April 8, 2007

• Merry Easter! :-D

  January 17^th

  Day 8

   

  I tried to imagine being with The Trinity, imagining three separate beings, all speaking in three voices at once. God the Father was similar as before- white with an indiscernible face. Christ was the same as always but without the crown of thorns and without His wounds. The Holy Spirit had a very lithe and graceful quality and looked made of liquid fire.

              All three stood on a dark cloud at night, the top of the cloud made silver by the moon above them. They said, “It is time.”

              “I am ready, Father,” said the Son.

              “As am I,” said the Spirit.

              “Gabriel,” said God, “we call you.”

              Gabriel appeared with his long trumpet.

              “Go and seek Mary.”

              “Yes My Lord!”

              And he was in flight.

   

  I imagined Mary living alone in a small stone house. She is asleep when Gabriel enters. Oh what a sight! Glowing white skin, silver armor and flowing white cape! On the back of his armor are mighty silver wings, folded back. His helmet is close-faced with spread wings pointing back and up along the sides. He removed it, brilliant white hair spilling out.

              “My Lady, please awaken!”

              Mary stirred, sitting up while clutching the blanket to her breast in quiet surprise and blessed modesty, though she was fully gowned. Gabriel knelt on one knee before her.

              “Hail Mary, full of grace! You are in great favor with our Lord! He wishes, oh dearest Lady, with your consent for you to conceive within your womb His Son! He will be the Son of the Most High, and His name will be Jesus.”

              “But I am a virgin, betrothed to Joseph! How can this be?”

              “Dear Lady, the Holy Spirit will come to you; with utmost love and tenderness He will come to you, and by God’s power you will conceive.”

              Mary stood, wrapping the blanket around herself against the chill of the night. Gabriel bowed his head, his right arm resting on his raised knee while he grasped his great trumpet in the other. She knelt and kissed the signet ring of God on Gabriel’s right hand, pledging her loyalty to God’s will.

              “I am the Handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

              “Oh dear Lady! I go at once to tell Him!”

              He kissed her hand and departed, riding his white horse, cape billowing in the moonlight. He soon arrived at a grove of trees not far from the town, the leaves bathed in calm silver. There he unhorsed, kneeling before a white-robed figure with its hood up.

              “My Lord, she consents!”

              “Well done, faithful servant. Go back to Our Castle and inform all that the Son will soon be among Men.”

              Gabriel rode off as the figure walked gracefully to Mary’s house. All along the way flowers bloom at His approach, closing again their flowers as He passes away from them. Any horses, cows or sheep that are awake yet bow their heads and make a soft sound in their tongue, and people in nearby houses sleep even more peacefully.

              When He arrives, the door opens for Him. The fire in the fireplace starts, the dough on the table rises, and torn garments waiting to be sewed are restored. Soon He approaches a sleeping Mary. He pulls back His hood to reveal a being of soft, white light. He sits on the bed beside her, kissing her gently on the head before resting His hand upon her belly for a time.

              Suddenly Heaven bursts into song, singing, “Salvation is Created!”

              With that, the figure departs.

              Morning comes and I arrive at Mary’s house. I am a neighbor from close by, a farmhand that visits Mary every morning to do work for her since she lives alone. I find the door open, the fire lit, and no sign of Mary though she is usually outside by this time. Alarmed, I quietly enter.

              “Milady?” I say aloud. Nothing. Soon I find her at rest, peacefully. I kneel beside her, shaking her gently.

              “Milady, it is morning. I am sorry to wake you.”

              “Hmm? Oh Jacob, yes. Good morning.”

              “Is there any way I can serve you today?”

              She thinks a moment, “Will you pray with me?”

              “Yes, Milady, but I don’t know any Jewish prayers.”

              “That is all right.”

              We knelt together at her bedside. I began, thanking God for His many miracles and prayed for aid in following His Law until the Messiah comes.

              Then Mary opened a small book of Psalms.

   

              I opened my eyes and flipped my Bible to the Psalms, picking the first one I saw, trusting God to guide me. He lead me to Psalm 85 and OH! It was glorious!

   

  You once favored, LORD, your land, restored the good fortune of Jacob.

  You forgave the guilt of your people, pardoned all their sins.

  You withdrew all your wrath, turned back your burning anger.

  Restore us once more, God our savior; abandon your wrath against us.

  Will you be angry with us forever, drag out your anger for all generations?

  Please give us life again, that your people may rejoice in you.

  Show us, LORD, your love; grant us your salvation.

  I will listen for the word of God; surely the LORD will proclaim peace To his people, to the faithful, to those who trust in him.

  Near indeed is salvation for the loyal; prosperity will fill our land.

  Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss.

  Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven.

  The LORD will surely grant abundance; our land will yield its increase.

  Prosperity will march before the Lord, and good fortune will follow behind.

   

              Mary and I sang it together before she rose.

              “May I do anything else for you, Milady?”

              “Please fetch my fiancée Joseph. I should like to see him.”

              “Yes Milady. I will also put some water on the fire for your bath before I leave.”

              “Thank you, Jacob.”

   

              Oh so beautiful! If only I knew that the Messiah was RIGHT NEXT TO ME in Mary! I dwelt on a line of thought for a time- the thought of Jesus, a single cell, growing and multiplying, just like I did once! What a humble, beautiful God we have!

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