As we approach the Nativity of our Saviour, our hearts and minds turn to the Holy Family of Mary, Joseph and their unborn Child. The young couple are traveling from their home in Nazareth, which is in Galilee, to Bethlehem in the hill country of Judea. Today, it’s a journey that would take you about two hours by car, taking the Yitzhak Rabin Highway. Back in St. Joseph’s day, it was a much longer and more arduous trip. As the crow flies, it’s about 70 miles, but that would have taken them the direct route through the hostile territory of Samaria. It is more likely that they would have skirted this region and taken the longer route, about 80 miles, which, with an expectant mother on the back of a donkey, would probably have taken seven to ten days.
St. Joseph would never have forced his spouse to make this long and difficult journey if he hadn’t been under serious obligation himself. He was under orders from no less a personage than the Roman Emperor, who had commanded that a tax census be taken of his whole empire. “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” In order to register, everyone had to travel to their native city. St. Joseph, who was a descendant of the great King David, therefore had to make the journey to David’s Royal City, Bethlehem. As he was engaged to Mary, it was obligatory for her to accompany her spouse and be registered with him.
In Hebrew, the word bethmeans “house”, and lehemis the word for “bread”. Beth-lehem,therefore, means “House of Bread.” He who was to proclaim himself the “true bread from heaven.. which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world,” how fitting it was that his Mother should deliver this true Bread in the House of Bread.
We can see how God took such great care in preparing his people to recognize their Messiah when he came. It had long been prophesied that it was here in Bethlehem that the lord Emmanuel would come to his people and deliver them from sin. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,” proclaimed the prophet Micah, “though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” And of course, no one other than God himself has “been from everlasting”. So this was a direct prophesy that God himself should born as a King in this little town of Bethlehem, this little House of Bread.
No wonder then, that when the time came for this Saviour to be born, that those who knew the prophecies, wise men, should travel from afar to see this great and mighty wonder, and be led by the light of a star to the newly risen Light of the World. And no wonder that the jealous King Herod and the enemies of God should fear this birth in the holy city of Bethlehem, and the little infant who would grow to destroy from the Cross their reign of terror. Meanwhile, “peace to men of good will.”
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