Episode 2 The Nativity

Everything I say or do until the day I die will have one purpose -

to one day make you love me.

-You seem troubled.

-I couldn't afford my taxes.

My wife is sick.

We had a child, we needed medicine.

-Our time will come, the Messiah will come.

-When?

The prophecy is far more than just a star forming to herald a new king.

Balaam also believed that it would herald a king blessed by God Himself.

-Who are you?

-My name is Gabriel.

You have been chosen.

-Chosen for what?

-You will bear a child.

A son.

He will be called Jesus.

Jesus.

He will form a bridge between Heaven and Earth for all time.

He will be called the son of God,

and he will take up the throne of David...

..and his reign...

will know no end.

But I've never been with a man. How could I be with child?

The Holy Spirit has found you.

You have nothing to fear, Mary.

Why are you saying this?

It isn't true. I don't know who you are, but I don't believe you.

-Now leave me.

-Do you love your God, Mary?

Mary?

Yes.

Do you trust in Him?

Yes.

Close your eyes.

Look inside yourself.

Find the Holy Spirit within you.

It will be shown to you now.

SHE GASPS AND WHEEZES

You are blessed amongst women.

You carry the son of God!

It can't be!

-Joseph!

-He is a good man. He will care for you and the child.

The light of the world is within you!

Your cousin Elizabeth and her husband have also conceived a son.

The child will be called John, and he will be known as the Baptist,

and he will prepare the way for the son of God.

Be strong, Mary.

For you shall be called great amongst women.

And from you...

..will come a king.

SHE WEEPS

Thank you.

-You should sleep.

-I can't.

-Joseph...

-We'll leave just after dawn. Try to get some rest.

Mary! I was just...

It's beautiful.

I thought we could put a crib there, maybe two.

The other eight might be a problem.

There's still lots to do. But look, I finished my work table.

It's bigger than I planned, the wood was, well...

Made the chairs.

Joseph, I need to talk to you.

What's wrong? You don't like it?

No. No, no, no. I love it.

It's going to be everything I knew it would.

Then what?

I don't know if I can be the wife you want.

-The one you deserve.

-I knew this would happen.

You're nervous about the wedding.

-No...

-It's natural. But you mustn't be. Every step you take

for the rest of your life, I'll be right next to you.

-But...

-Do you love me?

-Yes.

-Then we'll be married in the summer.

And this house will be full of love and laughter and the sound of children playing.

And every day, I'll wake up with only one thought in my mind,

which is how I can make you happier.

But what if I can't be the wife you think I can?

How can you be anything else?

Mary?

I think I had a dream.

You think?

Someone came, they told me that I was blessed by God.

-Not nearly as blessed as I am. All you've got is me, whereas I've got you.

-He said...

Whatever it was, it was just a dream.

You're nervous about the wedding, that's all.

I have waited my whole life for you.

Nothing will ever come between us.

She needs more rest, and perhaps more absinthium.

Do you have much left?

Thomas, son of Abimael.

Your tax is late. Seven denarii.

Just one more week, please.

-My wife, she's...

-Take it in meat.

No! No, please!

LAMBS BAA

-Well?

-The council have decided to wait.

-What?

-To see if the star appears before making a decision.

But that'll be too late. Look.

The arcs have continued, and its path remains the same.

The conjunction is here.

It'll burn brightest above Jerusalem, in the land of the Jews.

It will take us months to get there.

If we wait, we'll miss it!

We can't make such a journey unnoticed.

The Romans will see it as an invasion into their territories.

They could turn us back, or worse.

But the region is under King Herod's rule.

-And do you think that he's any better?

-We have to go.

He's right, of course.

Just imagine - a new king to be born,

blessed by the god of Abraham.

The magi must be there, at the heart of it.

-We must understand what it means.

-It's not safe.

What if Herod or the Romans attack our convoy?

Don't be ridiculous.

The journey'll probably kill me anyway.

Mother, have you heard anything from Elizabeth?

Your cousin? No, I haven't. Why?

I thought I might visit her.

Absolutely not. The road to Judah's too dangerous.

-I think I had a dream.

-And she was in this dream?

In a way.

It's been on my mind ever since, so I thought if I saw her, I'd know that what I saw was just a dream.

-What would Joseph say?

-He's busy with the house.

Please.

I'll talk to your father.

Sire, we've had word from Augustus Caesar in Rome.

He thinks we're cheating him?

Tributes have fallen.

He's organised a census in all the territories.

And if we refuse?

He may get his legions to do it for him.

He wouldn't dare.

If all the regions of the empire are going to take part, he can't be seen to allow only us to refuse.

It would undermine his authority.

What about MY authority?

-To govern my own kingdom as I see fit?

-That's unquestioned,

within our own borders.

Yet Augustus uses his legions to dictate what I can and cannot do.

What kind of king does that make me?

Even the Jews despise me.

No, sire.

Oh...

You think I don't hear what they say?

