Mary's Musings
"Why did they have to choose you, my son?" Mary thought as she stood at the tomb belonging to Joseph of Arimathea where they had buried her Son two days earlier. Mary knew that by coming to His tomb she would have a quiet place to think. She thought back to the day Gabriel had come to tell her that she would have a Son. Mary couldn't even begin to explain the horror she had felt when the angel told her the news. How would she explain the birth of a child out of wedlock? No one would believe that God had placed a child in her womb without the help of a man! No one had understood except Joseph, dear, dear Joseph. Gabriel had appeared to him also, to explain that Mary had found favor in the sight of God and was to give birth to a son. A Son that was to be the Savior of the world; Mary's holy, divine Son who was born in the lowest of places; born among animals instead of kings; and laid in a manger instead of a cradle. But Mary would never forget the worship and praise bestowed upon her Son as shepherds and kings had come from near and far bearing gifts for the baby Jesus.
Mary couldn't begin to count the number of animals Jesus brought home as He was growing up. He would marvel at how wonderful and creative His Father was, daily reminding Mary that there would come a day when He would leave to do the work His Father had sent Him to do and she would have to let Him go. She knew the day was nearer when they began the return journey home from the Passover Festival. They searched at the end of the day only to find that Jesus was not among any of the other families in the caravan. They found Him three days later talking with the elders of the church. From that day forward Mary began noticing Jesus doing something new and strange everyday. She took Him one day to the river so that He could play while she washed clothes. She looked up from her washing to check on Him and found that He was walking on the top of the water! Another day Mary was sweeping the house and looked out to find Jesus crouched below a tree looking at something in the dirt. When she went to investigate she found that He was crying over a little bird with a broken wing. As she watched He tenderly picked up the bird and cradled it in His hand, He then gently blew on the bird's broken wing and covered it with His other hand. He closed his eyes and mouthed something silently; then He stood and slowly lifted His hands toward the sky uncovering the bird as His hands went higher. As He stood there with His hands stretched as high as they would go with the bird in one hand, Mary wondered how she would comfort Him when the bird didn't fly away. Just as she took a step toward Jesus the bird leaped out of Jesus' hand and flew away…
"…Mary…Mary…" Mary blinked and suddenly she was again sitting at the tomb. She looked around but couldn't find the source of the voice. She felt as though the Lord was speaking to her heart "Well done my good and faithful servant. Mary looked toward heaven with tears streaming down her face, "Thank you," she whispered "for giving me Your Son for a time. He will live on in my heart always and I will treasure every memory I have of Him." Mary slowly stood looking at the tomb that held God's son the Savior of mankind. A slow smile crept across her face as she thought about the part, however small, that she had played in providing a shelter and a home for the Son of God. She suddenly knew that everything her Son had said when He was alive was true and that soon there would once again be a living Savior that could take away people's sins and if they would just believe in Him, Jesus would take them to be with Him and His Father for all of eternity. And with that knowledge burning in her soul Mary, the mother of Jesus, turned and walked away.
