Who assisted the Holy Family on the journey to Bethlehem?
Unlike the famous Simon of Cyrene, who helps Jesus to carry his cross, there’s no record in the Gospels of anyone offering a hand to Mary and Joseph as they journeyed to Bethlehem. In fact, this is what Luke says about the journey:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
Luke 2:1-5
And yet, I’m convinced, that they must have received help. The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, required by law for the census came at a difficult time in the life of the Holy Family. It would not have been easy for Mary—about to deliver a baby!—to make the trip. Certainly Joseph would have tried his best, but he too would have been tired and worn from the road.
Seekers travelling to Bethlehem
Today there are many seekers are journeying to Bethlehem. One recent poll suggests as many as 20% of young people born since 2000 identify as “nones”: having no religious practice. Who will reach them?
Aleteia wants to help those who are looking to discover the meaning of life, the truth of their existence, the love of God, the Catholic faith!
The question for you is: will you help Aleteia reach them? This Advent, as we set out again, for our own visits to “Bethlehem”, as we set out again to contemplate the mystery of God’s love put on display in the manger for the world to see, will you help pilgrims on their way?
And today we celebrate...