Something I wrote a few weeks ago, you might consider giving this to the girls.

Mary, Mother of Jesus.

She was chosen before the worlds began
To be the mother of our beloved saviour dear,
The precious part of Heavenly Father’s plan.
I wonder in the spirit world, did she know fear?

Fear of the great calling placed upon her humble head,
Or was she calm and serene, full of God’s grace?
I wonder, did I know her?  If so, I hope I quietly said,
Thank you dearest Mary, and saw a smile on her face.

I wonder how she marveled at God’s almighty plan,
When on earth He made her the mother of His son?
Oh, what must she have felt when His life first began,
Then at the cruel cross when His life was done.

I know she was a good mother, one kind and true,
One for us to emulate, all our own lives through.

THOUGHTS ON MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS.

I sometimes stop and think, as a woman and as a mother, what must it have been like to be the mother of our beloved Lord? I must admit that the concept is overpowering.   The first characteristic that she must have possessed in abundance, was humility. So much so that she would bend to every wish of the Father. Be like perfect clay in the potters hand. This must have been taught her by loving and obedient parents.

Pride could not be part of the mother of Jesus, for she would have boasted of who she was and the great gift she had given to mankind. No, I feel that humility would be the first good trait that the Lord searched for when he chose Mary for this mission.

Tied in closely with humility is obedience. Strict obedience to the Father’s will. " . . . . Be it unto me according to thy will." (St Luke Ch 1: 38) said Mary when she knew what was going to happen to her. I can only feel the fear that must have gone with this statement. Stoning was the punishment for a woman found with child before marriage. Or to be cast out of the community. Did she feel that fear, or was her trust in the Lord and Joseph, her espoused husband that all would be well so strong, that she did not fear.

The angel also told her of Elizabeth being with child and when all was settled with Joseph she went to see her. When they met Elizabeth’s child leapt in her womb and she said to Mary: "And whence is it to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (St Luke Ch 1: 43.) The answer that Mary gave is embedded into many hearts and minds throughout Christendom.

"My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low state of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. (St Luke. 1: 46-55)

What great insight and wisdom this young lady had. How well she knew the scriptures. In the future the Lord himself would say: "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven," (Matthew 5:16)

Mary was filled with the spirit and was an example to all around her, although after that pouring out of the spirit to her dear cousin Elizabeth, there is no other recording made anywhere of how she felt about the thing she had to do.

Come what may she would go through it all with the will of God. I often wonder if the upcoming marriage was arranged or these two people had fallen in love? Yet when they found out what was to happen to them, love needed to be there in great measure. Jesus needed to be raised where love flowed like a river through the walls of the home.

This previous paragraph has brought to light other talents that Mary needed in life. Trust in her God. So much trust that we should strive for. With trust comes incredible faith. Did she know fear? Fear of the unknown? Fear of not being good enough? Fear of what would befall her son? Did she know that he was the prince of peace? Or did she wonder if he was the deliverer from the slavery of body and not of soul.? No, her faith and trust was so strong that she just left matters in the hands of God the Almighty?

There is very little told of Mary in the scriptures, maybe she wanted it that way.   We know she was a virgin, and her name was Mary and her mother’s name was Anna and she had an older cousin named Elizabeth. We know that when it came time for the child to be born they had to go to Bethlehem by decree to be counted and taxed. A perfect timing to fulfill the scriptures so they would be in the right place where Jesus should be born. We know that the things she saw at the time of His birth she kept in her heart and pondered them.

When the child was born, just like all women she must have felt that joy of giving life to this helpless form in her arms. The wonder of life and birth, and a feeling of accomplishment. Although weary, new energy surges and life is great.

We as humans, most of us anyway, feel a kind of pride, be it right or wrong.   There might have been some pain in her gentle heart, for although she was his mother, he belonged to the world. The Son of God, with a purpose in life over which she had no control. But at that moment lying in her arms, he was hers. This tiny child was hers till the time appointed for his incredible calling to begin.

One of my best loved carols is. ‘Tonight you are mine.’ It touches at the hearts strings and the great love Mary had.  Shepherds and wise men visited the child and paid homage. What wonder went through these two hearts that were his mother and protector, Joseph, here on earth.  Then when eight days old with the visit to the temple and the words of Simeon who took the child in his arms.

"Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou has prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:29-32)

We are told that he grew in stature and wisdom. The only other comment of his childhood was his visit to Jerusalem when he was twelve. Both Mary and Joseph showed concern at the loss of the young boy , as any one of us would do I am sure. We have all felt the anguish when a lost child is reported and the willingness to do anything to help find the child. Maybe it was then that they realized that this was the start of his new path, they must have felt great sorrow as well as joy and dare I use the word? Pride. Not pride in their accomplishments, but the feeling that they had done the right thing in rearing him to this plateau in his short life.

Thoughts just rush through my mind as I try and feel how Mary felt as he blessed and healed and raised the dead. When he fed the hungry, made the blind see. How would you feel and then the triumphant ride the whole area singing his praises. A proud heart would say, and speak the thought loud and clear. "That my boy." But she kept these things in her hearts, or I am sure they would have been recorded.

Then the frightful day of his death. The pain of losing a child has been felt by many. Was this different, did she know that he would rise again? And so the sorrow was just for the suffering of a child. We do not know. But deep down inside I feel a loving God would have given Mary the gift of knowing this was part of the plan, however painful.

Give me humility, trust, faith, pure love and all the other attributes that Mary had, so I too may be able to one day meet the mother of my Lord, and call her blessed to her face.

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