Mary, Mother of God

The gospel, Luke 2: 16-21, is the most romantic, dreamy scene that we see in every Christmas crib, it is the scene that we have seen on numerous Christmas greeting cards, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus lying on the manger. Angels still singing, shepherds have arrived, and a bright star is shining brightly on the Judaean dessert, indicating the arrival of the magi. When we minimise this scene we have only three figures, Jesus, Mary and Joseph. When we still minimise this scene we just have two figures, Jesus God, and Mary, the mother of God. Galatians 4: 4-7, says, in the fullness of time Jesus came, born of a woman. Today we focus our attention to that woman, Mary, Mother of God.

There was a holy jealousy among the women of Judea towards Mother Mary; this jealousy is different from the ungodly, selfish jealously. They admired and looked up to Mary for giving birth and bringing up a son who exhibits so much kindness and compassion. A woman seeing what Jesus was doing and saying, cries out in holy jealousy, blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you (Luke 11: 27-28). Blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and looked after you. It was in some sense the same words of Elizabeth, “Blessed are you among women.”

Mary mother of God, Mother Mary, Christmas,

Mary is definitely a favoured one, but not without having doubts and fears of ‘how shall all these happen’ feeling inside her. What we see is that Mary is a woman of tremendous faith, which gave her courage and resolve to surrender. Faith gives space to God—gives birth to God.

Finding Mary in the crib, joined by angels and kings, I am filled with questions like in the famous Christmas carol, Mary, did you know, by Mark Lowry written in 1985. “Mary did you know… that your baby boy will one day walk on water?... That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?... That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?... That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?... And when you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God?” (We could also add) Mary, did you know? that you have become the Mother of God?

The hymn does not answer these questions. Mary perhaps did not know; but, inspite of her doubts and fears, she believed, she pondered everything in her heart, she cooperated, and said yes to the will and design of God. She was part of a salvation design to be the mother of God; and that desgin was of God. We along with Mary say, Amen.

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