon at some point
would have told Jesus that He had to be in residence before He turned 13. Even if
Simeon had died in 10 AD, when he was replaced as the leader of the Sanhedrin, Jesus would have last seen Simeon when he was 10. Now at
12, knowing his family would not return to Jerusalem before his birthday, Jesus
had to stay.
Since his parents had presented him He logically assumed
that they planned for him to be dedicated to the Temple and knew that He would
need to stay. (HM-5)
Mary
and Joseph had presented Jesus to his Father. They did not however intend to dedicate
him for temple service; but there was no legal distinction. The dedication had
been recorded by Simeon. They needed to redeem Jesus. When
Mary finds Jesus, she says: “Son, why have you done this to us?” (Lk 2:48). Mary didn’t
realize that Simeon had recorded the dedication for her and the corresponding
legal implications. (HM-6)
Jesus responds: “Why were you looking for me?” He was
doing what the law required. “Didn’t you know that I must
be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). There was no
sin: Jesus could not leave. What must Mary have thought and felt? Her son was
12 years old and his family left him; without even saying “Good-by”! (HM-7)
At
his response, the Holy Spirit opens Mary’s mind, she understands: Mary had been
committed to the Temple, so she also knew the requirements for the young men. Jesus must be redeemed (released from temple
service) before He becomes of age or be committed to temple service for
life. Mary presented Jesus, so she had to release him from temple service
while she could; before He was responsible for himself! At the same time, Mary realized the pain she had caused
her son by leaving without saying anything. That hurt more than the pain of
his loss. Mary was sinless but still human. Neither she nor Joseph checked
for Jesus when they left or at any time during the 15 miles (24 kilometers) traveled
that day. The devil was delighted when they started out without Jesus. The devil insured continuous distractions throughout the day. The lesson for us is to not lose sight of Jesus. (HM-8)
Luke
says that Mary and Joseph did not understand what Jesus said to them (Lk 2:50).
Mary and Joseph didn’t comprehend the intensity of the hatred the priests and
scribes would have for Jesus. If they had not redeemed Jesus, the devil would
have prompted a priest or scribe to check and they would have found that Jesus
was dedicated to the temple as an infant. Jesus would have been forcibly made
into a temple slave. Remember, we are in the middle of a spiritual battle and
the enemy, the devil, knows far more than we do. Our only recourse is to stay
close to Jesus. Jesus was doing both what the law required and what was
necessary in God’s plan. (HM-9)
Mary
and Joseph are overjoyed that they have their son back and that He will remain
with them.
It
is apparent that Jesus did not use his divinity, or He would have known that
Mary wasn’t aware. Jesus was totally focused on his humanity. Jesus was like us in everything but sin (Heb 2:17). That means he
had to go to school to learn and needed to study. He grew up as a normal
(although exceptional) Jewish child, adolescent, and young man. Jesus obtained
knowledge by studying; beginning as was custom at age 4 and continuing his
education through a formal program of study to become a
rabbi, until, at age 30 He was given “authority”. Authority meant that he
could make new interpretations of scripture. The scribes could only read
existing interpretations. All rabbis also learned a trade. Jesus was a
carpenter, taught by Joseph. Jesus followed the law. He would have completed
all the requirements to make new interpretations of scripture. (HM-10, GB, OMJ)
Reflections on the Finding in the Temple
Jesus did not use his divinity.
If
Jesus had used his divinity, He would have known that Mary and Joseph were not
aware of the requirement for Jesus to remain in the temple. Knowing and allowing
them to be hurt as they were, would be sinful. Scripture tells us Jesus was
like us in everything but sin. Jesus did work miracles but so have many
saints. Jesus did raise the dead but so did Elisha and Peter. Jesus knew the
hearts of people but so did Padre Pio (he wouldn’t absolve a woman until she
confessed having an abortion). Both Padre Pio and Jesus’ mom bi-located, Jesus
didn’t do that, but He did say you will do still more than I have done. Mary,
while I am afraid of anything miraculous because of my own ego, I believe in
miracles and still petition you and your son to intervene in the lives of us
still on earth.
There is a spiritual battle going on.
Mary,
you were only 27 when you were confronted with the realization that your son
was missing. You checked with all your neighbors and discovered that Jesus and
not been with the caravan at all. He was still in Jerusalem. The wait until
daybreak to begin the trip back to Jerusalem was horrible. That next day ended
in frustration. You were back in Jerusalem and had checked with all your
relatives and friends where Jesus might have gone and it is nightfall again.
Once again you must wait until morning. I know you were praying for your son.
Praying that you would find him safe. Did you begin to suspect that the
spiritual battle had begun again? The devil had struck another blow:
distracting you throughout the first day’s journey.
