November-December 2021 - No Room at the Inn

The scene on this issue’s cover depicts a moment packed with action and emotion. Mary and Joseph are in Bethlehem for a census. Luke’s Gospel says, “While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby” (Luke 2:6, CEB). Artist Margaret Tarrant draws our attention to Mary. She clothes her in a white cloak, a symbol of her purity. Mary gazes down, and her posture suggests she is exhausted. She has traveled a long way, is weary, and is close to giving birth. She needs a dry, warm, safe room in which to deliver God’s Son, foretold by the angel (see Luke 1:26-38).

Joseph pleads with the innkeeper for a room. His face looks hopeful but stern and determined. Even the donkey seems tired, as if it understands that this is not the place they will rest for the night. The innkeeper blocks the doorway with his body, denying them entrance. He appears to interrupt Joseph, adamant that there is no room for them.

Tarrant’s painting invites us to participate in the scene. Are you Joseph, begging for shelter or other necessities for your family? Are you Mary, exhausted, afraid, and in need of help? Are you the innkeeper, frustrated and unable to meet the need of someone requesting help? Are you one of the bystanders in the background, watching the scene and contemplating if or how to intervene? Imagine yourself in each of these roles, and reflect on the thoughts and feelings you would experience as you picture the scene from the perspective of each person in it.

Cover art courtesy of The Medici Society/Mary Evans Picture Library. ©Margaret W. Tarrant. Prints of cover art are available from 
www.medici.co.uk.