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 Some 2000 or so years ago in biblical times, in a
biblical land called Judea, life was not so different from
today. There were governments and there were rulers, there were
taxes and there were people who had to pay them.
The difference between then and now is the methods, and the way
in which they are employed.
Now we fill out a census so the government can learn enough
about us in order to tax us for the services it thinks we need.
Then people were required to actually go to the place they were
originally from and report to the authorities there.
Joseph, a carpenter, was from Bethlehem. Recently married to
Mary he went with her back to his hometown. It was a difficult
journey, especially since Mary was pregnant with a very special
child, as an angel had foretold her.
 As they arrived in Bethlehem Joseph tried to get lodging in one
of the inns, but they were all filled to capacity. Just as he
was about to give up one innkeeper took pity on him and offered
the stable as a solution to the problem, because Mary was about
to give birth. No sooner had they settled in and a baby boy was
born. Mary named him Jesus, clothed him in strips of cloth and
put him into a manger.
Near by there were shepherds watching over their sheep, when an
angel appeared to them and told them of the birth of Jesus as
their savior, which had been prophesized to arrive. They went to
see the newborn and rejoiced.
Far away, in another land, there were wise men and they had
noticed that a new star appeared in the sky. Three of them
followed it and also heard of the birth of the Jesus child. When
they found him they brought gifts and worshiped him as the
future King of the Jews.
When King Herodes heard of this he became worried and ordered
all firstborn children murdered. But Joseph had been warned by
the angels and had taken Mary and the child to Egypt and into
safety.
This is the beginning of one of our most important stories. It
relates to us the hope of mankind for a better future, that
there is more to life then a beginning and an end with something
in the middle. It relates to us our eternity as immortal beings
and the hope that there is life after death. How we achieve that
is up to us.
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
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