Chapter 15 - Advent’s Way to the House of Bread: Sabbath Day on the Road - Miriam’s Teachings
Updated: 5 days ago
In the time of Jesus, the ability to read and write was not common in Palestine. Boys from Jewish families often learned in a synagogue school called bet sefer. They began with the Hebrew alphabet - aleph, bet, gimel… all the way to tav. First they learned to recognize the letters, and then to read passages from the Torah.
Writing was more difficult and far less common. It required tablets, a stylus, and a great deal of practice.
Girls, however, rarely attended such schools. Most women came to know the Word of God primarily through listening: at home, in the synagogue, during the great feasts, and through conversations with those around them.
And that makes Miriam all the more remarkable.
She could read and write. She knew the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. She could recognize the written Word, read it aloud, and put down in writing what was important.
And that is what today’s chapter is about.
As the journey to Bethlehem continues, the Sabbath draws near. Miriam does not simply rest. She teaches.
She shows the children the letters. She helps them see how letters come together to form words. But as She teaches them to read, She is also teaching them something far greater:
True reading begins in the heart.
Letters matter. Words matter. But what matters even more is whether we can hear the God who speaks through them.
Even in the silence of the Sabbath. Even when we are tired from the road. Even in the middle of an ordinary day.
Because sometimes God speaks through the words written on a page.
And sometimes, He teaches us to read those words with a different kind of vision - the vision of the heart.
Sabbath Day on the Road - Miriam’s Teachings - Advent’s Way to the House of Bread
The hostess’s children could write their names and simple words on parchment, using a small reed or wooden stylus dipped in ink made from soot and oil, which they had brought along with pieces of blank parchment.
Each letter required care, and writing was slow and deliberate. This helped the children learn the alphabet and remember the meaning of words. Their names and first attempts at writing became real, personal “documents” and exercises in patience and focus.
From these efforts, not only were the children’s fingers blackened, but their faces were dotted with little black specks like ladybugs. No one minded; the game of school with Miriam continued joyfully.
Marcel carefully traced the indicated letters, mainly with his pencil. Miriam showed him how to write his name and a few simple words:
שָׁלוֹם – “Peace”
בַּיִת – “House”
מַרְסֵל – “Marcel”
The letters were written from right to left. Each one was like a small puzzle for Marcel, and repeating them made him feel he was learning something truly special.
Gabi, on the other hand, decided to write her own name:
גַּבִּי – “Gabi”
She did quite well, colouring each letter with a different crayon. The hostess’s children watched with admiration and helped Gabi by adjusting her hand position so that each letter could take the correct shape. Marcel managed on his own - after all, he was the older brother and went to school.
“See,” Miriam explained with gentle authority that touched the heart of their motivation, “letters are not just signs for reading. They are little stories and words you can hold in your memory and in your heart. Just as you read prayers from parchment, your own written words can tell stories about your life and adventures.”
Gabi and Marcel smiled at each other. This combination of learning, play, and imagination made the day full of discoveries. The children could feel that the world of ancient Galilee was closer and more alive than they could ever imagine.
Later, the women listened to Miriam’s teachings about what it means to be a wife and mother. She explained simply that it involved patience, kindness, diligence, and care for the family - values that have always been essential in everyday life.
The host invited Joseph to walk the fields with him, explaining what grew where: wheat, barley, olives, and grapes. He described sowing, watering, harvesting, and storing the crops. Joseph watched everything with a protective gaze, silently blessing the work of the people and the children.
Through these conversations, Marcel could understand that life in the village requires patience, planning, and care for every piece of land, and that everyone has responsibilities they must honour.
Through diligent work and obedience, the children built their character. And this has not changed over the centuries. This, too, is the Advent’s Way to the House of Bread.
For centuries, Psalm 92 has been prayed on the Sabbath. It teaches gratitude, brings comfort, and invites us into joyful communion with God.
“It is good to give thanks to the Lordand to sing praise to Your name, O Most High,to proclaim Your steadfast love in the morningand Your faithfulness by night.”
What would you like to thank God for today? Where can you see His love and care for you? Don’t be shy - sing your thanks to God, just like Miriam and Joseph!
🌿 Postcard from the Journey
At the end of the day, Marcel took out his notebook and wrote:
“From Alef to Tav and FIAT”
ALEF — א
BET — ב
GIMEL — ג
…
TAV — ת
For a boy living in the time of Jesus, learning the first letters of the Hebrew alphabet was the beginning of a journey toward reading the Torah. Jesus, too, grew up learning the letters and reading the Scriptures.
💛 What does this mean for me?
Maybe faith begins with a little YES - with one word spoken to God, inviting Him to dwell in our hearts.
In Hebrew, “yes” is:
כֵּן — ken
simply meaning “yes.”
🌿 Mary said “YES” to God. 🌿
Mary’s “Fiat” comes from the Latin word fiat, which literally means “let it be,” “let it happen,” or “let it be done.”
🌿 In the Latin Vulgate:
Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum.
“Let it be done to me according to your word.”
🌿 The Gospel of Luke was written in Greek. Mary says:
Γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου
Genoito moi kata to rhēma sou.
There is a beautiful depth to these words: Mary is not simply saying “I agree,” but opening herself to God’s action, allowing His word to become a reality in Her.
🌿 As a Jewish woman from Galilee, Mary most likely spoke these words in Aramaic. We do not know their exact original wording.
For comparison, in Hebrew:
יְהִי — yəhî / yehi
= “let it be,” “let it happen.”
This is the word we find in the account of creation:
יְהִי אוֹר — Yehi or“Let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3)
But with one important clarification: “Yehi” is not a known, preserved exact word spoken by Mary in Luke 1:38. It is a Hebrew equivalent expressing the idea of “let it be,” not a record of her actual words.
Mary’s Fiat = “Lord, let Your word become a reality in me.” 🤍
🌟 A Question for the Little Pilgrim
Maybe today you, too, can say your little “YES” to God by helping someone, forgiving, praying, or doing something good, even when you really don't feel like it. 🤍
Share it in the comments and send me your card. Gabi and Marcel will be happy to see it too. ❤️
← Continue the journey: If you missed the previous chapter, step back onto the road and discover what happened before.
Keep walking → Ready for the next step? Continue to the next chapter of Advent’s Way to the House of Bread and see where the journey leads.
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