Scene 8

(Mary and Joseph are in the inn.)

MARY: Joseph, I told you not to worry. Now we have a nice room in a big inn. We are no longer in a stable. Here you and I will be able to look after our sweet divine baby quite easily.

JOSEPH: Mary, you were right. You are right. You are always right.

MARY: What you and I need is patience. That’s all.

(Enter the three wise men.)

WISE MEN (bowing to the baby): O King, O Lord of the world, we are not on earth today. We are now in the seventh heaven of delight. No divine gifts have we to offer you. Be pleased to accept our earthly gifts of gold, perfume, frankincense and myrrh.

JOSEPH: O divine guests, please spend this night here.

WISE MEN: Thank you, Joseph. It is most kind of you.

(Mary feeds them. They go to sleep in one corner of the room, Joseph in another corner and Mary and the child in a third corner. After a few moments a divine voice awakens the three wise men.)

VOICE: Go home. Don’t go back to Herod.

(Exeunt the three wise men. An angel appears and awakens Joseph and Mary.)

ANGEL: Joseph, you, your wife and your child must leave immediately for Egypt. Otherwise Herod will soon find your little child here and kill him.

(Mary takes the baby in her arms. Exeunt omnes.)

Sri Chinmoy, The Son, Sky Publishers, New York, 1973