DATE WITH THE GODS

The Immaculate Conception 241

When you read, make your language more twentieth

century, okay?"

"Matthew 1:18," I began.

These are the fa cts concerning the birth of Jesus Christ:

His mother Mary was engaged to be married to joseph,

but while she was still a virgin she became pregnant with

the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, who do they think they're kidding. I knew a
girl in Beverly Hills who claimed to be a virgin. When she
got pregnant, it turned out this 'virgin' was getting
involved in some pretty heavy sex with her butler. I
remember how everyone teased her about having been
impregnated by the Holy Spirit.
Come on, Rama, this is the twentieth century."
"Keep reading."

"Then joseph, her fiancee, being a man of stern

principles, decided to break off the engagement, but to do it

quietly fo r he didn't want to disgrace her publicly.

Good for him. I don't blame him for not wanting to get

involved in some kind of biblical Peyton Place.

As he lay awake considering this, he fe ll into a dream,

and saw an angel standing beside him. "joseph, son of

David," the angel said, "don't hesitate to take Ma ry as

your wife, for the ch ild within her has been conceived by

the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you shall

name him jesus, fo r he will save his people from their sins.

Th is will fulfill God's message through his prophets.

"Now, let's see how all this happened."

"You mean the conception by the Holy Spirit?"