Even the Elect Will Be Deceived: A Review of Journey to Bethlehem

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.  Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles will gather.Matthew 24:24–28

Back in Spetember I was invited to a movie preview, where the movie is shown prior to its actual release. I often get invitations to preview Christian themed movies prior to their release. I don’t write this as a movie review, although, it would appear that is what I am doing, but I write it as a warning to stay awake to certain things.

The movie I went to see is a musical about the birth of Christ called Journey To Bethlehem.  I was actually very excited to see the movie because I love all things Jesus and I love musicals. I was expecting to be thoroughly uplifted. Though I often have trepidation about the depiction of Mary when Protestants depict her, I was not prepared for what I saw. I actually got up and walked out after 30 minutes. Our Lady was depicted as a feminist being held down by the man, who happened to be Saint Joachim. She didn’t want to get married but was being forced to. She wanted to be a teacher and all her dreams were being smashed. There was even a scene where she told Saint Anne that she wished she had more faith!!!! This couldn't possibly be biblically serious.  

And Joseph, well, he was trying to pick up women in the market! He didn’t know the woman he was trying to pick up was Mary. But the message was clear, Joseph was out on the prowl.

It was as if the bible was never read prior to the making of this film. And the early church Fathers were certainly not read. Mary wasn’t a faith filled woman full of grace;

The angel came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28

and Joseph certainly wasn’t a righteous man;

 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her….Matthew 1:19

I wish I could tell you that the movie got better but I didn’t stay long enough to find out. I left a scathing review of how they essentially blasphemed the Mother of God.

To be fair, there was an opening where the makers of the film spoke of why they made the film. You could tell they loved Jesus. I know they did not know what they were doing.

 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34

And I left so sorrowful, not wanting to give another minute of my time to such a lack of understanding. What could have been so heartening became a grief. I felt that in an effort to relate to the modern man, the movie had made Mary and Joseph the dregs of modern man.

I thought of the verse at the top of the article. The eagles pecking on the corpse of womanhood trampled upon, left by a society who doesn’t really know God, even those baptized, who perhaps, desire to, but cannot look up enough to believe their nature can be elevated. We have become a people who puts God in a box of what He is not capable of doing for the human person, not believing he is capable of what he did do for Mary.  Even the elect will be deceived. This isn’t just a statement about Protestants who denigrate Our Lady, Catholics do it too. There is one thing I know for sure, Our Lady, daughter of God the Father, Mother of the Son, and spouse of the Holy Spirit, is the key to these times. Those who degrade and blaspheme her will be deceived. People who do not realize Mary had total mortification of natural ego, are themselves submersed in ego. It is ego that keeps us from seeing and ego that leads to deception.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
     my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
    behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
 His mercy is from age to age
    to those who fear him.
 He has shown might with his arm,
    dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
    but lifted up the lowly.
 The hungry he has filled with good things;
    the rich he has sent away empty.
 He has helped Israel his servant,
    remembering his mercy,
 according to his promise to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

This may have been just a movie, but it speaks of the larger deception. But for those who submit themselves under the mantle of the Mother of God and surrender themselves to her Son, who is God Himself, they will be lifted up, even in their weaknesses.