Magyar Egyház, 1966 (45. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1966-10-01 / 10. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 JOSEPH: I don’t believe so. There are always small clashes between us and the Romans, but I know of no serious trouble. I think, Rome wants our taxes, and Ceasar just wants to make it sure that he’ll get it. JACOB: Do you know, how this enrollment will take place? Is anyone coming to us to put down our names and the number of our children? JOSEPH: No. We have to go. JACOB: To Rome? JOSEPH: To our native city because we will be enrolled according to families. JACOB: What is your native city? JOSEPH: Don’t you know? It is Bethlehem, the beautiful and famous city of David in Judea! I am proud of it! JACOB: Are you going alone? JOSEPH: Of course, not. I’ll take Mary too, my betrothed. JACOB: But as I understand, Mary is . . . JOSEPH: Let us not talk about that. It is not your business. JACOB: I’m sorry. Well, Joseph, have a safe trip to Bethlehem. I’d better go home now, and tell my wife to start packing. We will have a long way to go, my native dty used to be Masada, way down in the SSouth. JOSEPH: Go, and peace be with you, Jacob. JACOB: Peace be with you. CONGREGATION (singing) : O little town of Bethlehem, How still we see thee lie, Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting Light, The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee tonight. JOSEPH: Mary, you have to finish the preparations tonight. Tomorrow we will set out early. I don’t know, how long the journey will last, so you’d better have enough food packed in the basket. I’ll take care of the water. I’ve got three new goatskins, I’ll fill them. MARY: I’ll be ready, Joseph, do you think that I can make it? Bethlehem is so far away, and me in my condition . . . JOSEPH: We will take the ass with us, so that you, at least, will have a ride. MARY: How about you? JOSEPH: O, I can walk! MARY: I am worried. We have no relatives there. Where will we stay? JOSEPH: There is an inn in Bethlehem at the edge of the town. I’ve been there when I was younger. It is just a simple village guest house. It has got an arched door and a large court, in the center of which is a well. There will be room for us, don’t worry! CONGREGATION (singing) : How silently, how silently, The wondrous gift is giv’n. So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heav’n. No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin, Where meek sould will receive Him still, The dear Christ enters in. MARY: Joseph, is this the inn? JOSEPH: Yes, Wait a little outside, I’ll go in and look around. MARY: All right. JOSEPH: Well, it seems to be quite crowded. But we will find room. Come! MARY: Did you see the innkeeper? JOSEPH: No, but I’ll ask somebody. Here comes a woman. MARY: Ask her! JOSEPH: Good woman, we’ve just arrived from Nazareth. My family is from Bethlehem, and that’s where I have to register. Could you tell us if there’s any room inside the house to lodge? SARAH: I’m afraid not. It is terribly crowded. There are always pilgrims going to Jerusalem who come and leave next morning. Soldiers who sometimes get rather noisy. But now there are many more who, I assume, have come to Bethlehem to register. Just like you. MARY: What shall we do? I’m with child, and sure would appreciate a quiet place, and a little privacy, if possible. SARAH: I noticed that. Is it your first child? MARY: Yes. SARAH: What do you expect: a boy or a girl? MARY: A boy. I know, it will be a boy. SARAH: Don’t be so sure! You never know! MARY: But I know because I was told. SARAH: Did the doctor tell you? MARY: I saw no doctor. An angel told me. SARAH: An angel? Good heavens, what are you talking about? MARY: O, never mind! It is my secret. SARAH: Well, I tell you what. If you walk across the court, you’ll find a small cave. It’s entrance is between two old olive trees. It has been used for some time as a stable, It is not very clean, but you will have some privacy. If that’s what you want. MARY: Thank you for your advice. Joseph, I think, that would do! Why don't we go there? JOSEPH: If you like it, that’s all right with me. Let’s go. MARY: It will be good to rest! CONGREGATION (singing) : O come, o come, Immanuel, And ransom captive Israel, That mourns in lonely exile here, Until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel Shall come to thee, o Israel! O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home; Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel Shall come to thee, o Israel. MARY: Joseph, my hour is fast approaching. I am in pains. Please, go and fetch some water for me. JOSEPH: Where is the jar? It is so dark here, I can't see my own nose! MARY: No wonder, it’s almost midnight. The jar is right beside the manger. Can you finl it? JOSEPH: Here it is. As I look out, I see, the sky is real beautiful tonight. I’ve never seen it so full of stars! I could watch it for hours! CONGREGATION (singing) : O holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend on us, we pray, Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell: O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Immanuel! MARY: Joseph, look! JOSEPH: Mary! Mary! You had your baby, while I was out at the well! A boy! MARY: Yes, a boy, just like the angel said. JOSEPH: Blessed be the name of the Lord! Say, where are the candles? MARY: What candles? JOSEPH: Don’t you see this light here in the cave? My eyes can barely stand it! There must be a lot of candles burning here. It is strange, I don’t see any. Do you? MARY: No. But this is no candlelight either. Remember the prophet Isaih? JOSEPH: The people who walked in darkness, have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. Yes, I do remember! A great light! The light of the world has come to the earth! MARY: The light of the world! CONGREGATION (singing) : Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright! ‘Round yon virgin mother and Chlid, Holy Infant, so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace! Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight! Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing Alleluia; Christ, the Saviour is born, Christ, the Saviour is born! Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth. JOSEPH: What are you going to name Him? MARY: Jesus. Just like the angel said. See, I wrapped Him up and laid Him in the manger. There He is, the little Lord Jesus. Isn’t He beautiful? CONGREGATION (singing) : Away in a manger, No crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head; The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, The little Lord Jesus, Asleep on the hay. The cattle are lowing, The Baby awakes, But little Lord Jesuss, No crying He makes; I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle, Till morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, And love me, I pray; Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, Prepare us for heaven, To live with Thee there. |OHN: You know, I would not live in town for the world! ABNER: Why not? JOHN: I like freedom. To stay, if I want to; to go, if I want to; to stop, when I want to. I like the beauty of the nature, the quietness of the woods, the stars in the sky. I would not like to sleep every night in a house. The cloud is my blanket, and the sky is the ceiling over my head.
