what happened when joseph brought mary home?
advent 1: an imaginative telling of the Christmas story
We don’t know much about Jesus’ entrance into the world. For all the blockbuster movies, theatrical retellings, and creative adaptations, the New Testament authors give little detail regarding the timeline and context of these events.
Last December, I began thinking about how this story might be told by the unnamed and unmentioned characters of this nativity scene. Sojourners was kind enough to let me try and tell this familiar story anew through the lens of Joseph’s mother, who I call Sarah, and his cousin, who I call Myriam (“Beloved”).
The following is an act of imagination. It is an attempt to fill in the gaps that are left for us in this story to bring the text to life.
Below is an excerpt of a story I published in Sojourners in December 2022.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child (Luke 2:4-5).
“They’re here!” exclaimed Miryam.
“Both of them?” Sarah asked with surprise, even though she knew they were coming.
“Yes. She’s really pregnant. Are you sure they can’t stay here, Aunt Sarah?”
With her back to both Miryam and the busy road just outside the home, Sarah replied firmly, “I’m sure.”
“The whole caravan is helping her unload their things. It must’ve been such a difficult journey.”
“I’m sure it was.”
“They’re heading this way. Just the two of them.”
Voices sounded from the entrance.
“Peace, mother,” a ragged Joseph said. “This is Mary, my wife.” Even through his exhaustion, Sarah could see his pride. He loved her. He believed her.
Sarah sighed a sigh of relief and disappointment. Relief because her son was home; disappointment because she felt her faith was being tried and she was uncertain if she’d pass the test.
“Peace to you, my son. It has been so long. You look tired.”
“Joseph! Mary!” Miryam shouted as she pushed her small frame into the entrance.
“Cousin!” Joseph exclaimed, bending down with open arms to receive her.
Mary and Sarah faced one another for the first time. “This woman,” Sarah thought to herself. Their eyes met for a moment and Sarah was briefly overcome with loving kindness. She looked away, back to Joseph. Mary’s hands rested on her belly.
“Has anyone else arrived?” Mary asked Sarah.
“No. You’re the first, Mary,” she replied without breaking eye contact with Joseph.
Sarah was searching for something; she was searching for a sign — a sign that Joseph didn’t believe in all this mess, a sign that he knew Mary had humiliated him. She couldn’t find what she was looking for. She felt herself becoming incensed.
Sensing his mother’s anger, Joseph asked, “Should we put our things in the guest chamber, mother?”
“No, no. The kataluma is occupied.”
Joseph had been given the runaround before. He was a carpenter by trade and although he was “uneducated” by society’s standards, he could tell when someone was trying to give him a bad deal. He had imagined Mary’s pregnancy would be difficult for his mother to accept, but her callousness and lack of compassion were unexpected. “What do you mean?” he confronted her. “You just said we were the first ones here. It has been such a long trip. There’s nowhere else for us to go. We just want to rest. Mary needs to rest.”
“It is occupied, Joseph. There is only room for one.” Sarah said, before thinking to herself: “Are they so determined to live in sin?”
Growing impatient, Joseph replied, “Well, which is it? Is it occupied or is there room? I will leave if there is only room for one!”
“Joseph, we can find somewhere else to stay,” Mary softly interjected as she placed her hand back over her womb, shielding her child from the dangers of this world.
Sarah agreed. “Perhaps that is best.” She could feel her facade beginning to break as her eyes welled with tears.
“There’s nowhere for them to stay, auntie,” Miryam explained as her short arms wrapped around Joseph’s waist. “Everyone is here for the census. It’s not safe, either. The Romans are everywhere.” Miryam was wise beyond her years.
Lost in her own thoughts, Sarah remembered all of the times Joseph had been hounded by the Romans growing up. She considered these things in her heart. “Fine,” she finally conceded. “If you insist she stays here, then you can go below.”
This was insulting, and Sarah knew it, but she felt her heart giving way and she was convinced that if she gave in she’d be failing the test.
“To the animals!?” Joseph replied, indignant.
“Unclean for the unclean,” she replied. She resolved to harden her heart.