Being pregnant at Christmas gives new depth to my thoughts about Mary. I've been thinking about the scorn and rejection she endured and how she still cherished her pregnancy despite the lack of support. Thinking about how difficult it must have been to ride a donkey and walk for three days to get to Bethlehem. And yet, perhaps a relief too; getting away from all the gossip and sideways glances. In Bethlehem nobody knew that Joseph wasn't the baby's biological father. They just saw a young couple starting their family.
Every time I feel my little baby kick and squirm I think about Mary and wonder how it was for her.
Then there is the other Mary, Mary Magdalene. She came to mind the other day when I was rubbing Ken's feet. He pulled a ligament or something and his one foot has just been really hurting him for a month or so. So, every once in a while I give him a foot rub. He has very clean feet so it doesn't gross me out. But it did make me think about Mary Magdalene and wonder what it was like for her to wash Jesus' feet. Working on someone's feet is humbling in any case even if you do it out of love. But at least Ken's feet were clean and not smelly. I wonder how Jesus' feet were? I know she was cleaning them with her perfume and her hair. And like the other Mary she was scorned for her involvement with Jesus.
I wonder about these women. What was life like for them? Jesus changed both of their lives in such incredible ways. And painful ways too, I think. But they loved him. Adored him for it.
I hope I can do the same.
