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In Caro 18 x 18" , watercolor with gold leaf on paper.
As a mother, who has borne children, I was swept up in the meditations of Mary from the time she was visited by the angel, Gabriel, to the day she physically bore the Christ child in a stable in Bethlehem. I’ve heard the story over and over, but this year I stayed in contact with Mary and imagined how she must have felt. The culture made Mary socially unacceptable because of her pregnancy before marriage. She was isolated and protected by Joseph and bore aloneness more than we can probably imagine. In fact, today, Jesus would have been a candidate for abortion. Mary and Joseph’s obedience was unselfish and giving. I was also reminded in my study that God coming down into flesh was a voluntary act. He came into time from out of time, into the world from heaven, even into the small womb of a young teenage girl. This is chosen humility, limitation, active love, and ultimate intimacy. And He came into the world as he went out on the cross, naked. Our culture tends to make Christmas extravagant with bright sparkly things, special celebrations and expensive gifts. But at Jesus’ birth, there were no orchestras, no parades, no presentation or honor and no speeches. Christ was even born in a foreign country, in a natural stable shared with animals. There were no grandparents, midwives, hospital or doctors. There were no showers or nursery preparations or decorations. He was delivered in a natural birth and no one even knew who or where he was. I can’t think of a more intimate way or manner in which to give a gift than the way Jesus was given to us, in the flesh. (Christ Jesus) stripped Himself (of all privileges and rightful dignity), so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave) in that He became like men and was born a human being.” Phil. 2:7 (amplified Bible) Other references:John 1:14; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3
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