"But they are just rumours aren't they Amanda?" I overheard Ashley say one day.
"Well, I don't know…" Amanda replied. "But what I do know is that'll it will be a huge inconvenience for all of us. Well, I could only steal away from home for a minute, but I had to tell you. I'll see you later, then?"
"Of course. Don't forget were going to the market later on!" Ashley said waving at Amanda as she left.
"What's Amanda gossiping about now?" I asked Ashley as soon as Amanda left.
"She's not gossiping, it's the truth," Ashley said. "Apparently… Caesar is going to issue a census of the entire Roman world!"
I laughed. "The entire Roman world? He wouldn't do that."
"Well, I wouldn't be so sure, Mary. You never know with these Romans…"
I smiled at her. "There's nothing wrong with most Romans. Did you hear that Leah? Ashley thinks Caesar is going to issue a census and send us all back to where we came from to register."
"Is he really?" she asked, coming into the room.
"Of course not!" Alon said. He was always trying to be older and more mature than his eleven years of age.
"There will be, I'm telling you!" Ashley exclaimed.
"Now, now Ashley. Don't get overexcited. We'll see in due time what happens," my mother said. "Alon, your father needs you in the fields. You were supposed to get a drink of water then go back. Girls, Ashley and I are getting some things at the market with Amanda. Leah and Mary, are you coming?"
"I will," Leah said quickly. It wasn't that she liked shopping so much as she liked watching the men with Ashley.
"I think I'll stay here and prepare a meal for the men when they get in from the fields," I said.
"How thoughtful of you, Mary! We were going to be back by then, but since you'll be here, I think we'll stay a little longer. Thank you," my mother said and with that they were all out the door.
I decided to wait a few minutes and catch up on some more mending before starting to prepare them some food. But as soon as I entered my room, I felt very odd. Then, to my utter surprise my room burst with light. For a brief second I thought something had caught fire, but it wasn't hot and there was no smell of smoke. I was about to run out but a voice stopped me.
"Do not be afraid, Mary." It was no one that I recognised and when I turned around I was even more surprised. A being, dare I say, an angel was standing next to my bed. It was from him that the bright light had come from. "You have found favour with God," he continued. "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus."
"God with us?" I whispered. (That's what the name Jesus means)
The angel smiled. "Yes. He will great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
For a moment, I was speechless. "But… How can this be, since I am… still a virgin?"
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."
I found that I was surprisingly calm and answered truthfully, "I am the Lord's servant." I knew that what I was about to say next would be the final word. There would be no going back, and I decided to take the plunge. "May it be…as you have said." As the words exited from my lips, light filled my room. It filled my inner being, surrounding me from all sides. For a split second, time stood still. Then…nothing. I stood still; waiting. I wasn't sure for what, but I just kept the same position.
After a few moments, I allowed myself to turn my head to see if anything had changed, but it hadn't. I looked at my hands and down to my stomach. I rushed to a mirror and saw that, I was still Mary. I really, hadn't changed outwardly. A seed of doubt entered my mind questioning of what had happened had really happened, but it was quickly squashed. I knew, deep inside, that I was carrying Someone who would one day be a great ruler.
I smiled and touched my abdomen. Then I realised something. No one would believe me! If one would think about it logically, it didn't make sense. I could just imagine my mothers face when I told her an angel had visited me and God had impregnated me. They would think that I was just making that story up! They would think horrible things about me and about Joseph…
Joseph. What would he think? Would he believe me? Or… would he think I had disgraced him by sleeping with another man? Being with your betrothed before the appointed time was bad enough, but… sleeping with another? That was far worse than anything else I could do to him. I felt weak on my feet, so I sat down. I didn't move until the men came in demanding supper.