4th Book

THE HOSPITABLE FOREST

The Blessed couple did not stay long in Galilee.

Simeon’s prophecies and it is in heaven’s writing, that this old man’s words will happen in the near future, “a knife will pierce this fortunate mother’s heart.”

It was mid-month of February. Joseph was fast asleep in the midst of night when all of a sudden, he abruptly got up gasping, catching his breath. For God’s words troubled his heart from his deep sleep, he received a warning from heaven. The mysterious words came to his hearings and this is what it says:

—“Get up! Get the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Remain in there until I tell you to return, for Herod is seeking your child to kill him.”

DOUAY-RHEIMS BIBLE:

—“Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt; and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass Herod will seek the child to destroy him.”

These mysterious words from God are still reverberating Joseph’s ears, echoing from his hearings, he quickly got up and ran to his wife and child’s room, he softly knock at the door and peered in, he was shaken and trembling as he spoke.

—“Mary get up, we have to leave. Take the child and carry him in your arms, and prepare for long and difficult travel.”

Mary at that time was beside her child where he was asleep; the sudden appearance of Joseph startled Mary, Joseph was rattled and out of breath. She immediately got up to let Joseph in.

—“Leave Jerusalem?” the Virgin asked, —“and where are we going?”

—“To Egypt,” Joseph replied. —“That is how God instructed me; Herod is looking for our child to kill him.”

Mary can’t believe what she heard, screaming, she rushed to her child and swooped him by her two arms, tightly hugged him to her chest, like tightly hugging him will give her child the full protection from all dangers, the oppressor’s knife.

The child woke-up and gave his terrified mother the most charming smile, a smile not far from the bright sunshine of heaven after the big storm, giving Mary the comfort of loving feeling, a peace for the Virgin’s troubled soul. Then she turned around and looked at her husband, the Patriarch standing in silence at the door’s entryway and said:

—“Come in Joseph, calm yourself down and don’t be afraid; look at Jesus, he is smiling, and that smile is like a rainbow wiping out the dark clouds.” Mary said with joy in her heart, but troublesome is still a concern.

—“God commands us to take action now, the things I told you.” The old man replied in haste.

—“Let’s go, God in heaven will take care of us on our way.” Mary said, agreeing to God’s will.

The couple prepared quickly, all the necessary things they need for their journey, but they were so poor. Mary the Virgin, slipped a few cloth bands (diapers) for baby Jesus into a linen bag, and a few clothes considering her and Joseph, only what they need. While Joseph took their little savings he kept from the table and inserted it in a small leather pouch, to his waist, and went to the stable and ready the fairly white donkey that ushered them through Bethlehem two months ago. He laid the basket on top of the mule’s back containing food and one leather bag holding water. There, Joseph took the fairly good mule and guide him under the trellis, then went to Mary and let her know that everything is ready.

With Mary and Joseph’s hearts afflicted, the three left Nazareth distressed. They were heartbroken to leave the comfort of their home once again. The night stars were seemingly halfway in the midst of heaven, a dark night for their marvelous journey.

An Angel gave them precautions of big danger on their way, but the Angel did not explain how they can avoid this threat. From Nazareth to Egypt is 160 leagues, (one league has 20,000 feet). Aside from this, how can they walk on a rippling wavy desert sand, flowing with a series of small waves on a surface, and nothing to this extent, but to ride a tamed donkey? The Arabs are like herds of vultures that can unexpectedly and swiftly attack the merchants that are truly armed and prepared to do battle. Can the Arabs pierce them with their long spears and wound them with their curly daggers? These unfortunate travelers unarmed to do battle, with nothing to engage in any physical combat but to cry and beg?

But let us leave this viewpoint for now and discuss it at the end.

