Sometimes I Long to Be a Mother Like Mary Was to Jesus

As a single woman in my late forties, I sometimes regret not having children of my own. If I had at least one child, I could have been a mother. And I could have understood Mary’s love for Jesus more.

But I am comforted whenever I read the following Bible verses:

“‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ And pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”- Matthew 12:48-50 (NRSVCE)

Jesus must have known I would feel this way. He must have known how others like me would long to be a mother, brother or sister to Him.

And He gave His own word to let everyone know that even if we did not live during His time, and even if we did not bear Him in our wombs nor had His blood upon our veins, we shouldn’t be hindered from loving Him and claiming Him as our own.

All of us can draw close to Him, as close as His own blood!

If we follow the will of God in our lives, we can be assured of this closeness. And all of our longings and emptiness for love can be filled.

It may not be the Christmas season yet, but let me share with you a poem I wrote while reflecting about the love and humility of our Lord when He allowed Himself to be a little child for us.

This Is Christmas

God could have come in all His glory,
with trumpets and angels and all,
blazing like fire,
dazzling like lightning
as terrible as the raging of the seas!

But on that Christmas Eve,
He came as a newborn child,
small and gentle,
humble and innocent
as harmless as a dove.

Why He came like this
I didn’t know,
until I looked at my own fears
and wounds.

How could I have come to Him
had I been so afraid?
How could I have even
looked at His face?

But as that babe,
I could cradle Him in my arms,
I could whisper to Him my heart’s desires
I could look upon His eyes
without being judged
without being cast away.

And I love Him more
because He chose to come that way.
Because though He came for the whole world,
He also came for me,
and He knew me,
He knew how I longed to be loved.

But more than loving me,
He allowed me to love Him
and to care for Him,
to carry Him
even though He is actually the One
who carries me.

This is Christmas
This is Holy Night.
In that simple stable
silent and small,
I was saved,
I was healed,
I have been found.