Live*Love*Life 40 Days of Lent~An act of Great Faith~Mary

I think it's important to go back to a time when being an unwed pregnant women held certain ramifications.

During this time, if a women was pregnant and unwed, she would be taken to the village square and be stoned to death.

If somehow she was able to get out of that sentence, she would be an outcast, never allowed to marry, never having an easy or decent life from there on out. Always labeled.

Times haven't really changed much have they?

No, we do not stone women like they did, at least not in the United States. I cannot speak for other countries.

But we do see women of all ages facing unplanned pregnancies. They are fearful, how can they go on, how can they finish school, what will their family and friends say, how will they continue working, who is going to pay the bills?

 This fear leads many to abortion. They are encouraged to do this. They're told, you won't be able to finish school, you won't get that job you want, you already have enough kids-one more will be too difficult for you, you never wanted children, etc...... so many reasons not to keep the child.

This year while watching one of the movie/tv award shows, a winner said she aborted her child so she could be in the movie, and if she hadn't done so, she wouldn't be there now with her trophy. As she spoke, I saw a vision of a dead, tiny child, laying in the gutter, and a golden statue being cradled and stroked in her mother's arm. What a sad sight. Trading a beautiful little human for a golden idol. My heart felt so heavy for her loss. A loss she doesn't want to admit. Listening to the little bit that I did, it sounded as though she was trying to justify her actions and wanted approval from the audience. I cannot give her that approval. I turned the channel. I cannot watch such horrors.

So back to Mother Mary. 

A young Jewish women who is visited by the Angel Gabriel and is told she is to give birth to our Lord.

Luke 1:26-38

26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”

29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.

30 The angel told her,

“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor[a] with God.
31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son,
    and name him Jesus.
32 He will be a great man
    and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him
    the throne of his ancestor David.
33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,
    and his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.

36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37 But nothing is impossible for God.”

38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Then the angel left her.

26

Lets review the time zone and the possibilities of actions against her. Stoning, rejection, loss of any marriage possibilities.

I would say that this was not only an unplanned pregnancy but her potential future could be full of violence against her and the child.

Yet she went forward with faith and accepted the plans that God had set before her. 

We don't always know where our paths are leading. But when we put our faith in God, we can be reassured that he will be walking by our side.

Mary said yes.

Yes to God.

Yes to an unplanned pregnancy.

Yes to an unknown future.

Together, we can help mothers like Mary say yes to their pregnancies.

Yes to the plans that have been set before them.

The saying that it takes a village to raise a child holds true to not only the child, but for the mother as well.

Tomorrow, we will look at some of the resources we have in our own communities to help a mom deal with an unplanned pregnancy.

Lets help them find hope and the realization that the child they are carrying is a true miracle, a gift from God.

Live*Love*Life

Martha

Let's tell them that they are loved and so is their child.