To tide you over (or quite possibly to tide myself over), here's a short fictional imagining of the Annunciation. I quite liked writing this scene, and I may look into expanding it into a novel or something. Who knows? Not me, apparently...(not I? Oh grammar...)
The Annunciation
I
sensed someone behind me. I turned around, expecting my mother. Instead, there
was…light. A presence of light, focused in a human-shaped form but filling the
room at the same time. I stared at it, not knowing what to think.
“Mary.”
The voice was commanding and yet gentle. Stern and soft at the same time. It
came from within the light. No, the voice was the light. The presence was
speaking to me. I took a step backwards, trembling.
“Do
not be afraid, dear one. The Master is pleased with you.”
Gathering
my courage, I spoke. “Pleased? With me? But why? I’ve done nothing great.”
“If
you did think you had done great things, child, you would not serve The Master
as faithfully as you do. He has chosen you not because you are great, but
because you are among the few who would give of themselves completely to honor
His will.”
I
didn’t know exactly what to think of this. But I knew my visitor had to have
come for a reason, so bravely I asked, “What must I do?”
“The
Holy Spirit will conceive in you a child, a son. His name will be Jesus, for He
is The Savior. He will be the Son of The Master, and with His Father’s power
will do mighty things among men.”
My
mind had only caught three words: conceive
a child. “But I,” I spluttered quickly. I started to blush. “I’ve not—not
been with a man. I cannot conceive as a virgin.”
Even
though the form in front of me had no visible face, I sensed it was smiling.
“Nothing is impossible for The Master, Mary. It shall be as I have told you.”
It
was waiting for me to say something. I searched my mind. Finally I lowered my
eyes and said, “So be it. I am willing.” I looked up and the light was gone. I
stood there staring for a moment, then slid down against the wall to the floor,
breathing hard. My mind was racing, replaying the scene over and over. Then—then—it hit me. Hard.
‘The Savior’, the angel had said. ‘The Son of The Master’. This was our Messiah! The Lord himself,
this was His promised return. Finally! And
I was to carry Him! In my womb? Why did He come as a child? Why now? Why me?
With
a start, I became aware of the tears rolling down my cheeks. I touched my face
and looked at my wet fingertips. I broke into a huge smile. Suddenly I was both
laughing and sobbing, why I didn’t exactly know. I couldn’t catch my breath. I
felt a strong hand on my shoulder. I whirled around, but no one was there. I
looked up and caught a twinkle of light just as it disappeared. I felt His smile. And I laughed.
I stumbled onto this post while wandering the web.
ReplyDeleteThe story intrigued me, by the time I finished I had a small smile on my face and a gentle peace in my heart.
Thanks,
M