CommunionFire Special: The Chronicles of Cleophas: Chapter one

The Chronicles of Cleophas 
Chapter One

"Follow Me" Jesus led me back to Emmaus yesterday (6/7/15) about 5pm. Who is Cleopas (whose name means "The Whole Glory")? Who is his wife Mary related to? So we got into the Holy Spirit Jeep online and started touring the country back in the day. The roads were gnarly dude! but let me begin this first hand "Report from the Road with Jesus" by asking you a question.

Do you know God's natural family on earth? 
How much do you know about Jesus family? 
His aunts and uncles? His cousins? 
Their parents? His grandparents? 
Even His great grandparents?

If you said not much - you aren't alone. Why should we? We know Jesus. Isn't that enough? Non-Catholics barely bring out His mother Mary for the Christmas creche each year. Roman Catholics are busy praying with her as their prayer partner, have rosary beads, medallions, statuary and prayer cards and so on. Much more in touch with understanding her importance to God than us non-Catholics. Eastern Orthodox call her The Theotokos! (They have no problem with mysteries of the faith and further they feel no need to explain it to others.)

So is understanding Jesus' family on earth important or faith-related?
Do you think God had a plan for Jesus 'natural' family? 
Is there something we can learn from getting to know this once in the history of mankind family?

Let me ask you further. From a worldly perspective, if you were up for a promotion and it depended on a dinner at the bosses house, wouldn't you take time in preparing to make sure you know about the family, their likes, dislikes and so forth?

Jesus Christ the Son of God and Son of man and Son of Mary and Joseph had 4 cousins born to their Aunt Mary who was married to Cleopas. In fact Aunt Mary here is Mary #2! The First one was The Virgin Mary who married Joseph. Virgin Mary and Mary #2 had the same Mom? Well, it was because their Mother Anna (from Hebrew Hannah, meaning "Favor of the Lord") was first married to a guy named Joachim. 

They offered their first-born, The Virgin Mary, to be raised in the Temple as holy to the Lord! 

This goes back to the Old Testament story of Hanna, the mother of Samuel over a thousand years earlier. Hanna was barren and she asked God for favor to have a son and she promised if God would do this she would offer him to the Temple to be raised as a holy man for God after he was weaned. She gave birth to Samuel and did as she promised the Lord.

Back to Anna. Joachim her first husband died after they gave The Virgin Mary to the Temple to be raised holy to the Lord.

Eventually, we know, their daughter, The Virgin Mary, was visited by heaven and God brought her together with Joseph to be her husband and Jesus' natural life Dad. 

At the very same time Jesus' Gramma Anna had a sister Emirina. Emirina and her husband Philip gave birth to a lady we know as Mary's cousin Elizabeth! She gave birth to John the Baptist! All in the family in the most God-orchestrated way! It doesn't stop here.

So widow Anna married a second time to a man named Cleophas! (Okay stay with me there is another Cleophas) This is better than a 'fake reality show - this is an Eternal Reality Show! Anna and her new husband Cleophas had a daughter too and named her... you guessed it: "Mary!" So she is who I call Mary #2. Hang in there.

Guess who Mary #2 brings home for dinner? Another guy named Cleophas just like Dear old Dad! Mary #2 wanted to marry him. Who is Cleophas #2? Would you believe this Cleophas is the brother of Joseph who married the Virgin Mary! Further, later on during the resurrection this is the couple that Jesus met on the Road to Emmaus!

Did God have a plan? Why this couple? 
We know why Mary#1 and Joseph are the most important couple in the history of mankind, but what was so important about Mary #2 and Cleopas?

Did they have children? Who were Jesus' "brothers"?

What happened to Anna and Cleopas#1? Did they have more children?

Overnight I could not sleep. I continued in the Holy Spirit Jeep all night long... bleary eyed but out of my mind with excitement to get to know Jesus and his family on earth better...

Stay Tuned for the next exciting adventure - It will blow your mind!