Advent

When I think of Advent I think of how Mary received the angel who told her she would give birth to the Son of God.  At first she wondered how this could be, but then she received it with open hands.  It reminds me of La Pieta in St. Paul's Cathedral in the Vatican.  I love that sculpture by Michelangelo, where Mary's hands are held open as the dead body of Christ is laid across her lap.  I wonder if she held her hands open like that when she first heard she would be with child.

She was probably just a teen, maybe like my niece's age, much like the ages of teens getting married now in the Middle East rural areas, where life doesn't seem to progress much past Bible times.  I can't imagine being that age, married, and with child!  How many die from being too young to go through that painful labor?  But Mary, Mary was willing.  Was she scared of the pain?  Did she wonder what others would think? 

And then Joseph, pledged to be married to her, finding out that he would raise a child that was not his own.  Yet Jesus was considered part of his lineage, a descendent of David and Abraham.  How did he feel about all this?  Did he feel honored to be chosen to be the earthy father of Christ?  Did Mary feel this honor?

All I know is that it happened, these two young people accepted God's will.  They probably were scared, worried, and hesitant, but they followed God, not knowing, yet knowing.  They knew the Bible and the prophecies, but did they know Jesus would die young, horribly murdered by the masses, by all of us?

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.