Why Were Joseph and Mary Turned Away by the Innkeepers?

Question:

When Joseph and Mary were looking for a place to stay for the night and they were being rejected from the inn keepers repeatedly. Why all the rejection of the Holy Mother?

Comment:

Your question referenced the Gospel of Matthew, but in fact Matthew doesn't have the story of Mary and Joseph being turned away from various inns. That's only in Luke. According to Matthew, Mary and Joseph already lived in Bethlehem, so the birth was at home. It was only after returning from taking refuge in Egypt that they decided to move to Nazareth to be farther away from Herod. Luke says they lived in Nazareth, journeyed to Bethlehem for a census, and were there turned away from inns, being forced to stay in a stable where the birth occurred.   To be “turned away” is not really the same as being "rejected." The inns were full. There wasn't a value judgment involved on the part of the innkeepers; they simply had no room. I think Luke adds this detail to emphasize the deceptively lowly birth of Jesus. Metaphysically, it suggests that we can't expect the world around us to acknowledge the birth of Christ awareness in us. In a world busy with its own priorities, a spiritual birth may seem insignificant. But we know how important it is. I'm sure Mary and Joseph felt no sense of rejection or negative judgment. They were grateful and appreciative for the healthy birth. And, as is always the case when we are One with the divine, it happened at the perfect time and place.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed