Sunday 23 December 2012

Two Women - a lifetime apart

Mary, a 'virigin' like the prophecy foretold,
you can take the word as unsullied,
you can take the word as young,
either way she fits the bill,
and the prophecy is done!

Elizabeth, in her old age,
her hopes of babies gone,
two women at opposite end of life,
but both of them with songs.
One hoping, one fearing,
one upheld - for that what having kid did,
the other facing condemnation - and possibly death.

The stage is set,
the message given,
and what does Mary do?
She says,
"I'll do it it if it's what God wants,"
but what would the answer have been
if it was me or you?

Would we today have been celebrating Rachel, 
or Rebekah,
or another,
as the mother of God?

If we were you know it wouldn't be odd,
for the only name to fit the frame
was the one who said 'Yes' when Gabriel came.

So today as we hear of Jesus and John,
of Elizabeth and Mary,
of pregnancies - fulfilling and scary,
Stop and think who Mary is,
and what she did,
and how we should applaud her as a hero of the faith,
the willing and submissive maid,
the theotokos (that's God-bearer to you),
And thank God for her.

I know I do (she's not just for the RCs you know)

And a a piece of sublime music to go with it.

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