It was mid-day when they finally reached the sandy desert. The hot sunny sky was high and the heat was mounting to a steaming point. Fleeing in fear, they can certainly be seen in this broad daylight. On their way is a tiny forest, covered mostly with palm trees. This forest is owned by the Zabulon’s clan, they decided to hid and get some rest in that little forest, and because of those lushy, luxuriant trees, the place became a pleasant resting place from the sun’s heat. The fountain’s gushing sound of water carried by the Cison river is very refreshing to the Blessed couple’s extent, and the gentle breeze of fresh air calms the Holy Family’s roasting journey. The rustling sound of palm leaves from the soft cool wind, and the delightsome harmonious songs of birds, the lamenting intonation of the mountain doves, are the Holy Family’s familiar companions at all times. This became the temporary residence of the escapees, the hiding travelers.

The alluring smile of that child, the bright clear sky, and the meadows aromatic fragrance, with the delectable nature that calmly soothes Mary’s torn heart, in grief, is like a refuge. While Joseph was busy preparing their food, suddenly, some noises emanate in to his hearings. He came to an abrupt halt, intently listening:

—“Can you hear Mary?” He asked Mary.

For a few seconds, the asked person listened carefully. After hearing further, Mary’s rosy cheeks turned pale, then she tightly hugged the child Jesus to her chest. The child is not smiling this time; the mountain doves stopped chirping; the meadow birds singing like harps ended quickly, then in a matter of seconds, the dark clouds cast their shadows over the bright sunny sky, darkening the dense woods area.

—“I can hear,” Mary replied whispering. —“The tinkling noises is similar to swords sounds, and the vibrations of the clip clopping horses were like coming from the other side of this plain land.”

—“Yes it does.” Joseph replied. —“It seemed like they are at the mountainous side, of the Roman’s way going to Hepha’s coast. They’re maybe merchants from Ptolemaida or Tyre, on their way back to their ports.”

—“They might be Herodians!” Mary replied, slightly uttering these words, horrified.

—“Keep peace with your soul Mary.” Joseph said, full of affection to his wife. —“This forest is far from the main road.”

Then followed by a few moment of silence. Both are sensing their surroundings.

The horse’s footsteps are getting near every seconds. Mary grabbed Jesus and wrapped him with her cloak, then she turned her eyes towards heaven, praying. Joseph is beside Mary this time, in silence and in agony. His depressing look fastened down the roadside, where he’s hoping that it could be just some merchants coming out from that direction, but still stricken with fear in his heart that it could be the Romans.

All of a sudden, a man’s voice, bold and sharp, in strong and thunderous tone, near Joseph’s ears. It is deafening to these Blessed couple’s ears, with both hearts pounding like drums. Following this person’s voice was a pleasant song in modulation. A battle song, the lyrics are very clear, coming near the range of these forest’s fugitives.

—“These are the Romans.” Joseph’s soft voice. —“Even if I don’t fully understand everything they’re saying, in my opinion they are singing the famous “Gladiator’s song.”

Mary can’t speak, she can only worry about her child, the God-child she’s holding tight on her lap. The voices are advancing, getting near their hiding place, the Roman’s song carried by the cool wind and find its’ way to the Holy Family’s conscious hearings:

ROMAN ARMIES BATTLE SONG:

“Bread and Roman Circus the town asked their Emperor Caesar; for Saturn and Minerva are truly his next of kin, so he says; the blowing trumpets are sounding intended for the battle; and called truly through the Circus sands, this wrestlers that’s more enthusiastic; coming out are the roaring troops with striking elegance;

From the cave and through the ground arises, causing trouble to those forces; from the selected braves is the Mighty Agenor; Jupiter even if for his strong hands and Marte if for the heart; Grand Hercules in stature and authority, but Moloch is flexible when eyes are fixated and glancing;

So young but already arrayed, on the forehead that can’t get hundreds of crowns and coiled palms; laces in different colors all defeated in battle; as if the town smells the blood when he saw and figured out this courageous tree; and so the stadium were nearly destroyed from the aloud shouting and fallacious rampage;

From Homer’s Olympus, the entire gods and goddesses attended for him to rescue; because true offering for them is the bullet he defeated; the Patricians are welcoming him, but to Cesar is coming the worthy price of his hard work; Senates are honoring in full, for Rome can make them famous.

