Mary is waiting. When Gabriel arrives, she is waiting to marry Joseph. She is engaged, or rather, in more hefty biblical language and meaning, she is betrothed. She is technically married to Joseph. Now she is waiting out the prescribed year of preparation before she goes to live in Joseph's house as Joseph's wife. But… Continue reading Engaged to Gratitude
Tag: Mary
What Mary Modeled
I do not find it surprising that Mary was a compassionate friend. Neither is it astounding that Mary would believe her son could help her friends. "Do whatever he tells you" sounds a lot like an outwardly directed version of "Let it be to me according to your word." But there is more. The problem… Continue reading What Mary Modeled
Four Fiats
No, I've not taken to writing new slogans for Italian made cars that can be trusted. That is a Fi-at'. I am writing instead about fi'-at, the great "let it be done" in redemptive history. This fiat is not a resigned acceptance, a sort of spiritualized "que sera, sera, whatever will be will be." Rather… Continue reading Four Fiats
Dusting Off Grace
I think my eyes get cloudy in all the wrong the places. I am working hard to paint my house coordinating colors, to center the pictures I hang on walls, and put my books on the shelves in some kind of coherent order. I'm really quite clear about these things. But grace, a reality as… Continue reading Dusting Off Grace
Mary’s Path
Her story began in earnest with a clarion call from an angel. “Don’t be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” But not too many chapters in, the plot got more complicated. An old man in the temple recognized this unique family for who they were, rejoiced that the Lord has allowed him “to see thy salvation” and then… Continue reading Mary’s Path
Ponderings and Good Soil
Mary is not only reflective during her 9 months of waiting. She is a ponderer--holding her experience close to her heart and waiting to see what it all might mean. Her reflections burst into joy with Elizabeth, but remain hidden when, later Mary treasures up what theshepherds have said and ponders their meaning in her… Continue reading Ponderings and Good Soil
Riding the Ripples
From one angle of vision, Mary’s rebounding “do whatever He tells you” illumines the kind of peace so anchored in her trust in Jesus that she could hold lightly to her plans and wait in harbor for her Son’s next move. But from another direction, her initial commentary at the wedding in Cana was itself a risk. Once the… Continue reading Riding the Ripples
Supreme Activity
If God just made a "mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all" kind of selection in choosing Jesus' mother, then Mary is so far beyond our experience that there is no point in pondering her response to God. She was just a superior sort of being. But if it is God's… Continue reading Supreme Activity
Pondering
Having described myself as a ponderer, I thought I'd offer an explanation of what that is for me, and why it is important enough to become a descriptor of my vocational life. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the act of pondering as "to think or consider especially quietly, soberly or deeply." To ponder is hold an… Continue reading Pondering
Carla Waterman 