XII

THE PILGRIMS

Jesus birth is a big roar to the impious (uncircumcised) gods and goddesses. God is the only one that can gain noble success. He is the only one who has the power to pull out the venom from the human heart that the wickedness had made him deceived.

The famous and intelligent poet “Milton,” an English man, the greatest historian of the Eastern customs and admired by the experts from foreign countries, being faithful to his motherland, had humbled himself to bind and oblige a request. From one of his first poets, he described the wrong beliefs of the heretics at the time, this is before the “Redeemer” and not been born yet. Let us quote some passages from his poems as evidence and justification of an argument that contained this:

—“The gods and goddesses turned out to be dumbed while the antagonist bombarded them with an outpouring argument; unable to speak a single word, and their whispers disappeared, an altogether lies under the Temple’s roof.”

—“Apollo shouts and cried out for “Suicide” when he left Delphi Mountain because he is unable to predict the future anymore.”

—“None is in a trance anymore during the midnight, vanished into thin air, those secret whispers coming out from the cave of mystic divination that takes hold of this shocked eyed priest, a power of spell to make him sensed this.”

—“At the pinnacle of those deserted mountains, and along the seashores noisy water, can be heard crying and lamentation.”

—“Knowledge was forced to leave the meadows where they dwell amid those pale poplar trees.”

—“The Nymphs were stripped naked of the flowers that decorated their bodies and they are crying under those dense woods.”

—“The Lares (gods of households); and the Larvae (dark human souls), at night — where their moaning can be heard from those honorable lands and at the top of those respectable houses.”

—“The Urns and Shrines can hear the sorrowful distressing sounds, where the Flamids (women priests) are very busy from their works, the cold marble floors are like covered with ample sweats while the gods and goddesses are leaving the houses where they used to live.”

—“Peor and Baal escaped their dark black temple with the god who was cast out from Palestine.”

—“Ashtaroth, who was named Luna or Moon, the Queen, the Mother in heaven was not sparkling like before where the holy candles encircled her.”

—“Hammon hides his horns, the god from Libya; and Tyre’s children are crying because their god fell to the ground and is wounded.”

—“The pitiful and abandoned Moloch escaped and left his framed picture in the dark place where it turned out and became a black coal. Nothing was achieved from their noisy music and dancing calling their bloodthirsty king beside the burning furnace.”

—“The goddesses of the Nile from the foolish descendants are too quick to run off, and Anubis’s dog went and followed Isis and Osiris.”

From unto here, is what Milton had said. Let’s continue:

At last, after thirteen days of their journey by walking, the Magi Kings had catched the sight of the towers, the Minaret towers from the distance, the beautiful towers and the strong ramparts of Jerusalem. Not too far from the road where they walk can be heard gushing water from a clear springs, the reason for the foreign voyagers to stop (this spring still exists and known for its’ name: “de los Reyes” Well). The group leader Gaspar, then call for a short rest on their journey, and the Camels obeyed at the command and knelt to the ground to disembark the Kings.

The four African slaves spread some valuable and expensive carpets, in deep red color, embroidered with gold to cover the top of those cold grasses. The Magi Kings sat down on the mats and were given small woven baskets with Aratilis, (Jamaican cherries) and delicious Apricots, an excellent traditional breakfast from the East. The caretakers fed the tired animals, their Camels with dried Lima Beans. Everything was serene and quiet when suddenly, Gaspar’s wide eyes looked up in the sky, abruptly stood up, pointing the sky and cried out!

—“The Star! The Star is gone!”

Melchor and Balthazar both were also stunned, and their eyes are as wide as Gaspar’s. They both immediately got up and the fruit they were about to bite slipped from their hands unknowingly. The Star was lost from their sight, and it seemed behind amid those floating clouds, hanging across this town that pay taxes.

The heartbroken Kings saw the disappearance of their mysterious gleaming guide. They were like restless and disturbed, a troubled sea where a piece of a wooden board, their only hope to hold on, lost their grips, slipped from their hands, their only lifesaver. They all scream and then sighed.

