B4 - E2 From Jerusalem to Egypt
As soon as they reached the Holy City, Mary and Joseph, with the baby wrapped snugly in Mary's arms, were able to mingle unobtrusively with the crowds of pilgrims who thronged the crowded streets of Jerusalem throughout the year. The excitement was palpable as they were swept up in the hustle and bustle of it all. They had visited the city many times before but this time, bringing their own son to present him to God in the temple made it a new and very special experience.
The customary offering for the ceremony of Presentation was a pair of turtledoves or pigeons and the streets were full of stalls selling them. The happy parents made their purchase and continued on their way to the Temple. Ascending the steps with hearts full of anticipation and joy, they passed through the imposing entrance when, to their surprise, an elderly gentleman approached them and asked if he could hold their baby. As he took the child in his arms, they listened in utter astonishment as prayers of praise and gratitude to God fell from his lips.
The man, whose name was Simeon, had spent his life praying for the coming of the Messiah, longing to see him before he died. He had felt drawn to come to the temple at that very moment and as soon as he saw Mary and Joseph enter with their baby, he knew that God had answered his prayers. He could die in peace now that he had seen the Saviour who would bring light into the darkness of the world.
As he gave the baby back into his mother’s arms, he began to tell her that her son’s message would also arouse conflict and that he would be opposed by many of the people he had come to save, warning her that her soul would be pierced by a sword of sorrow at the sufferings her son would have to endure.
They were standing together in the vestibule of the temple when an elderly lady named Anna came in. She had been widowed after only seven years of marriage and since then, she had devoted her life to prayer and service in the temple. As soon as her eyes rested on Mary’s baby, she knew instantly that he was the promised Messiah. At the age of eighty-four, her prayers had been answered and her dreams fulfilled. She praised and thanked God from the bottom of her heart and couldn’t wait to share her joy with everyone who, like her, had waited and longed for this moment.
Simeon gave a final blessing to Mary and Joseph as they left him to find the priest who was serving in the temple that day. They presented their son in the traditional way and then left the temple to find lodgings for the night. Early next morning, they set off to return home, leaving the city as quietly as they had entered it. As soon as they reached their village, they went to see Anne and Joachim who were relieved to have them safely back home and glad to hear all the news about their visit.
They had begun to settle back into their everyday routines when Joseph had a dream which was to change their lives completely. In the dream, an angel appeared to him and said, "Joseph, you must leave this place immediately and take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. You will need to stay there until it is safe to return because Herod is about to send his men to find and kill him." Joseph got up straight away and woke Mary to tell her the angel's message, leaving her to gather what she could to take with them while he went to speak to her parents.
Knocking quietly at their door so as not to startle them, he entered and explained the situation. He and Joachim recognised that Herod wouldn’t rest until he found the child he was looking for. He would have sent spies into Bethlehem as well as his troops to gain more information. Many people had seen the star and the foreign travellers as they passed through Bethlehem to the stable at the far end of town and would unwittingly have spoken of it.
It was imperative that Mary, Joseph and the baby, whose very life was in danger, left as soon as possible. Joseph was a skilled craftsman and would have the means to support the family. They also had the gold given to them by the visitors from the East to use if necessary. Anne and Joachim returned with Joseph to say goodbye to their loved ones before they were wrenched away from them as they embarked on what was bound to be a difficult and perilous journey.
While Joseph gathered as many of the basic tools of his trade as he could fit in the panniers, Mary’s parents spent precious moments with their daughter and the baby, holding and kissing them both. The faithful donkey was loaded up once more and they all embraced and wept at the enforced separation, their only strength, their trust in God and in the firm belief that they would be reunited when the danger had passed.
With heavy hearts, Anne and Joachim retraced their steps to their own home. They had watched and waited until Mary, Joseph and the baby, now sound asleep in his mother's arms, had disappeared into the darkness of the night. The little lamb, still only six weeks old and snuggled up in Joachim's arms, was to be a comfort to them both. He and Anne had gladly offered to take care of him until the return of the family. They had complete trust in Joseph’s ability to protect his family and in their daughter’s inner strength, both of which brought them some consolation.
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