A friend of mine asked me the other day "what do you think Mary was doing today?"
To answer the question: I personally think she was definitely traveling on a donkey, wondering what was going to happen in the next few days. She had to know her baby would be coming any moment and she had to be wondering would she make it to Bethlehem and what would things be like for them once they got to Bethlehem.
This question my friend asked sparked more interest in me as I am working on a project of Mary. We don't know much about Mary but here are some things we do know:
She was the Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
She was a Virgin who gave birth to the Savior of the world touched by the Spirit of the Lord.
She was betrothed to Jospeh who could have sent her away quietly once he found out she was pregnant but an Angel of the Lord told him to not be afraid because the child Mary was carrying was the Messiah of the earth.
Mary was fulfilling prophecy.
Today, Mary was riding on the back of donkey from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem because there was a mandate of a census.
The journey Mary and Jospeh were on was about a ninety mile trip on roads not like we are privileged to travel on today. They crossed through desert land, uphill and downhill, faced snow and rain and many other elements. Yes I said snow and rain! Remember it was winter, so therefore not only nine months pregnant riding on a donkey Mary had to wear extra layers of clothing on their entire body and a heavy woolen cloak to protect herself from the inclement weather. Together Mary and Joseph faced the Jordan River Valley which was heavily forested. One could only imagine the fear Mary faced while traveling through that forest knowing there were bears, wild boar and lions that could attack at a moments notice. The threat of thieves along the road when traveling long distances was also a concern. Just think, this wasn't an overnight trip where Mary packed her suitcase and said, "Oh, I just need one shirt and a pair of pants." This journey was more than a week long journey and who knows when they would be able to return. Provisions were needed such as food and water, clothing along with personal items. Bandits and robbers just waited for people traveling to come along. Because of this threat, it is believed Jospeh chose a safer route to lead his betrothed along. When Mary and Joseph finally reached their destination, Joseph began to search for a room for the couple to stay. No one, not anyone, had a room. A lodge keeper allowed them to stay in his cave that was used to housing his animals to keep them warm. Animals such as camels, oxen, cows, chickens, peacocks, pheasants and sheep. Can you imagine the smell and the noise? The time had come for Mary to give birth to the baby and help was needed. Jospeh sought out the help of a midwife who came and assisted in the birth of Jesus. Not the most perfect place for a baby to be born. To Mary and Joseph, none of that mattered because the promises of God had been fulfilled, the Savior of the world had been born, and soon it would come to pass the prophesies that had been told. So as Mary was probably a little stressed out today, I know we as Moms and Dads, and Grandparents are probably way more stressed out than she was. May we stop and remember the true meaning of Christmas and the beauty and wonder of it all. May your hearts be full of the joy of Christmas and the salvation Emmanuel brings to us! My final thought to you is ... "What are you doing today?"
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