Wednesday, 4 February 2009

Getting to know Mary-some reflections

How often we see do we see portraits of Mary usually with the Angel messenger, looking beautiful, demure and not at all like one who might help with the housework or look after the kids? Yet surely Mary was a sensible, feisty young woman, a member of a large extended family where it was usual to help with household tasks and childcare? When I have visited my friends in Peru or Uganda I am very aware of the many married brothers and sisters and children. There always seemed to be someone-an older sister, niece or cousin to help when the new baby arrived and women of the family to help with childbirth. Mary too would have been involved at such times.
Her home too while simple was not one of extreme poverty. Joseph’s family were builders, perhaps Mary’s family too were in a similar trade. The family lived and slept in the one room above the stabling and store or shop. Surely too this was a warm and loving family who loved God and followed the religious practices of their forefathers. Mary would have been familiar with scriptures and perhaps the Father had been preparing them as they read the prophecies about the Messiah.

I think Mary would have become familiar with the way God speaks to his children –whether in dreams or the ‘still small voice’ or through Scripture but the Angel Gabriel’s visit was something else altogether.

When God speaks to one there is no doubt in the listener; it is not a vague ‘did that really happen’ kind of experience. I wonder what Mary did? I suspect this was the kind of family where she could go and have a quiet word with her Mother and together perhaps they would have talked to her Father about going to visit Cousin Elizabeth. Perhaps they had already heard that something strange was happening there too? News of Zechariah’s strange vision and his dumbness must have circulated to Galilee. So in their perplexity why not visit Elizabeth and find out more. How reassuring that God told her about Elizabeth’s pregnancy in old age- a further confirmation that God really was about to do something rather wonderful involving Mary.

She would not have made the journey alone-if her parents couldn’t go surely some of the extended family had business in Jerusalem or were ready to go visiting with her.

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