Jesus, the Divine Child

by Colleen Rooney

As Joseph returned to their home in the early evening, he smelled Mary’s lentil soup. Its fragrance wafted throughout their small house. His mind filled for a moment with a memory. The startling and sobering words of the angel in a dream: “Rise and take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (Matt. 2:13) Those were harrowing days as he roused the sleeping mother and the baby and left in haste for Egypt. The child was but a few months old. Mary had scant time to prepare for this journey for she knew they must leave without hesitation. The time spent in Egypt was probably 2 or 3 years. Herod the Great died a couple of years after the birth of Jesus according to many scholars. Joseph and Mary would have settled in the diaspora, the Jewish community in Egypt. Their arrival must have been surprising and a bit difficult, as they had left in haste. It is doubtful they took much with them. We can imagine they relied on the generosity and good will of those in the Jewish community to initially supply their basic needs. Since the language of Egypt was now Greek, their dealings with those outside the community would require learning some Greek. The everyday language within the diaspora might have been Hebrew or Aramaic among a few older members, but it is more likely that most of them spoke Greek. We know that the Septuagint was the Hebrew Scriptures translated into Greek for those in the diaspora starting in the 3rd century B.C. and ending in the 1st B.C. with additional inspired writings added to those not found in Palestine. Joseph, as he attended synagogue services on the Sabbath, would

have listened to the Scriptures being read in Greek. No doubt the Holy Family acquired some knowledge of Greek during their sojourn in Egypt. The Christ Child, like most toddlers, hearing two languages spoken, one with his parents and the other with the community, was comfortable with both. Again, Joseph heard in a dream, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” (Matt. 2:20) And so he gathered up the mother and small child and returned. It seems that at first Joseph planned to settle in Judea where Elizabeth, Zachary, and baby John had lived, but he was uneasy when he heard that Herod Archelaus ruled there. And again, there was direction from an angel to return to Nazareth, where he and Mary had first made their home before the birth of the divine child. One can wonder about their return to Nazareth. Was their home still intact? Was it vacant or had relatives moved in? Were the animals still being cared for? No doubt, residents of Nazareth had heard of the terrible fate of the baby boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding areas at Herod the Great’s orders. Had they learned of Joseph and Mary fleeing with the child from Herod’s fury? The community of Nazareth must have been filled with joy and gladness to see the beautiful young child full of life and playfulness return safely home with his parents. Settling back into life in Nazareth, Mary could not have helped recalling the kindness shown to her and her family in the diaspora. Now there were adjustments to be made on their return. The language spoken was Aramaic in the community and Hebrew in the synagogue with explanations in Aramaic. The Jews in Nazareth wished to maintain their faith and religious customs. Greek was frowned upon in everyday discourse. Familiar faces of family and friends welcomed them as they resumed life in Nazareth. Their routine with Jesus was much as it had been before his birth. They arose as a family in the morning, put away the mats that they slept on, and shooed the small animals outside for water and feed. The donkey and any other larger animals were also fed. Returning inside, Joseph led the family in the Shema. Jesus, who might be 3 or 4 years old, would join in with Mary and Joseph. The day would fall into a peaceful and orderly succession of tasks to be accomplished. They would eat. After eating they would work. Mary would make bread with a small Jesus helping. She would play with him and set him up with a few small toys, a ball, a little figure to amuse himself as she kneaded the bread. She might give him a small piece to knead, too. The morning would pass as Joseph found work for the family he had been called to support and protect. They would rejoin one another at

midday. Joseph would come in from his work. His workshop was probably not more than a simple overhang constructed from a few wooden poles with sheaths of dried pieces of palm bark for a roof. It protected him and whatever he was working on from the heat of the day. The family would pray together, thanking the Lord God for the food. It would be a simple meal. Certainly, the child would be fed. If resources were limited, Joseph and Mary might not eat until dinner time. There would be a rest after the midday meal. Small children often sleep in the afternoon. We can imagine Mary, pulling out the mat for Jesus to have a rest or a nap on. The bread dough would rise as he slept. Then she would make lentil soup. When he awoke, they would go to the community oven and bake the bread for dinner that evening. There would be other mothers there with children. The women would be chatting as the bread baked while the children would be racing around playing with each other. When the bread was finished baking, they returned home. Joseph was there to greet them. He loved the smell of the freshly baked bread and the sight of the small child with sweaty curls, dusty feet, and dirty hands eager to be picked up and thrown high in the air. Dinner would be ready soon. They must feed the animals first and then wash their hands and feet. Joseph would lead Mary and Jesus in the evening Shema prayers. A blessing would be said before eating. The bread would be broken and eaten this evening with lentil soup and figs. Jesus would have goat’s milk and Mary and Joseph would have watered- down wine. As the sun was setting, the holy family would get ready for bed. They would take their mats out of the niches in the wall and roll them out. There would be stories, songs, and prayers as the day ended. Sleep would come as a song of sweetness, domestic simplicity, and peace filling the home where the Divine Child lay his head.