God entered into our world
not with the crushing impact
of unbearable glory,
but in the way of weakness,
...vulnerability and need.
{Brennan Manning}
not with the crushing impact
of unbearable glory,
but in the way of weakness,
...vulnerability and need.
{Brennan Manning}
I read this today whils also thinking about Mary today, inspired by Rachel at go placidly . It amazes me that God came himself in the form of a baby into our darkness. Absolutely dependent on a (probably) still scared and probably) still socially outcast girl and the goodwill/faith of her husband.
Mary - giving birth far away from her home - far away from the relatives who would have helped her through the first birth, the pain, reassured her. Did she have Joseph's relatives helping? Was she lonely, did the relatives know the circumstances of the birth and Joseph's 'kindness' to Mary? Did Joseph's extended family think the child was Joseph's or another man's? Were the couple in disgrace for breaking the traditions of betrothal - did Joseph take on the shame of having broken the vows and tradition and let his family assume that he was the father rather than shame Mary - let people assume he had broken his vows and God's law in not waiting for marriage to make love to Mary?
Were they in the room with the animals as an act of kindess - a crowded family room would be no place to give birth. The room with the animals (most likely not a stable or a cave, but the downstairs room of the house where the animals were bought in for the night) being a warm, quiet and private place for Mary to give birth - the only place they had. Or were they simply permitted to be in the house but not with the family - in shame but a small kindness to a young couple, still family? After all. They couldn't turn Mary away about to give birth. Did the families receive Jesus with joy, or was his birth a shameful thing to be forgotten ?
All the while, Mary understanding something amazing was happening and still struggling to understand that she really did carry the Messiah. That the Messiah realy was God. And all that this would mean for her, for Jospeh and for the world. Already facing disbelief from those around her. Strange things happening. Shepherds talking of Angels. Magi from the East with strange gifts. What does it all mean, for a young girl and her small child?
&into these lives, messy and uncertain, God came. Dependent on two rural teenagers living in stormy political and religious times. A small, helpless baby needing everything, able to give nothing.
God as a tiny baby.
&when I try to think of how incredible this is, that God gave up all his glory all his power and risked so very much in becoming human, Emmanuel - God with us - (God AS us) with one express purpose: to draw us near to Him in a way that no awesome show of power would or ever could - I don't think I can understand it.
The more I think about it, the more I feel like Mary, pondering all these things in her heart, how many things did she keep in her heart and mind throughout the years, wondering as she watched her son grow? Wondering as her baby grew into a child, began to be mischievous, grew through the years, was it really true? Could this boy-carpenter be the Messiah? Be her God? Was it just a fairytale? Is it really true? Did God come to earth weak and vulnerable as a baby, a child, a teenager, finally a man?
&yes. It is true. Once I would have said 'no,don't be ridiculous.'
Now my heart knows.
&still. It amazes me. I still do not understand.
&that is the mystery of christmas and the magic.
God gave up his otherness to be among us and to bring us to him for all time. &he truly became one of us, in all of life's struggles and messyness and vulnerability.
Light and love came down into our darkess.
Mary - giving birth far away from her home - far away from the relatives who would have helped her through the first birth, the pain, reassured her. Did she have Joseph's relatives helping? Was she lonely, did the relatives know the circumstances of the birth and Joseph's 'kindness' to Mary? Did Joseph's extended family think the child was Joseph's or another man's? Were the couple in disgrace for breaking the traditions of betrothal - did Joseph take on the shame of having broken the vows and tradition and let his family assume that he was the father rather than shame Mary - let people assume he had broken his vows and God's law in not waiting for marriage to make love to Mary?
Were they in the room with the animals as an act of kindess - a crowded family room would be no place to give birth. The room with the animals (most likely not a stable or a cave, but the downstairs room of the house where the animals were bought in for the night) being a warm, quiet and private place for Mary to give birth - the only place they had. Or were they simply permitted to be in the house but not with the family - in shame but a small kindness to a young couple, still family? After all. They couldn't turn Mary away about to give birth. Did the families receive Jesus with joy, or was his birth a shameful thing to be forgotten ?
All the while, Mary understanding something amazing was happening and still struggling to understand that she really did carry the Messiah. That the Messiah realy was God. And all that this would mean for her, for Jospeh and for the world. Already facing disbelief from those around her. Strange things happening. Shepherds talking of Angels. Magi from the East with strange gifts. What does it all mean, for a young girl and her small child?
&into these lives, messy and uncertain, God came. Dependent on two rural teenagers living in stormy political and religious times. A small, helpless baby needing everything, able to give nothing.
God as a tiny baby.
&when I try to think of how incredible this is, that God gave up all his glory all his power and risked so very much in becoming human, Emmanuel - God with us - (God AS us) with one express purpose: to draw us near to Him in a way that no awesome show of power would or ever could - I don't think I can understand it.
The more I think about it, the more I feel like Mary, pondering all these things in her heart, how many things did she keep in her heart and mind throughout the years, wondering as she watched her son grow? Wondering as her baby grew into a child, began to be mischievous, grew through the years, was it really true? Could this boy-carpenter be the Messiah? Be her God? Was it just a fairytale? Is it really true? Did God come to earth weak and vulnerable as a baby, a child, a teenager, finally a man?
&yes. It is true. Once I would have said 'no,don't be ridiculous.'
Now my heart knows.
&still. It amazes me. I still do not understand.
&that is the mystery of christmas and the magic.
God gave up his otherness to be among us and to bring us to him for all time. &he truly became one of us, in all of life's struggles and messyness and vulnerability.
Light and love came down into our darkess.
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I was thinking about yesterday while watching pt 3 of The Nativity (definitely see if you can get it on iplayer, it is wonderful!) was Mary's parents. I hadn't really given them much thought before now, if I'm honest, but Mary's situation would have brought shame to them aswell - and what were their thoughts abuot it? Did they send her away to Bethlehem in disgrace? Did that beg Joseph not to divorce her? Did they love her as a child even with this terrible thing she seemed to have done? Did they wash their hands of the whole situation? As they are not mentioned in the gospel accounts we can't know, I suppose, but it is an interesting thing to ponder.
The whole story is just so incredible, so amazing, that once you get passed the well-known fairytale aspects (it so often gets treated as such when you know it so well!) that it really does blow my mind. The word became flesh - helpless, tiny-baby-flesh - and made his dwelling amongst us. Hallelujah! xx