“Hail thou, that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women.” (Luke 1:28 KJV)
Thank You, Father God, for Mother Mary! The “highly favored one” chosen by You to receive that miracle working redeeming wonder implanted to her uterine wall. A poor virgin woman of Jewish descent who according to Lesley Hazleton, award winning author with deep roots in both Judaism and Catholicism, was short in stature having dark olive skin.1 Mary (or Miriam, as she would have been called in Hebrew)2 was a single, young woman who was chosen by God to carry the Anointed One in her womb for nine months. Chosen to carry Him through three trimesters of pregnancy - from fetus to infant - and until He was born the baby JESUS. Until He was born King of the Jews and God’s only begotten son.
Hail Mary, Mother of Jesus! “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42 NKJV). You will always be celebrated by me and most believers; and even though some will pray to you and others will not, who you are in the Kingdom of God cannot be denied. Regardless of our theological differences in understanding how your memory should be honored, those who know the truth undoubtedly will honor you.
You are undeniably our one and only Church Mother – highly favored by the Almighty God - who birthed and cared for Jesus the Christ. The Kingdom of God’s Church Mother, who along with Joseph her husband, parented the boy who would become a man; anointed by God and declaring one Sabbath day that “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)
You are undeniably our one and only Church Mother – highly favored by the Almighty God - who birthed and cared for Jesus the Christ. The Kingdom of God’s Church Mother, who along with Joseph her husband, parented the boy who would become a man; anointed by God and declaring one Sabbath day that “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19 NIV)
Thank you, Father God, for Mother Mary who was at the Cross with her son, painfully watching and waiting for Him to give up the ghost and redeem those of us who believe that He died for our sins, was crucified on Calvary’s Cross, resurrected on the third day, ascended up to Heaven and is coming back again in power and great glory, back to You! To God be the Glory for the things He has done!
Peace & Blessings,
NOTES:
1 Hazleton, Lesley, 2004 – MARY, A Flesh and Blood Biography of The Virgin Mother, Bloomsbury, New York and London
2Sweeney, Jon M., 2006 - Strange Heaven, The Virgin Mary as Woman, Mother, Disciple, and Advocate. Paraclete Press, Brewster, Massachusetts