4th Book

THE MERCHANTS II

Ancient history did not explain the legendary quest of how long the Holy Family’s adventurous journey, trailed those dangerous paths, from their hometown, “Nazareth,” through Al Matariyyah, that beautiful small town in Egypt. Their chosen new hometown where they lived for seven years in exile. If we consult the experts who followed the Blessed Virgin’s life and look at what they wrote, we can discover their different views of how the Holy Family traveled and crossed that enormous desert to accomplish their epic journey.

The Camels spent ten or twelve days traveling by foot, from Syria’s shores to Heliopolis, and even if there were no risks, if God’s willing, a traveler cannot cross that broad desert by walking alone. The person has to spend a whole month traveling, a dangerous path, knowing that he can innocently collide into his own death to that burning sand.

We should believe the experts, those intelligent writer’s viewpoints, that the Holy Family indeed joined the group of merchants from Syria’s border to carry out the dangerous tasks in the month of March. A tangible deadly course from that great vast desert, battling the fierce strong winds. It was absolute that these group of merchants certainly left Gaza, and after a few more hours were on their way. The Camel’s foot began treading Syria’s dried wilderness. They started to feel the desert’s moderate thermal heat as they gain entrance to that sandy dunes, welcoming the Arab’s fried faces, and for this, their behavior will change abruptly and stop conversing with each other. These will make them frown and worrisome would wrinkle their foreheads, and their demeanor would change like, water’s pouring on him.

From that, he would lay his legs on top of his Camel’s roughneck and fold his arms up to his chest, then closed his eyes to cover his sight and not see the extensive eerie desert. As he open up his eyesight once again, by simply looking ahead in a distance, can cause him a terrible thirst and force him to daydream. Beautiful, bountiful meadows, overflowing cool, clear water from Mecca’s garden. or like from his family’s sweet love waiting to repay him with their tender love from the hardships he endured from that long and dangerous journey.

The Arabs were like the Eastern children, they truly love to dream. His big fear from that wide isolated desert were equal to his custom’s deep devotion. It was forewarned that from Etham, Paran, and the Sahara’s sand desert, were the everyday telltale of different stories from these gluttonous graves, the devoured corpses swallowed by its gigantic, undulating beaming sand; the extreme heat that can consume the body, the tempest’s tornadoes that can bury travelers under the mountainous desert, the bandit’s venoms’, confident of their bows and arrows, and the beasts hiding, patiently waiting behind that hot glowing huge bare rocks. The sun’s scorching heat can cause a horrifying decomposition, and the pestilences were truly ordinary in this wilderness—all these, the rigid enemies, the need to battle, for travelers crossing the desert.

The Arabs know the dangers they can find in this huge desert, but they will face it through their mighty courage intended for them, for they are called “the mountain’s son.” His body is strong, just like his soothing imaginations, unique from frugality, because when they ran out of food, they have to conform for just a handful of dried beans throughout the day. Their obedient fast Camels, the Arab’s couriers, there in that lonely desert would not be caught, or left behind from his master’s durability and hunger that lasts. The Camels are very intelligent, like they understand that they were born to carry heavy loads and don’t look out for laziness, never they escape, and not even one cry of grievances breaks their burning hearts.

When his strong legs weakened from heavy loads, weighted down his neck, when his sunken head dangled down the ground, severely debilitated, and his gentle eyes started to close slowly for extreme fatigue, and then shudders his body, and tremble at the same time, is an indication to his master that his faithful Camel is dying.

At this point, the Arab will sigh, and quietly wait for a moment, then the faithful Camel will bend his legs to let his master alight from him. The master will then quietly get-off and remove his belongings from the dying Camel and move it to the next Camel. As the Arab look through his Camels eyes closing, he will at that instant pull his sword hanging from his waist and thrust it to his devoted animal’s neck. Then the Arab will walk away without giving a second look to his dying Camel; he believes that his machete did its job to save his animal’s life from suffering and won’t be eaten while alive by the devouring hungry Jackals from the desert. Nevertheless, after a few more hours, here comes the hungry Jackals and Hyenas to that Camel’s corpse.

