The Nativity
AFTER receiving a clear message of what her lifelong mission was going to be, Mary set her sight on attaining her vision, which had to be to prepare for the birth of her child and to secure his survival as an infant. However, there were other duties that had to be taken care of first: going to the hill country where Elizabeth was, to help care for her and assist her in the immediate aftermath of giving birth; having to break the literally incredible news of her virgin pregnancy to her parents and to her betrothed, Joseph. All these she left in God’s more capable hands, and she was not disappointed. Elizabeth gave birth to a child, who was so obviously special in God’s eyes. And Joseph, having been told in a dream that the child Mary was bearing in her womb was of God, finally took her into his house: in the eyes of the law, that child was his (although he knew better).
In pursuit of the vision centered on the birth of Jesus, Mary set an example of diligence and care as well as of obedience and humble submission.
• As any expectant mother would do, Mary set about the task of preparing clothing for her child. She cut and sewed; she poured out her whole heart into making “swaddling clothes” to cover and fondle her child, after his birth. She may not have had the resources to prepare much else; but she took care to have a stock of baby clothes that would cover and keep warm her baby after his coming out of her womb. What a good example of motherly diligence and care, brought down to such material details as preparing clothing for an expected child!
• As an ordinary citizen, Mary with her husband Joseph had to obey the law. The Emperor decreed that people should report to their respective towns for a head count (a census was ordered). Despite the cost and expense that such obedience entailed, Joseph and Mary set out to Bethlehem, the town of David, to whose ancestral house they belonged. Mary was close to completing her term; and Bethlehem was a considerable distance away from Nazareth. But out of civic duty and obedience to a legitimate imperial decree, they undertook that long, uncomfortable journey, despite Mary’s condition. Privileged as they were in God’s eyes, still they gave us an example of obedience to civil authority.
• After the Nativity, there was still another duty, this one prescribed by religious authorities: for the mother to be “purified” and for the first-born male child to be presented to God in the temple, with an offering befitting the economic condition of the child’s parents. On the day as prescribed by religious law, Mary had to present herself in the temple for “purification”, and Joseph had to present the child, with an offering of turtle doves, as poor people were expected to offer. Mary, as virgin mother, had no need of purification; nonetheless, she complied submissively and humbly with the prescriptions of religious law.
Mary had many other sublime moments before and after giving birth. She had much to ponder and relish. The visit of the Magi from the East bearing gifts was one such moment; it must have invited her to ponder such a strange event involving some very strange people in her heart. And there were a couple of other strange things, which were totally unexpected: with due deference to her husband, Joseph, she had to get up in the middle of the night, and with great haste took the baby in the flight to Egypt. And it was in that foreign land, where she had to care for her infant, who was the Promised One for her people.
Mary had much to ponder as she allowed herself to be an instrument in God’s hands. She had to mull strange and difficult events in her mind and heart. She had to “contemplate” them: she had to be a contemplative in the midst of events and circumstances, in which God so clearly showed his hand.