Mary, Did You Know?

I love this newly discovered depiction of the nativity with Mary nursing the newborn Christ-child surrounded by heavenly hosts and Joseph looking slightly overwhelmed. I've been thinking a lot about Mary and Joseph this year because of the timely arrival of Archie. A new baby is the perfect Christmas gift and the best way to spur one's thoughts toward the baby Jesus and his little earthly family. One of my favorite Christmas songs is 'When Joseph Went to Bethlehem.' It's simple lyrics and tune make me tear up every time I hear it or sing it. We know so little about Joseph other than he was a man of great faith, compassion and understanding. I try to imagine his thoughts and feelings as he 'held the little Jesus close upon that holy night.' Just as Mary was a 'chosen vessel' so too was Joseph foreordained to be Jesus' mortal father, to guard and protect and watch over the Savior of the world. What an honor and privilege to be able to serve the Master in a way that no one else would.
And then there's Mary, 'most beautiful and fair above all other virgins,' chosen to carry and deliver her Messiah. It would be difficult to comprehend such a miracle. A normal birth of a normal child is overwhelming and a great spiritual experience. In an instant it seems, a little tiny baby is born and put into your arms and then all of the weight of responsibility rushes in. It's an experience like no other. Words really do fail to explain all of the feelings and emotions that accompanies that experience and then compound that with a miracle conception and birth of the Son of God. Little wonder that 'Mary kept all of these things and pondered them in her heart.' We know that she knew what was happening but how could any human fully comprehend what she, the mother of Jesus, would see and experience as she raised him from baby to man? Undoubtedly, Mary's love for Jesus was like that of a common mother whose fawning love for her infant resembles adoration. But her love for him and true adoration grew exponentially as she cared for him, nursed him, bathed him, changed him, fed him and watched him grow in wisdom and understanding and eventually realizing his divine role. Mary did for him what he could not do for himself as a young child. What a blessed experience to serve him as no other human could. Which begs the question, 'What can we do to serve him? What errand does he require of us?' These are questions I am asking myself as this new year dawns. What good can I accomplish this year?