Sunrise will come up the next day, shedding its steaming heat to the Camel’s skeleton, which by then, are scattered bones, spread all over the red hot sand. The sun’s scorching heat will melt those bones, turning them into white ashes, marking the red sands with white lines, the traveler’s landmark from this gigantic desert, pointing them the way they need to track and reach their desired destination, the borders. The skeletons white ashes serves a meaningful journey in that desert.

The night came, and the unbearable heat simmers down, gradually calming the sun’s intense heat. The cool moon starts to spread its silver rays towards that dreadful expansive desert, and the Arabs as expected, halted that days travel and hurl their tents for the night rest. The guides began to unload their belongings carried by their Camels, and tied their Camels down the studs shoved to the ground, around their tents. Preparing their meals for dinner, they quietly sat in front of a large open-air bonfire, eating their fruitful dates seeds and grilled grain omelets.

The Blessed Family spreads some palm leaves for their bed, besides that cut-off wood, a dried tree branch cut in half exposing its roots. Their ceiling was the sky scattered with stars shining above their heads. Destitute and no friends, they placed themselves far from the least of the leader’s servants, farther from the rest and perhaps praying her night prayers to Zion’s God. After a while, the old Arab man approached them, and from his hand was a small pot.

—“Galilea,” he said to Mary, —“the Arabs from this broad desert were forced to preserve and conserve food for the rest of our journey; but they know how to love children, to give their mothers reverence, and know how to please. Accept this; I am sharing my Camel’s milk with you, a ration, but perhaps I may not be able to give you even a drop of water for tomorrow.”

Without waiting for the response, he left and went back to his companions.

Mary accepted that excellent offer from the old Arab’s quality of generosity. Mary thanked him from the bottom of her soul.

The Galilean Virgin were not able to sleep throughout the night. Their closeness from those hungry and greedy from the desert exerts pressure from her fearful and sensitive heart. The threatening cries and unending bawling of these creatures encompassing her ears, bringing big fear in her heart, worrying a disaster might happen to her child she worships.

The Arabs are truly accustomed to the Hyenas raging chants, unlike the Blessed Virgin, the Arabs fears nothing, they were tight asleep, wrapped in their cloaks beside their Camels. But one stays awoke, walking back and forth around the big bonfire throughout the night. He would throw dried woods once in a while to keep the flame, those dried branches from those poisonous trees that grows apart from each other in that place to scare and keep the rapacious animals away. The flame lights spreading throughout that gruesome desert’s immensity, like a North star reaching, and nearing the moon. Not once the Blessed Virgin believed seeing some fiery eyes visible from a distance, the light reflections stretching out, reaching the Jackal’s crystal eyes in the darkness.

Once in a while, this escapee mother would hold firm to her beloved child, a sudden fear of shock, would turn her face pale, for why is that? A tremors from underground would shake her heavy body, a quake causing the sands to crack, emerging were the disgusting lizard and one abominable snake; the common creatures roaming this broad desert.

From the Arabs talented eyes, their expertise in this lonely desert, can make their bright sight recognize footprints, they can identify the kind of species, of what breed, the age, how big and how strong these creatures could be. What more puzzling were their analyzation on footprints, if it were from the recent past days or anew.

Just how embittered this amorous Nazarene had endured from fear of danger and hardships through this long journey. After one burning day of painful beating heat of sand strikes her soft face, like heaven’s fire hit this terrifying gigantic dunes, where the sand’s heavy impact causes her face to bleed. The sun’s flaming heat, nearly burned her beautiful eyes, her blistered lips were burning from the searing heat, and her mind got confused from this unbearable blaze. She became unconscious, dreaming, imagining, keeping to herself the beholding gardens, and in the woods were its alluring shades beside the spring’s cool water. She transfixed her awareness to that deceptive scenery, followed by her gleaming look to her imaginary leaves still in tacked to its stem, and beside were the grasslands, like she can hear the pleasant cascading streams flowing through her feet. But oh! Daydreaming was over, for the night comes again, and they have to put up their tents one more time. The moon’s blue light and the cool soft air are blowing gently through the night, touching her forehead, and made her conscious mind back again to normal, it awakened her from her sweet dreams. But coming back to her senses made her cry, she began to utter piteous lamentation. Crying in distress, she drop down her beautiful head to her child’s pure-innocent heart, like the soft Azucena that bends her stalks when the rain is nigh, for fear that her gentle flowers would not stand the pouring rain.

