Two Thousand and Ten Years Ago Today

In a remote Roman province over two thousand years ago, an unknown Jewish woman was in her last days of pregnancy. She was most likely scorned by her family and community because she was obviously 9 months pregnant, just six months into her marriage.  Her husband, a man of honor, decided not to divorce her or have her stoned (as was his right under Jewish law), but instead married her anyway probably against the counsel of his family and friends.

They made the difficult trek from Galilee to Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem to register according to the Roman regulation for a census.

Meanwhile, 3 magi from the east made their way towards a little town they'd never heard of, following the astronomical sign they witnessed at night.

Amazingly, both the woman and her husband were able to trace their lineage to King David, the reason as to why they made the journey to Bethlehem to register for the census.  This was a fulfillment of prophecy foretold in the Torah.

The months to come would be even more difficult and agonizing under the brutal rule of Herod the Great who forced the exile of Mary and Joseph to Egypt.  This too would enable another prophecy to be fulfilled: "Out of Egypt I called my son.”