The beginning of everything
A small light.
A great hope.
In Bethlehem, a story of love begins that will change the world. Come closer. There is so much to discover.
Bethlehem, Judea·01 / 12
CHAPTER 01 · EXPLORE AT YOUR OWN PACE
A small light.
A lot to discover.
Three moments to look closely, ask questions and take an idea to your heart.
Choose an image to open the scene and discover its details.
A story that begins among us
The way to Bethlehem
Joseph travels from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register for a census. Mary goes with him. Luke places this beginning in a world of travel, obligations and families: the arrival of Jesus happens in the midst of everyday life.
The story begins among people who travel, wait and need company.
PLAY WITH WHAT YOU DISCOVERED
Every detail counts.
No time limit. You can try, look back and learn together.
What happened first?
Touch the events in the order in which they appear in Luke.
- 1Choose the next moment
- 2Choose the next moment
- 3Choose the next moment
You can go back to the scenes if you need a clue.
Who does the good news reach?
Remember who the angel finds in the field.
Take your time. What matters is discovering why.
FOR CURIOUS MINDS
There are still more
to discover.
Open a question. Discover what comes from the Bible and what the artist imagined.
Did the shepherds and the wise men arrive together?
Luke tells of the announcement to the shepherds and their visit to the child. Matthew recounts the arrival of the wise men from the East and mentions a house. We do not combine both visits into the same scene nor do we set a chronology that the texts do not detail.
Read the two stories ↗Does everything we see appear in the Bible?
No. The manger and the cloth wrapped around Jesus appear in Luke. The colors of the clothes, the lamp, the animal, the constructions and the number of shepherds are decisions of the illustration. The star belongs to the story of Matthew; here it accompanies the landscape as an artistic symbol.
Distinguish the details ↗What does Mary do with everything that happens?
Luke tells us that Mary treasures these things and reflects on them in her heart. We can pause at that gesture: there is no need to understand everything immediately. Listening, observing and asking questions are also part of faith.
Read about Mary ↗THE STORY CONTINUES WITH YOU
A small gesture.
A light for someone.
On your own or together, think: who needs someone beside them today? Choose a small act of care to try. It is an invitation, not a task to prove you have completed.
THE STORY CONTINUES · 02 / 12
Childhood
A caring family, a journey to safety, and a child who grows and learns. Jesus also knew ordinary days of growing up.
Read the next chapter At your own pace. You can return to this story whenever you want.Your discoveries and the chosen gesture are saved only in this browser. The narrations are original adaptations; the links open the NIV. Reading uses the voice of the device.
CHOOSE YOUR NEXT STEP
A life that invites us
to live differently.
You can follow the order or stop
in the chapter you need today.