Above photo painted by Liz Lemon Swindle. Entitled “She Shall Bring Forth a Son”
Every year, I promise to make it more about Jesus.
Every year, I say we’ll purchase less gifts or commit to buying fair trade.
Every year, I insist I won’t become the wild-haired Medusa ready to pounce on the very people I love the most because my to-do list is just so long and I’m just so tired.
And every year, I could do better.
There’s been progress – very imperfect progress. But I still have a ways to go before I can truly say I look forward to the season of Jesus’ birth.
Of course, it’s not personal. I adore Jesus. It’s just all the other stuff that goes along with the season that stresses me out.
I suspect I’m not alone. There are over 80 of you who have chosen to study Not a Silent Night: Mary Looks Back to Bethlehem
As first-world citizens, it’s so easy to allow our culture’s expectations to invade our sense of peace during the holidays. We allow glossy ads and the promise of “two for one” deals to monopolize our excited thoughts and before we know it, we find ourselves overwhelmed, over-scheduled and over-tired.
Instead of being overwhelmed by what needs to be done, God would want us to be overwhelmed by our love for His son.
Instead of being over-scheduled, I’m certain God would want us to embrace margin, to have enough wiggle-room in our schedules to stop and truly love our neighbors as ourselves.
And instead of being over-tired, I’m absolutely certain God would want us to rest in His gift by taking care of ourselves and listening to our physical needs rather than trying to do it all to the point of exhaustion.
Sound familiar? Me too, sister. Me too.
The first chapter of Adam Hamilton’s book Not a Silent Night: Mary Looks Back to Bethlehem
Of course, this is somewhat difficult because there isn’t much said about Mary after Jesus’ resurrection.
There are, however, accounts of traditions that developed in the church during the centuries following her death. One account is told from the Roman Catholic Church and another is told from the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Both churches celebrate Mary’s death on August 15 – Roman Catholics call this the “Feast of the Assumption” while Eastern Orthodox Christians call this the “Feast of Dormition.”
The Roman Catholic Church believes Mary’s body was “taken up” to heaven shortly after her burial because this was a special way God honored those who were righteous (think Enoch and Elijah.)
The Eastern Orthodox believe she died (they use the words “fell asleep”) and three days later, was taken up to heaven. The Latin word for sleep is “dormitio” so hence the name “The Feast of the Dormition.”
Regardless of the specifics, I admit I’ve never given Mary’s death much thought.
But when I do, I think of a woman who was so obedient she simply said “May it be so” when an angel sent by God told her of an outlandish plan. I think of a woman who fled to her dear cousin and friend, Elizabeth, for encouragement in this strange but true task.
And I think of a woman whose heart was broken into so many pieces it was probably hard just to breathe at times.
Mary lost a child when her son said “It is finished.”
Those who have lost children live with a haunting pain that dulls over time but never goes away. As one of my friends who lost her six-year-old daughter once said, “I will never get over her death. I will smile and be happy again but getting over it just won’t ever happen.”
I’m certain Mary never “got over” the death of her beloved son.
But what did Mary do with herself from the time Jesus ascended until she joined Him in heaven?
She was building the church by taking her Son’s commandment to make disciples of all nations seriously. She was likely praying without ceasing. She was sharing the gospel. She was building the community of believers who would be united by her Son.
She was a mother fueled by passion.
Sort of like the mother who loses a child to a drunk driver and volunteers passionately for M.A.D.D. Or the mother who has lost a baby born prematurely and devotes herself to the mission of the March of Dimes. Or the mother whose baby died of an epileptic seizure and works wholeheartedly to further the mission of C.U.R.E.
A mother who has lost a child is energized and emblazoned by the mission of justice. The mission of ensuring her precious baby did not die in vain. The mission of doing exactly what her child would have wanted her to do.
The mission of loving all children – not just her child.
Mary was spreading the gospel and building the church because it’s what her Son told her to do and it would honor His supreme sacrifice.
Fueled by passion and ignited by love. Sounds like a mother to me.
So today, let’s answer however many of the questions below you want to answer in the comment section:
1. What did you learn about Mary in this first week?
2. What do you love most about Mary?
3. What is something that stood-out to you in this week’s chapter?
Also, each week I’ll issue a challenge for us . . . This week’s challenge is to be intentional about showing love at least once a day. It could be having extra patience with your children when you are DONE. It could be spending time with a lonely friend at the nursing home. It could be as simple as making sure you stop what you’re doing when your husband comes home to give him a hug and ask about his day (and if you work later than he does, go to him first before looking at the mail. :))
We’ll discuss Chapter Two next Monday. Don’t forget about our chat on Wednesday evening at 9 p.m. in the Facebook group. No worries if you can’t make it – you can participate if and when your schedule allows!
I already love the book. As a mom to two sons, I just. Can’t. Imagine. Watching your son be murdered innocently via the cross would be unthinkable. It would definitely spur me to action. AND we have the EXACT SAME HOPE AS MARY that we will join Christ in Heaven when our time on earth is done! But I am not spurred to action as I should be. My take away is to look for ways to be inspired and inspire others with Christ’s gift and sacrifice for us. Im not sure whst it will look like…..but its only Monday morning. :)
I hear you, Holly. I can’t even imagine it either. That’s why I love the scripture in Luke where it says “Mary pondered these things and kept them in her heart.” There are just certain things we mothers keep in our hearts.
