N
o one completed the trip from Galilee to Judea in less than three days. With a pregnant woman approaching the birth of her infant, it took much longer. She did not complain, but despite her youth, it was clear that Mary was suffering. Each lurch of the ass caused her back to spasm. Tributaries of pain explored her muscles as she stiffened against the motion. Her husband walked beside her, his hand massaging the small of her back. Often she laid her arm across his shoulders for support at which time their faces met and lip touched lip in gentle caress. Even in the cool of winter, sweat beaded on Joseph’s brow.
At the Jericho fords, inns and commercial eating establishments crowded with travelers; so many people, returning to their place of heritage. Herod had ordered it, or was it Caesar? As if everyone in the country were on a forced holiday; camels, carts, asses and oxen trampled dense dust into rasping lungs. Damp cloths draped or held over dry, parched lips. Walkers. Thousands of Jews walked great distances to be registered so Caesar could fill his coffers.
Joseph’s career as an entrepreneur carpenter on his own, had yet to initialize. His father had not given him much to get started. His family was not rich, but Joseph’s “inheritance” had been unnecessarily meager. His father thought him foolish to marry a woman already with child. “I cannot invest in a son so given to throwing away his life. What do you think will become of your business when others discover your wife’s adultery?” His father’s generosity truncated, Joseph left with nothing but the tools of his trade, a solitary ass, modest clothing and enough money he had saved over the years to – hopefully -- begin a new life for he, Mary and the child. He walked the distance from Nazareth to Judea. Mary rode the beast. The inns along the way had taken much of what he had. He hoped it wouldn’t be too difficult to set up shop in Bethlehem; if not Bethlehem, Jerusalem. He preferred the smaller community of Bethlehem. Yes, Bethlehem, the city of my fathers, be kind to me. But would it support him and his family? Such questions haunt the thoughts of young adventurers.
