I Wonder

 I Wonder

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

 

I wonder what Anne, the mother of Mary, thought when her little girl (not much more than thirteen) announced the good news that had been given to her. She, blessed among women, would carry the Savior of the world within her womb.

Imagine how Mary must have tried to recall the words the angel had spoken as she stood before her mother. “Rejoice, oh highly favored one! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28).

At the time she felt like rejoicing but now, standing before her mother, perhaps she trembled as the words tumbled out. No doubt fear was ever present even though the angel had clearly spoken, “Mary, do not be afraid” (Luke 1:30).

There is no mention of how Anne responded to her little girl, but as she was fully human, we can’t help but wonder what she wondered. Did she go to Joachim, her husband, to clear the cobwebs setting in? Maybe she whispered her thoughts to a close friend to figure out how she was going to break the news to him? Were they so grace-filled that God allowed peace to reign in each of their hearts? Was their faith so strong that it left little room for doubt?

Personally speaking, some of my first questions would have been the basics:  who, what, when, where, and why. Who told you this? What? When did that happen? Where were you? Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream? Why you? What will people think? Were you sneaking out? Really? Can I talk to some of your friends? Does Joseph know about this? Was he in on the plan?

If one digs deep enough, one will always find dirt so don’t dig too deep is what I try to abide by. Natural consequences are usually the best consequences because then all can take ownership of that which they’ve created. Another sidebar I cling tightly to is this rule of thumb. If I can’t take credit for all the good my kids do—I certainly am not going to take responsibility for things leaning in the opposite direction.

And so, in my humanness as a mama, I wonder what Anne’s initial response was to the announcement. Apparently, it’s not important or they would have written it down. Silence speaks loudly as do grace and mercy. A grace-filled daughter, whom they loved, stood before them announcing that the Savior of the world would soon enter in.

God, in one of His most compassionate moves ever (in my opinion), spoke to Joseph, her fiancé, and calmed his heart. Into him, God spoke through an angel. Matthew’s account says, “Do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for what is conceived in her is through the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:19-21).

Mary’s words in Luke 1:38 are worthy of note, “Be it done unto me according to Thy word.”

 

May we respond in kind to what will be asked of us. May this time of waiting for the birth of our Savior find us in a state of holy expectation of that which was, and is, and is to come.  Amen.