That I'm only half a Jew,

not worthy to rule over them.

That one day,

a messiah will come to lead them.

It's old wives' tales, nothing more.

Is it?

You have the backing of Rome.

-Who could possibly threaten you?

-Rome itself.

"All citizens of the empire are to return to their birthplace,

"and for the village registrars to confirm their entries."

How shall I reply?

Tell them we expect our cooperation to be rewarded by Rome.

Sire.

-I should be coming with you.

-I'll be back before you know it.

That's too long.

I have to see Elizabeth.

Why now?

Can't explain, not yet. But I will, I promise.

Don't be long.

Watch your head.

Amos, you look after my bride. Bring her back safe!

To Jerusalem!

Father.

Elizabeth?

He was in the temple and he said he heard the word of God telling him we were to conceive a child.

He hasn't spoken since that day,

so he writes everything down.

Just leaves notes lying around for me to read.

And the voice he heard, he said it was God?

He has no doubt.

-And you?

-I don't know what to think. But then there's this.

How can I explain it?

The voice, what did it say?

It said that the two of us were to conceive a son who would prepare the way for someone greater.

Zacharias thinks the Messiah is coming.

He said that he was even given a name that we are to call our child.

John.

How can you know that?

Mary?

Uh, someone came to see me.

Um, a man.

At least I think he was a man.

He said I was to bear a son.

What kind of man?

I don't know. He was there and then he wasn't.

It was like a dream.

He told me to close my eyes,

and inside I was bathed in light, and in warmth,

and in so much love,

a feeling I can't describe, and I knew it was true.

You're with child now?

-Joseph?

-No, no. I'm still a virgin.

-Mary, you can't...

-No, it's true!

That's why I'm here. He told me you would bear a son too,

that he would be called John and would prepare the way for him.

My baby gave such a kick when I saw you.

Elizabeth, you must help me.

Mary!

Mary!

Look!

I told Zacharias what you told me, and he wrote this down.

It's from the book of Isaiah.

Can you read it to me?

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

"and God shall be among us."

You're carrying the messiah.

Do you believe that?

-Do you really believe?

-If you truly are a virgin...

Elizabeth, I'm so frightened.

Think what this means.

God has chosen you.

But I am nobody.

Mary, you are blessed.

You will be remembered for generations to come.

I don't know what to do.

Stay here a while, I'll send word to your parents.

But the time will come when you must go home.

And if Joseph won't believe me?

Then it's a burden that you must carry alone.

Oh, thank you.

Mmm.

What do you think we'll find when we get to the land of the Jews?

If I knew that, I wouldn't need to make the journey.

You called it...a bridge.

A bridge between Heaven and Earth.

Such a star can't mean anything else.

But a bridge for what purpose?

Do you believe in God, Balthasar?

-Yes.

-Yes.

As what?

A presence?

An intellect? Someone who...

created the world and moved on, or someone who stayed and watches us,

like a father?

I'm not sure.

There was a time when it seems

the god of Abraham intervened

when he raised Sodom to the ground,

sent manna from Heaven to feed the hungry.

In the Jewish faith, there was no doubt who or what he was when he helped Moses in Egypt,

sending plagues against the pharaohs.

Yes, but the times of God's intervention on Earth are long past.

They're little more than stories now.

Yes, yes. But isn't that how you deal with a child?

You nurture them, a constant presence, teaching them to fend for themselves,

to make their own way in the world,

making rules so that when the time comes, you let the child go.

Yes.

Because the father no longer intervenes in the lives of his children

but simply watches from a distance as they make their way in the world,

does it mean he's no longer there?

No.

No, of course not.

But what if the child appeared to have lost his way?

To have forgotten the things that he was taught?

The father would...

intervene.

Wouldn't you?

I don't understand why she's been away so long.

Amos brought back word. Her cousin Elizabeth is with child and close to her time.

-Mary is helping her.

-And that's all?

What else could it be?

Elizabeth is old.

How she conceived in the first place is beyond me.

We all thought her barren.

But it's typical of Mary to stay and help.

She's a good girl.

-You have nothing to fear, I'd stake my life on it.

-So would I.

Well, then.

You've heard about the census?

There's talk of little else.

We have to register at our town of birth, so I have to travel to Bethlehem.

Ah, so that's the problem.

You're worried that you won't see her before you leave?

I miss her so much.

It'll take me weeks to travel to Bethlehem and back.

She'll have forgotten what I look like, if she hasn't already.

I'll try and send word to Elizabeth, see what we can do.

Herod's border is half a day's ride.

It's better we don't cross at night.

We must show them we have nothing to hide.

Then we'll stop here. Set up camp.

Stop!

Mary?

I've had word from your father.

It's time to go home.

Sire,

a messenger has arrived with this.

A magi caravan has been seen crossing the border from the east.

Joseph, Mary's home.

-What?

-She arrived back from Judah, but there's a...

Ha-ha!

Mary!

Joseph.

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