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It is the fourth week of Advent!  As you light that fourth candle we can mentally ask, “ARE WE THERE YET?”  Then a word of sense pops into your head, “No, we are not there yet but almost there!”

Let us place ourselves in the shoes of Joseph and Mary during this time-period! 

They are living in the town of Nazareth of Galilee where Mary is with child and almost ready to give birth to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Suddenly, a decree arrives from Rome.  The Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, wants all areas within the authority of Roman control to enroll in a census.  To fulfill this requirement of the census, Joseph, as a descendant of David, needs to register in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David.

We could probably hear Joseph state – “Seriously!  My wife Mary is about to give birth and I must travel to Bethlehem!  Really!”  While Mary soothingly states, “Now Joseph, everything will be alright!  We will just take our time, and everything will be simply fine. Do not worry!”

We are all sure that Mary has a way to sooth the anxious of heart, then, today and in the future.

So, to accomplish this decree, Joseph had to make plans to travel from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea.  He would be traveling by foot and Mary would be traveling on a donkey to ease her travel vs. walking the entire way. 

The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem would take four or five days.  A journey of on/about 70 miles.  The average Bethlehem weather in December is a daily high from 61°F to 55°F while the daily low temperatures are from 47°F to 42°F.  The average length of the day is 10 hours that would allow for about 14 miles per day.  Based on all this information, Joseph had to plan accordingly for food, water, shelter, fire/heat, and feed for the donkey.  Once all in place, he and Mary would head out.

The journey would be one full of anticipation, since Mary would soon be with child, giving birth to our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Joseph was likewise beaming with anticipation and joy with becoming a father.

The passage from St. Luke, 2:4-7 states, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary his betrothed, who was with Child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to deliver.  And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

This passage confirms that Joseph, and therefore Jesus Christ, was of the line of David and that being born in Bethlehem, fulfills the prophecy of Micah 5:2, “But you, O Bethlehem Eph’rathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”  Isaiah 7:14 states, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God is with us).” 

These beautiful passages make clear the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah.  And as we light the fourth candle, we clearly see the old testament being revealed of the coming of the Messiah, of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  And as Joseph and Mary depart on their journey, we also anticipate.  And soon, very soon, we will also be there – adoring our King, our Savior, Jesus Christ!  Blessings – Dcn Jim