The Christmas Story Uncut
Read:
Introduction
Part One - The Census
Part Two - The Plan
Part Three - The Journey
Part Four - The Rejection
Part Five - The Angels
Part Six - The Manger
Part Seven - The Shepherds
Part Eight - The Question
Part Four
The Rejection
Two hours after they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph were wandering the streets in a state of shock and panic. Joseph’s family had heard all about their “situation” when a traveler from Nazareth passed through a month or so before.
Joseph could imagine the conversation.
"So, I understand you're from Nazareth, huh?"
"Yeah. Just in town for a few days."
"You wouldn't happen to know a cousin of mine, name uh Joseph? Carpenter?"
"Sure, know him well. Used to do some business with him. He built my brother's boat. Fine carpenter. It's a shame, all that's happened - he's obviously lost his mind. You hate to see that kinda thing."
"What are you talking about?"
"You mean you haven't heard about the girl?"
And that was that. His family knew everything.
They were horrified. No bastard child had ever been born into THEIR family, and they were shocked that Joseph dared to bring the woman into their own city and right to his parents' front door.
"Like they were just regular people, you know? Right to the front door they came, and knocked. 'Hello, it's our long-lost son and his slut.' And her hiding around the corner like she was ashamed. Where was her shame when she was sleeping with everyone, I'd like to know. The father’s probably a gentile. You know Galilee."
"You expect that kind of thing goes on up in Nazareth, but to bring her here? Right into Judea? Right into the city of David? It's an outrage!"
The family would not allow him into any of their homes. Joseph stood in the alley and argued with his cousin Solomon for almost an hour. Solomon was the only one who would even speak with him, and all he did was deliver the message in no uncertain terms. "You are not welcome here."
When the door finally slammed and Joseph was left standing in the alley, the enormity of their situation began to sink in. They had no money. All that he had gotten for his tools was in a locked box coming south on a hired caravan. It wouldn’t arrive for another week or two. He had no friends in town, and now he had no family. They had nowhere to stay, and the baby could come at any time.
"My God, the baby!" thought Joseph. "Mary!" he shouted. Completely humiliated, she had gone around the corner to avoid the vicious looks from Joseph’s family. She was sitting against a wall, staring into space. She had heard everything.
They spent the first two nights in the local "Let-Down," or "Kataluma," as the Greeks called it. It was nothing more than a simple room with a dirt floor where travelers relaxed, rather like a bus stop in the modern world. It was crowded because a good number of people were in town for the census.
Joseph and Mary slept sitting against a wall with their robes pulled over them for privacy. There were at least twenty people in the room, with others sleeping outside. Mary hardly slept that first night because she was so afraid and because a man in the room had a terrible cough. She was also starting to have some intermittent pain, a kind of tightening across her stomach. This was her first pregnancy, so she didn't know what this was, exactly. She said nothing, hoping the pain would go away on its own.
During the day, Joseph scoured the city, looking for temporary work and some kind of accommodations. He found a few rooms they could rent, but no one would believe his story about the money coming on the caravan. And there was no work to be had anywhere.
This was the first time in his life that Joseph was utterly powerless. He had no money, no safety net, no backup plan, and no friends to call on. His helplessness burned in his gut, producing a deep, throbbing anger. He knew that he had to find shelter, and he knew that Mary was going to need help from a woman very soon.
On the second day, when their food ran out, his anger turned to panic. Joseph began to run through the streets. Buildings and houses all looked the same to him; he couldn’t remember where he had been. He had a wild look in his eyes, and people shied away from him. One man said, "You've already been her twice, you crazy fool. I have no work for you, and I don't give to filthy beggars. Go on, get outa here!"
Normally Bethlehem would have been a friendlier place, but with all the travelers and the census officials in town, the people were more callous and suspicious than usual.
Joseph's panic was like a drug, causing his heart to beat faster and his mind to race. His breath came in quick gasps, and he began to have crazy thoughts. He wondered about stealing money or finding money. He kept his eyes on the ground, hoping to find a lost coin. He went back to his parents house a couple of times and stood trembling outside the door, but he couldn't bring himself to knock again.
As the day drew to a close, the unthinkable happened. Mary went into labor. For a couple of hours she was able to stay silent. She tried to tell herself the pain was something else, anything but the baby. Then her denial was swept away by waves of sharp pain that ripped through her midsection. This little boy was coming, whether the world was ready or not. Mary’s whimpers became screams. She writhed on the floor, babbling nonsense and pleading for help.
The people in the Kataluma that day were mostly men. There were a couple of younger women, but they had no idea what to do. As Joseph was heading back to check on Mary, he heard her screams from out in the alley and rushed inside. All the travelers had backed up against the walls and were watching Mary, who was clutching her belly in agony.
He was utterly exhausted, but Joseph found the strength to scoop Mary up in his arms and carry her into the street. The sun was almost down and Joseph had only one card to play. The Wildman. He carried Mary down the street, kicking on doors and screaming at the top of his lungs. “Someone help us! Please, we're having a baby!”
No one seemed to hear them. Darkness had fallen, and people were shut safely in their homes. Joseph staggered down the street, but he had been running on panic and adrenaline for for most of the day, and exhaustion was setting in. Finally he sank to his knees and laid Mary on the ground.
This was their moment of greatest need. Joseph sat on his knees with Mary’s head in his lap. With a voice that was failing, he cried out to God.
"Help us, Adonai, Father in Heaven. You sent angels once...please. Help us now. We are Joseph and Mary, and we have no one to turn to but you. We have nothing, but only you."
rlp
Click here to read part five
10:38:36 PM 
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