Journey of the Wise Men: Epilogue

The wise men were concerned not to overstay their welcome. After all it had been a surprise visit. Upon their arrival, the mother, whose name they learned was Mary, sent one of the village children to call her husband, Joseph. (In those days and in that place only a man could receive a visit from other men.) He came quickly, alarmed at this unexpected news, and asked Mary to prepare something for the visitors to eat. She brought out milk and honey, together with ample portions of bread, the village specialty. Joseph was understandably a little perplexed at three strangers arriving with such lavish gifts, as was Mary. Even more disturbing was their account of their meeting with King Herod and his advisors. It gave Joseph a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. The wise men saw the alarm in his face. After presenting the gifts, they made to take their leave of the family, asking where they might find lodging in the village for the night. Joseph offered them the part of their house where the animals stayed, what people much later and in a different place would think of as a stable. He was not trying to be ironic, and they accepted. Camel was especially pleased, and when he tasted the feed that family provided its animals he almost took back his declaration to “never be your beast of burden” again, which he had taken to singing while listening to his iPod. That night both Joseph and the wise men had dreams telling them to get out of town and avoid Herod at all costs. They learned about this from each other over breakfast, and were mutually amazed. The wise men helped Mary and Joseph pack their most important possessions on their donkey and sent them off south in the direction of Egypt, while they headed home by a different road that did not go back through Jerusalem. Clearly God’s plan to change the world through this child was not going to be easy, nor would it be unopposed. But change was already happening. The passes on their journey were all at least a little bit open, even though no one left any more doors a jar.