I’ve gone to the temple to beg for alms. I’m ten years old and this is my job. My family is poor, and I have 5 younger brothers and sisters, and they are hungry. There are throngs of people here coming to offer sacrifice and to tithe. There are moneychangers and people selling animals for sacrifice. There are so many people, but no one really sees me and my begging bowl, or at least they don’t pay attention to me. I know I am not lovely. I have long stringy dark hair and dirty clothes and a snotty nose. I probably smell bad. People walk past and if they even notice me, they quickly avert their eyes.
Then a couple walks into the temple area. They are carrying their baby and a little wicker cage with two pigeons in it. They are poor too. But something arrests me about them. It is almost as if they glow with joy. Their clothes aren’t fancy, and they don’t put a lot of money in the treasury, yet they exude happiness. I am intrigued by them and instinctively I follow them. They move toward the priests to offer their sacrifice in honor of their first-born son but there is a line.
I watch them from a distance. The lady is beautiful, and she is holding a baby who can’t be more than a few months old. He is asleep in her arms. Her husband watches over them. You can tell he is strong and protective but also tender and loving. There is something about this family that attracts me – especially the baby. I would love to hold that baby in my arms.
The lady looks up and sees me watching them – I’m probably staring which I know I shouldn’t do but I can’t help it. She smiles at me and beckons me to come closer. I do. She asks me my name, and I tell her. Then she tells me her name is Miriam, and her husband is Joseph and their baby is Yeshua. We chat for awhile and then the baby wakes up and starts to fuss, nuzzling at Miriam’s breast. She says, “Come keep me company while I feed him.”
We sit down on a bench in the shade of a tree. She invites me to snuggle into her side. Then she asks me to tell her about myself. She is so gentle and sincere, I sense she really wants to know about me, so I tell her. I tell her about my parents and siblings, about school and the other kids, I tell her what I worry about and what makes me happy. She listens, really listens and I feel an unusual sensation – peace?
Soon Yeshua is done feeding and returns to sleep and Miriam and I return to Joseph in the line. When we reach the priest, the birds are handed over and Yeshua is blessed. I feel so grateful to be here. Although I don’t understand it, I begin a prayer, “Hail Mary, full of grace…”
-Suanne Reed
