Denial - Mary Letter Day 17

 Then they seized him
 and led him away,
 bringing him into the
 high priest’s house.
 But Peter was 
following at a distance.
 When they had kindled
 a fire in the middle of
 the courtyard and sat
 down together, Peter 
sat among them. Then
 a servant-girl, seeing 
him in the firelight, 
stared at him and said, 
‘This man also was 
with him.’ But he denied
 it, saying, ‘Woman, 
I do not know him.’ 
A little later someone 
else, on seeing him, said,
 ‘You also are one of
 them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man,
 I am not!’ Then about an hour later yet another kept 
insisting, ‘Surely this man also was with him; for he 
is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know 
what you are talking about!’ At that moment, while 
he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord 
turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter 
remembered the word of the Lord, how he had 
said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you
 will deny me three times.’ And he went out and 
wept bitterly.

 Now the men who were holding Jesus began to
 mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him
 and kept asking him, ‘Prophesy! Who is it that 
struck you?’ They kept heaping many other insults 
on him.

 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the 
people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered
 together, and they brought him to their council. 
They said, ‘If you are the Messiah,^* tell us.’ He 
replied, ‘If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I 
question you, you will not answer. But from now on
 the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of
 the power of God.’ Luke 22:54-69

Dear Aunt Elizabeth, 

we received word yesterday, before we were planning to set out,
 that folks had found out our route and so we have had to change everything we had planned. Poppa also sent word that we should
 try to disguise ourselves, if possible. We have to deny who we
really are, even though our God has given us the responsibility of protecting and giving life to the Messiah. It seems there are
challenges at every turn. From now on we will not stay with
 relatives, since they are easily found, but will live roughly, hiding
in camps with outcasts and refugees. How can this be our lot in
 life?

I have been doing as you instructed, rubbing my ever expanding
 belly with olive oil and aloe. When I do it, it gives me a moment
 of calm, which there are very few of these days. The baby seems
 to enjoy the ride on the donkey, but it makes me very sore. He
 kicks a good deal when I walk as well. He is vigorous and lively,
 even though I feel old and worn down! I am not sure I will ever
 get my shape back, but my full term is very close and there is
too much else to worry about.

We will be avoiding crowded roads and be seeking out sheep
camps, out of the way, to linger in shadows during daylight!
 We have been praying that we can keep this little one safe
as we journey to Bethlehem. I admit to being very scared, yet
Joseph seems to keep his calm at all times. As the time has
worn on, I am growing fonder and fonder of this man. He is a
 gentle, kind and brilliant man. He was overlooked by many,
 as not strong or wealthy enough. For me, he is everything I
need and more!

Sending much, much love,

Mary