Although Joseph was the one who always gives strength to Mary’s heart, this made him sensitive too, they both stare to baby Jesus, and both pray together to God. They are very kind and penniless travelers, and they did able to borrow a Camel from that merciful Arab, a good start for a successful journey. Though lacking everything they need in that desolate desert, their faith made their hearts courageous, determined to overcome all obstacles in this quest.

“Mokalteb!” (an Arab word for finding a place or a cave, a hiding place in the desert, probably a deep well too, with water inside the cave).

For this reason, their Egyptian guide shouted with joy, “Mokalteb,” to these group of travelers, for finding a mokalteb. Just like a group of people that suffered a shipwreck in the middle of the ocean, and found an emergence, will shout the same, “Mokalteb!”

A repeat shout by all, will jump for joy, a scene that was hard to portray, a scream that made their Camel’s ran fast until their burning noses gasps for air, their necks would droop down through exhaustions, eager to dip their thick lips down to that clear water, where their sharp scents can smell it from a distance. For this, runners in full speed will set its course, human and animals, Lord and servants, racing with no convictions, their extreme thirst, willing to come down at once to that deep-well, “The Savior!”

The Holy Family was the last one to drink. The Mother of God, the Queen of all, puts forth her lips to that unclean water, washed-out after everyone quenched their thirsts and clean themselves up, the animals did the same, they drank, and bathe themselves. The already mired and nearly muddy water, had the Holy Family drink, into a once clean and sparkling clear water.

At last! After the unaccounted difficulties, from a distance, was the Giza City. The giant rocks, standing still in the City’s midst, and for four thousand years were never destroyed from the destructive hands of time. These monuments, built by their highnesses, the proud Kings who reigned Egypt, and from their servant’s sweat where they spent their time in hard labors, risking their lives, from beyond any doubt, were the beholding art of architecture, The unique structure of the complete monuments called, “The Pyramids!”

As soon as they saw those towering rock-like mountains, that historical Pyramids, the famed treasure of the first and foremost builders that built these said monuments, will the travelers shouts for joy. Thus, not for long, their Camel’s thicken soles will be treading these happy and prosperous prairies with their beautiful flowers scattered all over. The meadow’s sweet aromas would make them forget the heavy heat from that lonely desert. For this, the overjoyed Arabs with their monotonous voices would start singing, their faces dark lines will disappear. These intelligent Arabs, as they enter the City, with their dark eyes, would immediately seek to find that plentiful Nile. This Blessed river, when overflowed would turn into a vivacious garden; for Almighty God had chosen this Nile’s black sand to sprinkle His graces of abundance for a healthy and prosperous harvest.

Hereafter, the Blessed Virgin released a fresh of breath air, relieved after twelve consecutive days of bearing hardships. She looked over Egypt’s skies, the clear heaven, the eastern azure where sullen clouds are not in sight, but beddings of blazing glory, the Pharaoh’s City, a place where corpses have no issues, undisputed bodies (mummification). An everlasting Infinitum is possible in this place. The black sands of this Nile meadows were made for graves, an extensive excavation underground, and in here, the nibbling worms won’t agitate the long and peaceful death.

Giza, the Death’s Palace, proud Khufu’s plain field, he built this enormous grave intended for his burial. Like a giant mountain covered with rocks, built by one hundred thousand (100,000) people for twenty years, was a triumphant task for Khufu.