For his trident, the Thracians greetings he suppressed; the Frances in a golden chariot and even the English’s horse is the same to his triumphing indeed; no one can truly win, in wrestling and in different fights of competitions, even to Agenor the victorious Captain from Tiber’s shore to Hermon’s vast land.”

—————–888888888888——————————————–88888888888

After the battle hymn, the voices died down, and the horses footsteps are not that far anymore from the woods. The fugitives are holding their breath. And after a few more seconds, the peaceful and calm sightings in the midst of this colorful green forest were now like a danger zone for the inhabitants. The shining hats and the many spears made from Roman Thracians was a frightful sight from a distance. Everyone of them were riding their horses, so many of them that in a quick glance, they could be mistaken as the waving sea of Galilee, for their hats shines brightly when stricken by the moon beams reflections.

Mary was so fearful, she looked up to heaven once again, and in anguish she prayed:

—“Oh sweet palms! You raised your magnificent leaves through the heavens. You are more near to God than a sorrowful mother like me. I allow you to tell Him to let it happen, to not forsake my pure innocent child.”

Then a wondrous and marvelous performance occurred, miracle of miracles, the tree’s body bowed down all the way to the ground. Its’ long branches, the wide palm leaves, and with its’ fresh leaves covered the Holy Family.

Herod’s soldiers went by the side of this “hospitable” tree, and they did not see those fugitives hiding in the other side of those thick leaves. About thirty feet from the hidden escapees is a creek, with clear water flowing through. The Romans stopped and some get off their horses.

Then the soldiers started their casual conversations as they deter the necessary needs for a brief stop.

—“We are not forbidden in ordinances to drink water when thirsty, for finding a spring with clear water like this?” uttered by one horse rider, he then quickly took off his hat and fetched water from the spring to drink.

—“I swear in Jupiter’s name, that even if drinking water is punishable by ramrod (baqueta or baketa), on a clear spring just as this, I can’t be stopped when I’m thirsty. The flowing water beside my horse’s foot is very alluring.” (ramrod is a punishment bestowed upon the Roman soldiers when caught in wrong doings or guilty of crimes. Beaten by fellow soldiers until the offender dies.)

—“What do you think of this operation, my friend Cayo?” a soldier asked, after drinking the water, and then he handed his hat filled with water to one of his comrades still sitting on top of his horse.

—“To my notion, my friend Octavio,” said by the query, —“that King Herod will growl like a mad dog if we return without the Magi’s.”

—“Those foreigners from another country must have been swallowed by the ground, we can’t find them.”

—“I am glad about this turn of events. For we are the victorious Roman soldiers, and we are not here in Palestine to go after children or imprisoned people from another country that are not even resisting.”

—“Herod hired you, and he is the Almighty in Judah.” replied by one of the Herodians.

—“Herod is Roman’s chosen.” respond by the Roman. —“My God is a true God, in the entire Orient.”

This angered the Herodians, but he only bit his lips, then he plummeted his face to spring’s clear water to hid his shame.

—“Augusto Caesar,” said one of the Romans, —“and his dignitaries are deep asleep in peace, enjoying the appealing offer to them by their Imperial City. Venus is reigning instead of Marte; the swords are rusting in its’ leather cases; and the victorious winners through their success cannot warm the blood of Tiber’s children, but the Blessed forests are not polluted by Laurel’s fresh leaves from adorning Legion’s foreheads; their pouches are deflated for lack of the desired amount of treasures, their seized hauled spoils; the world is afraid to breath, their nervousness to angering the Romans, for their victorious eagle may win again from his surroundings coward countries. But this, my friends can’t stay that long, for the Capitol Armies are in need of war; like the blind in need of light; and the wild animals in need of their prey’s blood; the hungry in need of bread. Caesar should give us war, if he don’t want us to hold a plow, and to simply woven clothes.”

