how can a mother sing the song, "what child is this?" without
weeping? we've held our own precious little ones on our laps
and laid them to rest countless times. to think that mary did
the same with the King of kings bears reflection.
He was heralded by angels but was laid in a manger, and mary
treasured these things in her heart. no place is it recorded that
she said, "what? my Son, the Messiah, must have the finest
room in the inn. don't you know who He is?"
could she see the glory of the Lord on His tiny countenance
as He lay there?
simeon did "and took Him in his arms and praised God saying:
. . . for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have
prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the
gentiles and for glory to your people israel." (luke 2:28-32)
and then he said to mary, " . . . and a sword will pierce your
own soul, too." (luke 2:35) truer words were never spoken.
when my children were misjudged or treated unfairly it killed
me. i wanted to strike out and protect them.
she seems to have been submitted to His destiny; "whither thou
goest, i will go . . ." as another handmaiden had said years
before. (ruth 1:16, 17)
i fear that, as a protestant, i have robbed mary her due. she
was not perfect and even admonished by her Son a couple of
times as He grew in stature before God and man, but she had
qualities i would love to see in myself:
humility
devotion
courage
contemplation
obedience
faith
"this, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and
angels sing; haste, haste to bring Him laud, the Babe, the
Son of mary."
love,
lea