Then one of the brethren broke his silence and pointed out to where Jerusalem and said to everyone:

—“Let’s continue this momentous journey. We lost sight of the Star, but there’s no need to worry for we are facing the big City and with no doubt is the birthplace of the Jew’s King. Let’s go to Jerusalem.”

—“Yes, Yes! Let’s continue our journey; the mysterious Stat that brought us here from Tigris to Jordan cannot leave us just like that without a big reason.” said Balthazar.

—“Also,” Gaspar replied, —“who in this busy town know where the Messiah was born? We ask the first one we encounter, and it will immediately and unwittingly accompany us to the foot of his birthplace, the King we are looking.”

As soon as the Magi Kings agreed upon the call of the situation, they again go on and rode their ready Camels, and after a few more seconds, they enter Jerusalem through Judiciary Gate.

But, Oh! The entire town was quiet, and there’s no noisy crowds of celebrations that they are expecting to see. The streets are empty, and there’s no one can be seen walking; no roses scattered on the roads, nor myrtle and laurels on the lanes they are walking. The delightful music can’t be heard from the Hebrew’s Harps; Zion’s maidens are not offering their lovely songs to Almighty God. Myrrh and Incense cannot be dispersed from all around the Shrine’s Temple. Oils from their lampstands cannot burn flames; gold lamps do not give light to the servant’s valuable clothes that cater their sacrifices.

At that time, Jerusalem appeared to look dumb; the silence is deafening. No one is around the streets to receive the Pilgrims from the East. Some curious women wrapped in thin scarves, look out their windows to watch the newcomers passing by.

The Three Kings continued to walk, but they are sad and seemed weak, tired and no vitality. From their heart, their warm hope are slowly diminishing and getting cold. But not long after, and in no time, they were surrounded by the inhabitants of that town. And so Gaspar, the leader, moved himself to the strong neck of his Camel and asked the person in front of him.

—“You are from this town; you should know where the Messiah is, promised by the Prophets, King of the Jews, the newly born child?”

The townspeople looked at each other, for they have no answer, and they all shrug their shoulders.

Balthazar once again asked the person near him:

—“Where is the Messiah, the King of the Jews?”

—“There is no other King in Jerusalem but the Great Herod our lord.” replied a Knight.

—“We saw one Star in Heaven,” Gaspar continued, —“and the Star is still not known, and as far as we are concerned, that Star is what Balaam prophesied.”

—“For us Israelites, Jacob’s Star has not been born yet.” responded one of the Pharisees.

—“They are probably crazy.” whispered a Roman soldier and gave them a hostile look.

—“We should let King Herod know this.” answered one of the Scribes.

—“Yes! Oh Yes! We should let him know.” countered the Herodians, huddled in the crowd.

The Kings saw that nothing will happen from their asking, for no one can direct them where the Messiah lived. They decided to continue and moved on, then they turn to a broad, wide road going to David’s old Palace. They arrived into its’ old Palace and went into an expansive a torn down courtyard, tired from their long journey, they all rested. But somewhere in the past, there was a time that this Palace was a pleasant house of an intelligent, powerful King. But when Christ was born, this Palace came to just a pile of rocks crashed to the ground.

The Three Magi Kings know from Hebrew’s history, prophesied by the Prophets, that from David’s branch, she will bear a Messiah to save Israel. And if that Star disappeared, the guide that they patiently followed from where they live, then they still have one more hope.

Not far from under those doors of King David — they said — can be found the promised Messiah; it is maybe inside those torn down fortresses, that once upon a time from the past was an essential part of beautification, the tragic resonance of a singer’s King’s Harps. His praises to God and defeated Goliath, we might discover one thing that can point us to where the Messiah is.

And when they get into that said place, they had their tent pitched and the Three went in and confined themselves inside, meticulously planning many a time the right thing to do.