A Story of God and All of Us Young Reade - By Roma Downey Page 0,30

of the Lord stands before her on the road. "Mary," he says softly, "I am Gabriel. Don't be afraid.

The Lord is with you. You have found favor with God. Soon you will give birth to a child, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be known as the Son of the Most High."

"How can that be?" she asks.

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you. And the power of the Most High will overshadow you."

Mary's hands press against her stomach, as if she can already feel an energy there. "I am the Lord's servant.

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May it be done to me as you have said," she says to Gabriel.

Mary hides her pregnancy for as long as she can, not knowing how she can explain it to her husband-to-be, Joseph. Finally, the time comes. He notices.

"Tell me what's going on, Mary. Please."

"Joseph," she whispers. "There has been no one. I swear to you. This is God's work. An angel of the Lord appeared to me, telling me that I would be with child. He is to be the Messiah."

Joseph breaks away. He circles the room like an animal in a cage.

She reaches for his hands again. "My love, please believe me. I am telling you the truth."

"I want to believe," he says softly. "But God would not send the Messiah to people like us." Although he is a direct descendant of King David, Joseph is but a lowly carpenter. He opens the door, walks out, and doesn't look back.

Only then does this mountain of a man let himself cry.

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Joseph wanders the streets of Nazareth alone. "God help me," Joseph prays. "Help me find a way to do the right thing." Joseph leans against a wall, lost in his thoughts. People stare at him. He doesn't care. Joseph's head droops and his shoulders sag. He closes his eyes in prayer and falls into a dream state.

"Joseph," a voice says. "Joseph." The angel Gabriel now stands powerfully before Joseph, the hood of his cloak pulled around his soft and tender face.

His eyes seem to peer straight into Joseph's soul. Gabriel reaches for Joseph's hands. "Take Mary as your wife," commands Gabriel. "She is telling you the truth. She is pure. The child she carries is from God."

A stunned Joseph stares into the divine beauty of the angel. The weight upon his heart is gone. He wipes a tear of joy from his eye, and in that instant Gabriel is gone. Joseph emerges from his dream, elated, and races to Mary's home to tell her that he believes her. They are to name the baby Jesus.

One translation of the name is "God rescues." It also means "God saves." To many in Israel, the notion of a Messiah is a king like David, a savior who will deliver them from oppression. God, however, has something far bigger in mind. God will remain God, yet also

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become human in Jesus. He will save not just Israel but the entire world.

Periodically the Romans demand a census. No matter where citizens are residing, they must return to the town of their ancestry to be counted. Now happily married, Joseph and Mary strap their belongings to a donkey and set off for the town of Bethlehem, the city where King David was born. The sun has not yet risen, and the morning air is cold.

They soon come upon a sight so utterly astonishing that Joseph's eyes widen. It is the most brilliant star he has ever seen, shining clear and low in the southern sky. Its brightness is a lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their path. Joseph squeezes Mary's hand. This is a sign God is with them.

Herod sees the unusual star shining in the east but thinks nothing of it until the lavishly dressed Balthazar, a sage who has traveled by camel all the way from Persia, is escorted into the royal chamber. "So 127 what brings you here, oh Prince?" Herod demands, his voice echoing off the marble pillars.

"The star. The new star rises in the east. I have followed its progress. The star is a sign that a great man is coming," Balthazar answers.

Herod glares at him. Not wanting to ignite Herod's legendary temper, Balthazar goes on to explain how the star guided him to Jerusalem.

But Herod isn't listening. He stares intently at Balthazar. "Every week," he finally says, "someone claims to be the chosen one. But those are mostly madmen in the marketplace--easily ignored, and just as easily silenced. So