Her life really started the day that an angel turned her life upside down and asked her to say yes to having God’s child – a terrifying decision, nothing like the piously overblown Renaissance paintings depict it.
She knew people would gossip that she was either a liar or a nut case. Just picture what the ladies at her synagogue had to say about THAT explanation. At least Joe believed her after HE got the word from an angel – what a sweetheart! And her cousin Elizabeth was pretty supportive, too.
Maybe it was good that the Romans ordered them out of town for the census before the baby was born but she can still remember every bump on that donkey ride. Bethlehem looked pretty good until they found out that all the motels were full. The stable was dirty and it smelled. What a place to have your first child. (Reality check for city folks: visit a working barn some day.)
After pausing a couple of minutes (to collect her thoughts again) she continues by telling you about the flight to Egypt with a baby followed by the hardships of living in a foreign country. She can really identify with today’s immigrants. Then there was the time her 12 year old kid decided to disappear for three days during a trip just so He could show the elders in the Temple how smart He was. How “Junior high” of Him!!!
She had to be tough to raise Him and stand up to Him on occasion like she did at Cana. Of course she was there when the going was roughest and His friends deserted Him. Suddenly she was the mother of a felon dying a horrible death.
Mary—a real woman—smart, tough and loving – who made many hard choices to say “yes.” No wonder generations have called you “blessed!”
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