Lucilla--NaNoWriMo2014

Chapter Thirty-One

Word came that The American i huge doors in the front. When nvasion at Anzio would be delayed until late in January because they did not have enough LST's, which were huge cargo ships which hadthey opened their doors, vehicles loaded with supplies and the Sherman tanks would drive out.

Supplies did not need to be carried by hand from ship's cargo holds anymore. Other more conventional ships would be able unload at the port facilities at Salerno's harbor.

Mark and Lucilla would spend Christmas in Salerno, knowing but unable to inform local citizens about the coming invasion. Leaking that vital information would have been disastrous in terms of lives and property.

On Christmas Day Mark asked Lucilla to attend a special Christmas Mass. There was a parade from the city square to a place outside the Church.

"Lucy, the children are portraying the earliest story in our holy books"

"You are speaking of The Bible?"

"Why, yes, Lucy." Mark found her answer surprising.

"Mark, I read a Greek translation of the Hebrew Holy Books."

"That was the Septuagent which was translated by seventy Jewish Rabbis in Alexandria, Egypt."

"Is that because Jews in Alexandria spoke Greek instead of their fathers' Hebrew tongue? "

"Remarkable, Lucy."

The gathering place before the church was an outdoor stage with artificial trees and bushes.  Fruit was tied on the tree in the center.  Young children dressed in green clothes with leaf designs entered from the left and right of the open-air stage.

"Mark, I read the old Hebrew scriptures when I was young.  Is this a portrayal of how people came to be capable of evil?"

"You can read Hebrew, Lucy?"

"No, Mark, the Jewish scholars in Alexandria needed to provide scriptures for the Greek-speaking Jews living there. They had long forgotten the language of the people of Israel.  So the seventy scholars got together and translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek."

"How did you get hold of Jewish scriptures, Lucy?"

"You have forgotten that my father, the Emperor, was a scholar with volumes of scrolls and codex books.  I read and read whatever I could get my hands on."

"So what message will these children portray?"

"Mark, that is too easy.  These represent the first two people in the world, and they are in close friendship with the God of the Hebrews, which is the god of creation."

"What happens next, Lucy?"

"An evil being in the Garden will tempt the boy and the girl, who represent men and women. They will eat of the fruit tree in the midst of the Garden."

"Their first act of disobedience causes a change in them.  The understand what is good and what is evil."

"So what happens next, Lucy?"

"They know that they have been disobedient, and they try to hide from God.  But he finds them and curses the ground and banishes them from their perfect existence.  They have to go out and work for the things that once became free."

Mark and Lucilla continued to watch the story of the Fall of Humanity from the Favor with God.  Angels with swords came and drove out the boy and girl.  Then the people made some changes in the stage.  They brought in three well-dressed men in colored robes and ornate head dresses.  They represented three Magi, who were studying the stars looking for a sign of the coming king.

Then a child dressed as Gabriel in angel wings stood before a young girl in a head cover.  "You shall have a son named Jesus."

Then the girl's intended husband Joseph was angry with her, but the same angel spoke to him in a dream, "Do not fear to take Mary to be your wife, for the Holy Spirit has provided her with the child."

So when she was ready to deliver, her husband Joseph loaded her on a donkey and walked with her off stage.  Then they came to to a stablle where she appears with her son Jesus and Joseph her husband.

Off to the right were children dressed as shepherds who become fearful when they see an angel telling them about the birth of Jesus, their Savior.  They rise and look in Bethlehem for Jesus.

Next came men dressed in clothes fit for a king.  They held telescopes and looked up at a neon star, which lit up behind the trees. Servants then brought them more donkeys for them. These they rode off to one side of the open stage.

Stage hands brought out a Bishop's seat and on it sat a man dressed in robes and a crown.

"Now what will they do?"  Lucilla said.

"They are looking for the baby born king of the Jews." 

"That king is not a baby."

"You have heard of Herod the Great?"

"He is Herod?"

Then the three men came before the king and said they saw the new king's star.  The brightness of the star indicated how great the baby would be.  They were going to worship the new born king.

King Herod then said he wanted to know the location of the baby, so that he also could worship him."

"Mark, King Herod was not a real Jew, and he was too jealous of anyone who would threaten his rule. He built the port of Caesarea only to make us Romans happy.  He will kill that baby if he finds him."

"Lucy, according to the story, that was Herod's intention. He could have hidden himself on his fortress of Masada."

"I know that fortress, Mark.  Jewish Zealots fought against our Legions from there.  They all killed themselves."

Last the people set up a stable and brought in animals from their farms.  There in the center was a manger, a place to feed their animals.  But inside the manger, Mary had placed a baby boy, who was crying somewhat.  By her side stood her husband Joseph.  First shepherds gathered to see the baby Jesus.

But at last the kings came.  All bowed down before the baby Jesus and presented gifls.

"Mark, this is a lovely story.  Jesus is symbolic of the healing between God and humankind?"

"Yes, Lucy.  You have the idea.  You lived in a world of Redeemers, who came to save people from their corrupt nature."

"Yes, Mark.  I do understand. I have no idea as to why I ever was hostile to Christians in my time.  Thank you for explaining things that I could not understand.

After that, Lucilla accompanied Mark into the church for the Christmas Mass.

Weeks went by and the Allied planes dropped weapons and supplies at designated locations.  Mark were there to supervise every air drop.  He distributed the weapons, ammunition, and hand-held anti-tank weapons to the local partisans.

The invasion was coming soon.