I think it’s the perfect season to ask God what He wants you to do to share the love of His son. He’ll tell you. It may not be a big thing – but then, those small things really add up to the big (continuing on with Rhinestone Jesus here…:))
Thanks for reading and commenting, Holly! So glad you are a part of our study again!
reading the book and it has really brought my attention to not just his birth. I thought I had thought of every scenario with Mary but it always just stopped at his birth and being a baby. It has made me really think about what it was like standing there watching and ‘being ok’ with Jesus on that cross to save us all, but to witness his suffering, she must have been a tough woman to endure and live thru that. LOVING THE BOOK, it is making me think for sure.
Marlece, I agree. So, so interesting to me. I, too, never thought of Mary much past the years of his ministry. I sort of just stopped considering her after Jesus died on the cross. I love thinking about what she did following the ascension. Of course, there isn’t much recorded so there are some things we just won’t know on this side of heaven, but it’s interesting to think about the end of her life and the cross she carried (pretty literally!)
SO excited to have you along with us, Marlece!
Hey, Marlece! I just looked for you in our Facebook group. If you want to join us over there, click the link and request to join. I’ll add you! https://www.facebook.com/groups/674102102710096/
1. What did you learn about Mary in this first week?
I really never studied Mary after Jesus’ death. So most of Chapter 1 was new to me. But, I have to say that I learned that she is a very strong woman. To be able to carry on after her son’s horrible death to make sure that his teaching continue to spread had to take a TON of strength on her part.
2. What do you love most about Mary?
Her strength. No matter how hard the time was she was able to stay strong and push through everything. She turned a tragedy into something that she could build her life on. She turned her pain into hope.
3. What is something that stood-out to you in this week’s chapter?
Yet again…Mary’s strength. I would have been a puddle on the floor after losing a child {especially they way that Jesus died}, but she was able to carry on.
Gotta love when kids distract you…didn’t mean to post the original questions. :)
HA! I actually loved that you included the questions! Distraction is the story of my life. I so get it, Bethany.
I’m with you, girl. The strength of Mary just blows me away. I also can’t imagine watching one of my children be killed the way Jesus was killed. I can’t even imagine having to watch it. Yet she did. However, as hard as that must have been for her, I wonder if that just solidified her belief in Him just that much more? She always knew He was the Savior but I’m sure it was pretty surreal to watch the prophecies actually coming true.
Obviously, God knew what He was doing when He chose her to be the mother of Jesus. :)
Thanks for adding your thoughts, friend! <3
I honestly had never really thought about Mary and how she carried on her son’s mission after his death. I loved that she was with the disciples when they were in constant prayer and present at His ascension. She was ever present in His life and therefore in His story, which was also her story….but not at the forefront of the story. I do believe that Mary carried on her son’s passions and love for others, but I also feel that she had very real “mom” moments of anguish and pain, and not so pretty sorrow. In those 15 years, I think that Christ gave her a season to grieve and a season to heal and allowed her to be ministered to as well as for her to minister to others.
Your comments ring true to my thoughts as well. When Jesus, suffering, from the cross took the time to give his mother to John and vice-versa I think he recognized that she was going to have a void in her life and also, as she was more than likely a widow he wanted to ensure someone would care for her needs. So, for many reasons I think we once again see the same humanity in Jesus during this time that we witnessed when he cried at the death of Lazarus. I think he also knew that his best friend would need her to help him through the loss of Jesus.
This is one of those stories that I just wish there was more of in the bible.. I want to know about Jesus’ toddler years, the sweet times he and his mother exchanged life together etc….. I JUST WANT MORE lol….
This chapter made me think about the relationship Mary had with Jesus. It was not only a mother/son relationship, but also a sinner/saviour relationship. Mary was a ‘strong’ woman because she was ‘strong’ in Jesus. SHE BELIEVED. SHE KNEW He was the Son of God and her source of hope and strength. When we know and believe, as we focus on Him,
God gives us unimaginable strengthen in the face of the unimaginable.
I have 4 sons, 2 grown and 2 younger. Three of them were born in the late fall and I cherish the memories of holding our newborn sons at Christmas time. Not sure what that really has to do with this chapter, haha, but I just wanted to share those wonderful memories!
Right now, at this time of my life, it strikes me how amazing Mary was to joyfully accept her appointment as the mother of the son of God, knowing that nothing would ever be the same. Also she had to be aware that this would be completely uncharted waters. Maybe because I’ve spent my life try to get everything organized, and failing, of course, I’m overwhelmed with admiration for this young girl and her absolute trust in God. The journey took her into the greatest pain a mother can imagine when she saw Jesus crucified, and yet she followed and trusted.
I absolutely love Mary’s heart. Her faith was astounding to this mother of two boys. I often wonder what it was like to raise the Messiah. This year her story is a little more meaningful to me in that I will be sending my heart to boot camp next year. I will have to completely trust God’s plan for his life so I will not sink into worry. How did her heart ache when those precious moments of his life occurred and she saw the foreshadowing of what was to come for him? How did she stand at the foot of that cross and not go insane with motherly devotion and want to fight every roman soldier there and beat them with her fists and scream and cry out for her boy to be saved from that horrible death? How????? It was supernatural!! Only her faith in God could have sustained her and gave her peace in that moment. I pray to have mary-like faith in God.
As a Mom who is helping raise her children in the Catholic Faith, I “knew” about the Feast of Assumption, but until reading this first chapter, I didn’t KNOW what that meant. What Mary must have felt as a mother. I never really gave much thought as to why God chose Mary in the first place. It wasn’t just to be the physical body to bring Jesus to the world, but she was a woman with a heart that would continue her mission after the most unfathomable thing happens to her son. Your comparison to mothers who involved themselves with M.A.D.D, etc. is perfect…it helps paint a real world face on Mary. What an incredibly strong and faith filled woman Mary was and I am so thrilled to have decided to make this my first ever study. Thank you!