February 17, 2016

Dear Heart

DEAR HEART

Another candle on the years
Another wish come true
The sweetest gift I've ever known
Is the love wrapped up in you

                                               -JoMae
                                                2/15/16

On Valentine’s Day that year, he had given her a sweet valentine. She did not have one to give. They were like that. They exchanged gifts or cards sometimes, but not by expectation.  They’d always been casual about gifts. So when that perfect choice was made and given it was special. Even after almost 60 years together it was special.  

The next day was her birthday. Waking up together, cozy, warm entangled, he felt bad not to have a gift for her.  She said, ‘Hon, the sweetest gift I’ve ever known is the love wrapped up in you.’  And so a little poem was born. His gift and hers to celebrate. 


February 04, 2016

Jesus and his Mom

Marriage at Cana by Giotto (1266-1337)

~ A MOTHER KNOWS HER CHILD ~ 

Recently our small study group focused on the second chapter of John.  There is a moment that I love in this account. It happens during an interaction between Jesus and his Mom at the wedding in Cana.  Mary has just told Jesus that the party is out of wine when Jesus responds,  “Woman, why do you involve me? My hour has not yet come.” (Jn 2:4)  To our western ears, this sounds a bit curt to say the least, but an NIV footnote explains that in the Greek the comment does not denote any disrespect. What delights me, is Mary's response. Most any Mother with grown sons can identify the special relationship glimpsed here.  She knows her son.  She doesn't argue or cajole or insist that he help.  She doesn't need to.  This man is her boy. The one she taught to walk and talk and modeled how to live. What wonderful parent child familiarity here!

Out of a deep well of knowing her son, Mary responded in a manner echoed timelessly over the centuries.  She ignored his protests and simply turned to the servants, confidently instructing them to "do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2:5)  She may not have known just what Jesus would tell them, but she was aware he could do something and trusted him to do it. 

I love how Jesus did not ignore her words.  His initial response may seem dismissive to us, but his actions show respect.  He did tell the servants what to do.  And the water they fetched was turned into excellent wine.  Mary must have marveled!  And tucked this into her heart along with all the rest she had to ponder.

Can any mother look at her grown child and not be aware, even if subconsciously, of the gifts she watched emerge?  The hopes and fears and promise as she watched her child develop?  Even in a world where a woman is not deemed to match the intellect of men - is not highly regarded other than to bear sons for her husband's lineage, mothers know their sons. 

Mary knew.  Embedded in her being was the reality of the message that she carried within her even before she carried this child.  "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Lk1:31-33)  Jesus' very name means savior, deliverer.  Mary knew her son was the promised Messiah, the Heir of God.  We learn that from her encounter and response to Gabriel. We see it confirmed in Elizabeth's welcome greeting.  And we hear her voicing the wonder of it all in her song of rejoicing.  “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.  From now on all generations will call me blessed…" (Lk1:46-55)

John's story offers an exquisite peek at these two sharing the moment when Jesus launched the first of many signs pointing to God's truth. The water to wine miracle which began Christ’s ministry is rich in symbolism and carries many overtones - and will appear again at its end when "one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." (Jn 19:34)* 

And Mary will again be watching.

JoMae
10/3/15

Blood, Wine and Water
*At the final supper before his death, Jesus took the cup and explained, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins." (Mt 26:28) See also Ex 24:3-8  where shortly after leaving Egypt the covenant between God and the Israelites is confirmed.  At the foot of Mount Sinai Moses taught the people God's instructions and wrote them all down  Then with the blood of sacrificed young bulls, "Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Ex 24:8)