Long back, approximately 2000 years ago, when Lord Herod ruled Judea (presently portion of Israel).  God sent the angel Gabriel to a young lady who lived within the northern town of Nazareth. Her name was Mary and she was engaged to wed Joseph. One day an angel comes to Mary and tells her, “God has been very kind to you, you’ll before long allow birth to a heavenly soul, and will title him Jesus.” He would be the child of God. Mary was supposed to wed Joseph, the angel at that point went to Joseph and told him, “Don’t stress, God has chosen Mary to give birth to a sacred soul, Jesus. You’ll be his father and asked him to marry Mary. Joseph and Mary got hitched, and the place they lived was a portion of the Roman Empire.

The Roman emperor Augustus needed to tally the number of people living in his empire, to make sure they all paid taxes. He then requested everybody to return to the town they initially came from. Mary and Joseph had to travel a long way to reach Bethlehem; this was the place where Joseph’s family put up. 

Each house and each bed within the town was taken. The only place to stay that they seem to discover was with the animals. People often kept animals within the house, particularly at night, and utilized them like ‘central heating’! So in the place where the animals slept, a stable, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Child of God. In the slopes and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night.

A new day started, abruptly an angel showed up before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very frightened, but the angel said, ‘Don’t be anxious. I have good news for you and everybody. In Bethlehem, a Saviour has been born for you. You may discover the infant lying in a crib.’ Then numerous more angels showed up, lighting up the sky. The shepherds listened to them singing: ‘Glory to God in most elevated, and peace to everybody on earth.’ 

When Jesus was born, a novel shining star showed up in the sky. A few Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it implied. The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem they started to inquire people: ‘Where is the child who is born to be the ruler of the Jews?’

Herod, the ruler of Judea, listened to this and it made him very angry to think that somebody may be planning to take his place as lord. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby ruler. He said: ‘When you have found him, let me know where he is so that I can go and worship him.’. But Herod did not tell them that he truly had an evil arrangement in mind to kill the new king. 

The Wise Men reached the stable and found Jesus with Mary. They bowed down and worshipped the Child of God. The Wise Men spread the gifts they had brought. The gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Wise Men were cautioned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.

When the Wise Men had gone, an angel showed up to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ the angel said, ‘take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Remain there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for Jesus to murder him.’ So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary amid the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died.