Exchange of letters shares story of Savior’s early plight

By John F. Fink

(Archeologists in Egypt were surprised recently to discover this letter from a woman named Elizabeth. It was sent from Ein Karem, Israel, at the beginning of our present calendar, about 1 A.D., or perhaps even earlier. It’s unknown if the recipient received the letter.)
 

Dear Mary,

Zechariah and I were thrilled to receive your letter because we had no idea what had happened to you, and we were worried sick. We were surprised, of course, to learn that you are now in Egypt, but glad to learn that you, Joseph and Jesus are all well.

News travels fast here, as you know, so we were shocked, but not surprised, to learn that King Herod had sent soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the boy babies under 2 years old. When we heard the news, Zechariah hurried over to Bethlehem since it’s only seven miles away, hoping that he wouldn’t find you there.

I had faith that you had been able to escape because, after all, I know that your son Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, so he couldn’t have been killed by Herod. I was, after all, the first person to recognize that your child is God himself.

That’s why, when you were so kind as to visit me and help me during my pregnancy with John, I was inspired to say to you, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:42-43).

It was remarkable that, as you greeted me on your arrival, John leaped for joy in my womb. I said to you at that time, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). After all, my own husband, Zechariah, didn’t believe the angel when he appeared to him, and he ended up being struck dumb until John’s circumcision.

You have certainly had some unique experiences since you were here for John’s birth. While you were nine months pregnant, you took that 80-mile trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem just because the Messiah was to be born in the City of David—and, of course, because of that silly census that required everyone to register in the towns of their ancestors.

Of course, Zechariah and I also went over to Bethlehem to register, and hoped to see you there. The place was so crowded, though, that we decided not to try to stay overnight, so we walked back to Ein Karem.

I learned from your letter that Jesus was born in a cave, and you wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because you couldn’t find room in the inn either. At least Joseph was able to find some shelter for you.

And then you wrote about the shepherds who visited you. You must have wondered what on Earth was going on when they appeared at the cave. But they, too, were told by an angel what I already knew, that “a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord” (Lk 2:11).

Thank you for writing about your purification in the Temple in Jerusalem and your presentation of Jesus to the Lord. You told me that Simeon also recognized Jesus as the Messiah. And then those wise men from the East also recognized Jesus as the Messiah. That must have been exciting, to have those men stop and present their gifts to Jesus.

But it seems that every time something good happens to you, something bad follows. Simeon celebrated the coming of the Messiah, but then he had to go and tell you that a sword will pierce you, whatever that means. And the celebration with the magi was followed by Joseph’s telling you that you had to flee to Egypt to get away from Herod’s soldiers.

I hope you won’t have to remain in Egypt very long. When you decide it’s safe for you to return to Nazareth, I hope you’ll stop to visit us on the way and stay at least a few days. John and Jesus should get to know one another. John has already gotten big.

Zechariah and I are both well, and we send our best wishes. We are keeping you in our prayers.
 

(John F. Fink is editor emeritus of The Criterion.) †