Letter from Mary, By Marvina S.

Letter from Mary

By Marvina S.

So this week I've been just thinking about Christmas and about Mary. Mary is the mother of Jesus.  If any of you don't know about how Jesus was born, it talks about it in Luke chapter 2. Since this article is about a letter to Elizabeth, though, you need to read from Chapter 1 all the way through chapter 2.  It's a beautiful story and it was a story I've been thinking a lot about.  Now just some info... Elizabeth was Mary's cousin, who they never saw that often.  Elizabeth and Mary were very close, so I took the liberty to see if I could feel, what Mary felt, that night when she had baby Jesus.  Now Mary was probably around 14 when she had the baby, and I'm 23, but I still felt something amazing as I wrote this.  I am Mary in this letter and I'm writing to my cousin Elizabeth; so here it is...hope you all like it and feel something too.

January 13, 30 B.C.

                 My Dearest Elizabeth,

How I've longed to write to you for a while, but never seem to have the time until now.  I've missed you so much and it’s been hard to be so far away from you.  Besides, Joseph, there’s not that many people that I feel comfortable talking to…so it can get pretty lonely at times.  How are you and Zechariah?  How is adorable little John doing?  I bet Zechariah is loving father hood.  Looking at John when he was a newborn, I know he’s going to grow up to be handsome and strong like his papa.  As he gets older, you will sure have your hands full, with him being so full of energy and all; it will keep you young I’m sure. 

Well so much has happened since we last saw each other.  Joseph and I have been so blessed.  I don’t even know where to begin.  However, not knowing when I will see you again or for that matter, write to you again, I will start from the beginning and tell you everything that has happened. Shortly after I left your home, Joseph got a message stating that we need to go to Bethlehem for the Census and Tax.  Oh how I dreaded that trip because it was long and I was pregnant.  We had to travel by donkey, which was hard on my belly; however we didn't have a choice.  I walked when I could and when I got tired, I rode the donkey.  However the donkey got tired too and the trip went by so slow.  Joseph, the kind man that he is, never once complained, even though his facial expressions gave him away every time.  It’s funny how when you have been with someone for so long, you know when they are tired or even not telling you how they are feeling or what is on their mind.  He was really tired and it took us a long time to get to the Bethlehem from Nazareth. By the time we arrived, all the rooms at the inns were full.  All Joseph and I wanted to do was to just find a place and rest; was that so much to ask for?  But inn after inn, slammed door after slammed door, we began to lose hope and faith.  Oh Elizabeth, I just couldn't stop crying.  I was so uncomfortable being pregnant and afraid that we would never find a place and I would have to have my baby in the dusty road.  Poor Joseph was exhausted too.  I think he was worried and a little annoyed but for the sake of me, he tried to hide it.  Finally, Joseph came across an inn that had a stable and talked the owner into letting us stay there.  The owner gave us things to keep warm, but he was not really nice.  The stable was nasty and really uncomfortable with the straw everywhere, but it was shelter which we needed. With the animals being there, they kept the place really warm and from that night, that became our home.  Who would have thought of me being in a stable?  It was so weird and strange for me, and as a wife, so not ok, but I was grateful for what we had.

I will never forget that place because I ended up having the baby right there, the day after we arrived.  I’m so glad I was with you when you had John. I learned so much from your mid wife; which helped me when I had my baby.  The pain was unbearable and it felt like it took for hours, but then I saw him…our beautiful baby boy, which we name…Jesus.  Joseph was a mess throughout the entire labor process, but when the baby came out; you could tell from his face, he was just so happy to be a new papa.  Elizabeth, baby Jesus is so beautiful.  Since we didn't have a real bed for him, we put him in a manger.  He has curly black hair, and bright wonderful eyes just like your little John.  I’m sure they will be the best of friends.  His hands are big so I know he will be a great carpenter just like his father. Tears filled our eyes, as we held our brand new baby boy.  I just can’t describe him or the feeling we felt when we held him for the first time; though I’m sure you can imagine, you having little John not too long ago.  I never want harm to come to him, and I want him to live a long and happy life.

When the town’s people heard about our baby, they all came to see him.  People came from all over and brought gifts and cute things for the baby.  Joseph and I were so surprised as to the love of the people.  We've never felt more honored to have been blessed with such a beautiful baby boy.  Last night some shepherds came to see him, and we shared the stable with them for the night.  They were so kind and generous and amazed as to how wonderful he was.  The women came and checked on him; they said he looked good and healthy and gave us some skins to keep him warm, some milk to feed him, and some food for us.  We told stories and sang songs.  It was nice making friends since we were so far from home and what we knew to be familiar. It was hard being far from you and Joseph’s family.  We are going to have to leave the country tomorrow morning.  Some important men were in town last night watching the stars.  They said that King Herod has sent out a decree that all Jewish newborn babies are to be killed.  When I heard this, I thought, he must be afraid of us, for him to do such a horrible thing.  So we are leaving as soon as we are able to travel.  The men gave us gold, frankincense and myrrh for the travel, since we have no money because of the trip. I am so grateful for the help that we have received.  I don’t know what we would have done if all those kind people didn't help at all.  Joseph says we should try and get to Egypt and stay there until we hear that it is ok for us to return home.  Take care of your son and your family too Elizabeth.  I can’t wait for the day when we can be together again.  Our little boys can play, the guys can talk and we can go for walks and talk like we always do.  I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as I ask you do the same for us.  Til we meet or write again…

Love always,

Mary