The soldier who spoke about this, is in his old age now. His eagle eyes, his burnt face from the sun, the effect of encampment, his grayish beard, and his elegant moves are his features that explains about this old warrior as one of the veterans from Roman troops, drafted in the army at the age of twelve, and will remain a soldier until his last breath.

For them, there is no better way to perish but to die in a battlefield, and die through their opponents swords. He is wearing a brass hat that covers the backside all the way down through his shoulder, where the face is fully exposed; a shield made of leather, covered with iron rings roundabout; his sandals arrayed with bronze nails, and a shawl hanging his shoulder with a silver buckle tightly bundled on both sides.

Around his vascular and muscular arm, is a wide sparkling bracelet. The end point of his spear is a flag in different colors, embroidered with Laurel crown, smoothly waving at the top. His brass hat is in fish shape with black plumage coming out from it’s mouth (plumahe).

His attire is the same as his fellow soldiers, the only difference are their hats, his comrades are wearing hats with extra lining for extra strength, made of different leather from different kind of animals, but they are not carrying spear with flag on top like this old soldier. This older soldier is riding the horse with no stirrups. Hanging from his left side is a short wide sword.

—“What ravenous wolf? When will your thirsty sword get tired of blood?” asked one of the horseman, the first time he said something. A golden eagle’s emblem etched his stainless steel hat, for a Roman Centurion leader. —“Are you still not satisfied from all your triumphs?”

—“A pure bloodied soldier is like clans of greedy in gold.” the old man replied, and he even raised his shield for recognition. —“For a curious and greedy person when hid one self a shekel can covet ten more; when ten shekels are obtained, he would crave for hundreds more; and when the desired amount is attained, he will die for more like mina or gold until the sought wealth is achieved. I am serving for five years now in a group they called “principales,” (Junior Officer). Through Senate orders, I was awarded to become the “Centuries” a leader of two soldiers; and when I saved a man from his sure death, the Senate awarded me again with the so called “civic crown” or “corona civica.” This makes me more greedy, so when Jerusalem was attacked, I said to myself:

—“Cayo, you should try to trudge-up those fortress, for your attained crown is sitting by itself in boredom and in great need of companion. That’s what really happened, I was the first one to climb the fortress, and I was awarded again by my General a “golden mural crown.” Then, from an event that I can’t remember, the Emperor awarded me this bracelet, and the Senate even offered me this flag, placed right here at the end point of my spear. But then, I can feel that my arms are still strong, I never went home without my shield, and I am honest when I talk: I still desire honors; I am a Decurion (cavalryman), a leader of ten men; but it can happen that if war arises, I will not be forsaken by the gods and goddesses to lead hundreds like you.”

—“Your jealousy is heavily laden my friend Cayo,” a smiling Centurion replied.

—“Mark Anthony is simply a humble soldier; and he became a consul, but he is stricter than a Centurion,” the old man answered.

—“All I can tell is this: Mark can be a thousand more than you,” the Centurion said.

And all are cracklin’ laughing, but Cayo is a strong army man, he laughed along with everyone and did not feel sentimental for what his companion had said. He even promised them that if Capitol’s Senate called him and handed him managing Rome’s fate, he says, that his fellow soldier’s hardships and sufferings will not be forgotten.

After a long pause, the Centurion commands everyone to continue their mission in finding the Magi Kings and the King God-child. They decided to trail the hilly roads of Cesarea’s shoreline, for Archelao, Herod’s son ordered them to go beyond and to not let the Magi’s board any coastal ship.

And while the horse’s echoing footsteps are fading away, the weakening Palm tree covering the Holy Family, slowly rose-up, returning to its’ previous form and position. This is how the Holy Family were seen, leaning the tree fast asleep. God perhaps predestined this incident to a grieving mother, to not hear Herod’s soldiers conversations looking for her child, and seeking the Magi’s further.