December 9, 2018
Mary, a Teenager
Alone in her room,
Mary sensed the shining presence
Of the angel Gabriel,
Heard the surround-sound of his voice
Thunder quietly on the walls of her heart.
“God has chosen you
To be the mother of the Messiah.”
Mary knelt, overwhelmed,
Praising God for the honor of this calling,
Blessedly not yet able to see:
The disapproval for this illegitimate pregnancy,
The discomfort of the long donkey ride to Bethlehem,
The fear-filled escape from King Herod,
The loneliness of their family exile in Egypt,
The anguish of watching Jesus die on the cross,
A mother’s long journey.
But a triumphant finale:
The Easter joy of holding His nail-scarred hands.