Family Secrets (part 2)

With a coffee cup on my right and my lap top opened on the table, my thoughts drifted to Christmas decorations. And more specifically, to when I should take them down. 

Recent FB posts heralded news of discarded trees and packed decorations. Soon others will boast of their achievement after the New Year. Thus, instead of writing, I questioned my approach, which involves keeping my tree up as the dark of winter fades to spring. 

Showing some restraint, I pack the front porch lights in early January. 

The indoor décor soon after. 

But my tree stands till late February. A cheery presence in the cold.

In the same vein, continuing my Nativity narrative may seem ill timed after the fact. But the season stirs in me still. So, I'll head back to where we left Elizabeth and Mary in the kitchen last week, living life together, sharing family secrets, and watching their bodies morph with baby.

What a sweet time they must’ve enjoyed—a three-month hiatus from the world.

But that time came to an end. Elizabeth gave birth to a son and Mary went home—home to her betrothed who originally wanted out.

The disciple, Matthew, recorded this part of the story. You may have heard it at a service last weekend. If not, read on...

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins… 

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife' (Matthew 1: 18 – 20 & 24 NIV).

Based on cultural norms, Mary’s pregnancy would have been confirmed after her three-month confinement. So, when we combine the Nativity accounts in Luke and Matthew, it's not out of reach to assume Mary came home from her time with Elizabeth  and faced public scrutiny. 

While her betrothed—a devout man from the lineage of David—certainly had a tender heart that led him to consider how to protect Mary’s reputation, the notion of a quiet divorce seems implausible. 

Which makes me wonder what Mary felt if she heard about his plan. Did she doubt? Worry? Trust? Fall to her knees in desperate prayer?

What about her parents or Joseph’s? Behind closed doors did his good, Jewish mother insist he not bring shame on his family?

Family secrets not allowed?

Lingering in these moments adds a dimension to the figurines that sit on my shelf. They symbolize real people who lived through uncertainty in the midst of the miraculous.

And if you think about it, right now, God's miraculous plan continues to unfold as we live in uncertainty. How the master plan of the world comes to completion is still His greatest secret. But for now, we have stories of old that offer hope for today and our many tomorrows.

Thankfully, Mary didn't have to walk alone for long. Joseph had a dream and,“When he woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife” (Matthew 1: 24 NIV).

The righteous man embraced Mary, and oh how she must’ve rejoiced when he showed up at her door. Leery looks may have continued, but she didn't have to face them alone. 

Because you can bet that if the priests and Sanhedrin didn’t believe Jesus was the Son of God despite his numerous miraculous signs, many devout Jews certainly wouldn’t have bought into the idea of a Virgin birth. Even if Isaiah foretold it.

Did the stares and questions shake her confidence. We'll never know. The angelic encounter may have lingered long in her heart, buoying her above what others thought. 

But at some point, I wonder if sheer exhaustion left her longing for another sign. Perhaps a star. Another angelic display. Or maybe even gifts from afar.

As she held her new born son, with a sweaty brow and worn out body, unexpected visitors confirmed what deep down she knew. And “Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2: 19 NIV).

And here is where I'll press the pause button once more, because I need another post to wrap up my thoughts. We've talked about the family secrets Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph kept. Next week, we'll talk about mine.