When
you found Jesus and asked him why He had done this you were stunned by his
answer: “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my
father’s house.” Suddenly you realize Jesus must be redeemed! But you know
you never intended to dedicate Jesus to temple service. Yet you must redeem
Jesus since you presented him! At that point, you probably realized you were
once again in the middle of a “God thing” although you can’t see the whole
picture: the foreshadowing of Jesus’ death and resurrection as well as preventing
a future move by Satan to hinder Jesus’ mission. You are grateful that the
solution is simple: redeem Jesus and you can go home. Mary help me to see the things
that I don’t understand as just that: “God things”. Help me to trust as you
did, that God is in control and that He directs events according to a picture
beyond my ability to see. Did you wonder if this was the sword that Simeon was
referring to? I’ll bet you knew in your heart this was not it.
In the presentation joy is followed by
sorrow and now sorrow is followed by joy.
The
Presentation and the Finding in the Temple are both Joyful Mysteries and one of
your Seven Sorrows.
The Presentation was joyful until Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce your soul: joy followed by sorrow and now the Finding in the Temple is intense sorrow followed by intense joy. Jesus is found safe and will return home. My life is like that too. There is both joy and sorrow. Thank you for the joy, thank you for sharing the joy with me. Help me through the sorrows that must also come. Sorrow is always associated with loss and nothing in this life except love will last. All though even love can be rejected which brings sorrow. Give me the courage to love without worry about rejection.
There is only one life. It will soon be past. Only what’s done for love will last.
FOOTNOTES:
Isaiah
7:10-14 The LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask
a sign of the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height
above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, neither will I tempt the
LORD.” He [Isaiah] said, “Listen now, house of David. Is it not enough for you to try
the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also? Therefore
the Lord himself will give you a
sign. Behold, the
virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The word for virgin here is "almah" and
the rabbis, as well as many translations from the original Hebrew, say that
does not mean virgin but young girl. They say the Hebrew word for virgin
is "betulah". But אלמה "almah" can refer to a literal virgin as we
see in the story of Rebekkah at the well:
Genesis 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass,
that when the virgin אלמה,“almah,” cometh forth to draw water, and
I say to her, Give me I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to
drink. Etymologically, the meaning of the word "almah" is
derived from the verb meaning "to hide," or "to conceal“ as a
womb conceals a child. Other aspects of the almah's "hiddenness" is
that the term "almah" is never applied to a married
woman. And "betulah" doesn’t always refer only to literal virgins but could also
mean a young woman who is married as we see here:
Joel 1:8 Lament like a virgin, בתולה", betulah" girded with sackcloth for
the husband of her youth.
When the Septuagint was written by the 72 elders of Israel (six
from each tribe) all the writers specifically chose the Greek word
"parthenos," for virgin. This clearly demonstrates the common Jewish
understanding of this passage at that time. There is no doubt that Jewish
leaders looked at this passage as a messianic passage with the expectation of
some type of supernatural birth. Also in Isaiah 9:6,7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful,
Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace. Of the increase of his government and
peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his
kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from
henceforth even forever.
In the dead sea scrolls there was found an anomaly: the
letter מ "mem" is only closed at the end of a word but the word here for
increase the ם "mem" is closed when it should not be: לםרבה instead of an open mem as here: מ “Mem” means water in Hebrew and they say an open mem is an
open womb and a closed mem represents a barren womb. The rabbis teach that when it is time for the Redemption, the
closed mem of Isaiah’s l’marbeh will open for the coming of the
Messiah (Radak,
Isa. 9:6).
2 comments:
Glen and Greg, this is very good. However, I think you could flesh this out by reading the Protoevangelium of James. It's antiquity is attested by Origen in his Commentary on Matthew , so we are talking pre 250. The other useful books are the Six Books on the Death of Mary, Stephen J. Shoemaker. Recourse to these ancient works would allow you to add in the ancient traditions of Eastern Christian's.
Thank you for the kind words. I have quoted the Protoevanglium of James in three places. I do have a problem with the time line however. The Protoevangelium has the Incarnation happening when Mary was 16. Mary told the children at Medjugore in 1984 that she would be 2000 on August 5th of that year.
(http://www.medjugorje.com/download/booklets.html?task=view_item&item=96). For Mary to have been 16, Jesus would not have been born until 1 AD which means Jesus would have only been 28 at his baptism, when Luke clearly states that He was 30.
I wish I had known about Shoemaker's books when I was working on the Assumption and Coronation. There is a scarcity of material available on those subjects. I would like to read The Life of the Virgin: Maximus the Confessor by Shoemaker at some point when I can afford a copy. As an old guy on fixed income I don't have a budget for $20 e-books. I have great respect for the Eastern Church Fathers. The writings of the desert Fathers are very insightful. I had a spiritual director who as a priest first served with the Byzantine rite. His spirituality made a big impact.
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