25th December Christmas reflection 8 No room at the inn

 

By the time he had knocked on the fifth door Joseph was getting desperate. And his knuckles were getting sore. It was late and many of the innkeepers had already gone to bed. It seemed to take ages for some of them to open the door, peering out into the gloom as this frantic figure outside. Quickly Joseph babbled their story..census...Nazareth...journey...wife... baby...soon!

The  outcome was the same, a concerned face, a listening ear but at the end of it, no room. No room at any of the inns that he had tried. What was he going to do? What was Mary going to do? He needed help, God’s help.

Joseph looked up to the star filled sky, “God if you’re listening, we’ve both done what you asked, we’ve both been faithful, so if this is part of your plan, then please help us, we’re desperate.”

As Joseph sank to his knees he didn’t hear the sound of a small door open just next to where he had just knocked. A lamp illuminated the friendly face of a woman. “It sounds like you’re both in a bit of a pickle,” she said gazing at Joseph. “We’ve no room in the inn,” she continued, “but we do have somewhere that’s safe and warm and dry. It’s a stable just round the back. It’ll be quiet and private and I can help your wife deliver the if need be.”

‘A stable, a stable’, Joseph thought. ‘I can’t have my wife sleeping in a sta....’ Joseph didn’t get any further in his thought process. The sound of Mary shrill voice rang out through the night. Rang out so loud it could probably be heard back in Nazareth. “Joseph, Joseph, please hurry . The baby’s coming!”