Back on the road and heartily protected Mary could relax. The road was wider and fully paved and being next to the Jordan River, cooler. Her unrest, settled. She travelled with the cart full of children, whom she sat teaching; her little bird always at her side.
Mary found she could teach children to pray easier, through images of her own life story.
“Yes” she had started, “Of course God exists. You are living proof of His love. God gives us life, if we accept it…but to live it is not enough to breathe. One must choose goodness. Evil kills the soul, even if you continue breathing. Righteousness is the Light that guides the soul to God. You must say -NO!- to wicked evildoers and -YES!- to goodness. You decide. Physical life is like a glove worn for all to see; but the hand within is like the soul, that actually moves the glove with life.”
She continued, exemplifying God´s presence in her own life. There was much excitement and awe as she started..
“I was alone, about my chores, praying my psalms inwardly, as I often did, when suddenly, a bright flickering light appeared to project what I was sure, was an angel.”
She rarely described this very intimate recollection. It seemed so farfetched and difficult to believe…that now, as she retold it, she couldn´t remember if it was real, or just the way she had described it to herself so many times before.
‘Perhaps it was because she was a descendant of David on her father's side, or because she descended from Aaron on her mother's side….that God had sent her a messenger to reassure her saying…’
"You have found favor with God."
How could she, a lowly Nazarene, no more than fourteen, an orphan given unto Joseph, a poor carpenter, as a bride, be so highly regarded by God?
"Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you…"continued the angel.
Mary told the children that the apparition greatly troubled her, wondering what it portended.
"Do not be afraid, Mary”, the angel continued, as if aware of her fear. "Would you be of child and give birth to a son who would save people from their sins?” He asked of her. “He would not come to judge the world; nor come to blame but would only come to seek to save those who would be saved,” he said.
He went on "The child would be Son of the Most High."
‘Was the angel actually asking if she would bare God’s son? If she would have the long-awaited promise of redemption from sin?’…she thought to herself in disbelief.
Mary looked the apparition over. ‘Who was this messenger of God? Was he good or evil? Was he tempting her with such words of praise?’ ‘Could he really be asking her to accede to this almost unimaginable privilege?’
“Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”
Of course Mary knew of the promise God had made to David more than one thousand years earlier, assuring that one of his descendants would rule forever. ‘Could it possibly be that she was being offered to bear the son who would be the Messiah, whom God’s people had been hoping for, for so long?
‘She, a lowly maid’….she continued in disbelief… till it struck her that her cousin Elizabeth had just herself, shared a similar experience. Her husband Zechariah, had also had an apparition saying “Do not be afraid; your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John”.
Remarkably Elizabeth had, in her old age, become pregnant! The angel must be the same messenger, Archangel Gabriel!
Again the angel promised, "You could be with child and give birth to a son whose name would be Jhesus".
Startled, and now exhilarated with excitement and humble acceptance Mary asked, "How could it be, since I am a virgin."
“It is your grace and purity that make you virgin, Mary, worthy to be called the Mother of God”.
“Why haven´t you asked Joseph, first, as you did, Zechariah?” She asked.
“It is the fruit of your womb that will undo the fruit of that forbidden tree” said the Angel.
And breaking down in total submission "I am a handmaid of the Lord - the lowliest of God's servants”, Mary replied, “Pray for me a sinner, since I am unworthy to bear such grace”.
Immediately falling on his knees the angel replied , “It is I who ask you to pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death”.
And
looking up at the skies as if replying to God directly, Mary said, “Not my will,
but Yours be done, My Lord” and looking down at the angel at her feet, replied
“aye, aye” and started crying in total surrender.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" said the angel to Mary, and compassionately reassured her that she would not be alone, “For nothing is impossible to God."
Through her tears, Mary was able to reply, "May it be to me as you have said."
Jair, the faithful servant, now free, sat up front, driving the horses that pulled the cart along the moving caravan. He had been overhearing in silent adoration, the miracle story of Jhesus, his healer and savior. He sat beside himself in tears.
Mary thought to herself as the children marveled, that she had accepted the role, given, of mother of Jhesus. Yet she knew a cost would be involved, and since her joy had been unsurpassable, the cost would surely too, be unsurmountable.
“Love has a cost. The more we love, the more we suffer, unless we let the loving be done through us. Then it becomes eternal”, I thought as I walked with Mary, this Lent.
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