Egypt, where adulterers women were punished by cutting-off noses, engraved on their faces, a mark indicating their sinful wrongdoings. And the liars, for swearing, were punishable by death. Egypt, where they worship their Kings like God, but after he died, they would judge him like a wretched ordinary citizen and usually were not given the proper burial bestowed in their faith. And as they feast for their King’s death, they would make a wooden corpse and place it inside the beautiful coffin for show; while the guests are rejoicing, the host would point its finger and shout the following:

—“Look at this person; you would look the same when you die. So, rejoice now and drink more!” A total mockery for their dead King.

Egypt, the City where the intelligent and ignorant blend together in harmony, a place where they worship immortal souls, the Nile’s gods and goddesses; the cat’s head, the crocodile belly, and the eagle’s claw, just to mention a few. Egypt, where knowledge in arts can reach the highest level, and ignorance can result in a woeful means; in there, men do the weaving and interfere in the household chores, while women were the ones to hunt for jobs and compete the world; anything can be worshipped, except for God, while the big ousted the small.

The dangers are finally over; the Blessed traveler’s plight are now rest assured.

Heliopolis, the Sun City, where the towering rock-pillars, their fancy minarets, the Temple’s burnished brass bells, are all intended for the heathens; Heliopolis, Cleopatra’s chosen City; Heliopolis, where Phoenix used to migrate, are now resurrected, the resting place for his father’s remains at the top Sun’s altar; Heliopolis, that in its midst stood the known Temple of On, where Potiphar performed his duties as the Sun’s priest; Heliopolis, Egypt’s fine pearl, the City where Moses was born, this is where the Prophet Onias built a Temple, dedicated to Almighty God, he tried to work hard to achieve his task to make it look like Jerusalem’s Temple. The only difference from Zion’s Temple was the known Candelabrum with seven sticks, while Egypt had the golden lamp.

Beautiful Mary, the Galilean flower, thrust her sweet glare to that Palm forest surrounded with prairies, scattered with wild violets. From her blue eyes was a flowing one tear, a tear for herself, from seeing the crowded City, it reminds her of the big difference from her poor town, her wretched hut, and her friends since childhood.

As this group of travelers entered Cleopatra’s City, they stopped for a while, the sun’s delightful brightness blinded their tired eyes for a moment. So, Joseph hold on to bridle’s Camel where the Mother of God was sitting, bearing her son in her arms. Joseph ushered them into this big luxurious shady tree. As the Blessed Family get near the tree, the luxurious tree slowly bowed down, like the sheltering branches genuflect to offer this precious royal child her green leafy shades from the sun’s heat, the Heiress of all creations!

After resting for a few moments, the group continues to entering the City.

Heliopolis’s huge entryway, where the so-called idols are all situated beside the Temple, and as the Blessed Family passes through the stone ark, these idols started to fall one by one, slumping facedown to the ground, a salute for their true God!

The ran-away arrived at this City, seeking the unfaithful Egyptians. The Blessed travelers did not stay long in the City because it was expensive to live in Heliopolis, and it doesn’t suit their penury. After expressing their gratitude, thanking the Arab who provided for them, Joseph took his few things and carry the bag, while Mary took her child by her arms and the Holy Family left, exiting the City.

They trailed the pathways going to Al Matariyyah, a small village, covered with shades, the luxurious Sycamores. Al Matariyyah, a beautiful tiny town, the only place where you can find this rare sweet spring throughout Egypt.

The Galilean escapees, stopped in a place two hundred steps afar from town; no one knows these woeful immigrants, seeking refuge to these unfaithful citizens. One luxurious Sycamore tree became their comfortable refuge in their first night. It was dusk when they arrived at Al Matariyyah, and Joseph were not pleased to get into a town knowing no one. After some time, the Blessed Family settled and began to live their lives comfortably. Living in a lowly meager hut granted to them by the Egyptians, the striated swallow’s poor nest, the Blessed Galileans were now living in peace and harmony, far from the cruel Herod, the persecutors of God’s Beloved Son!