The Maternity of Mary

"The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; He will be called Son of God."
Luke 1:35 

Mary became pregnant with the Son of God.  She carried Him in her body for 9 months.  Like most women, she gained weight.  Her belly grew.  The baby kicked.  Her ankles swelled.  Women would pat her expanding stomach.  She would hold her baby in her arms as she supported her tummy.  She waddled.  She slept with difficulty.  She was the same as any other woman who has carried a child in her body, except that her baby was going to be born to save the world.  

Her joy overcame her sorrows as she carried her Son, Jesus, in her womb.  One day, her journey would include holding the body of her Son in her arms.  Her Beloved Son, who was born and died for His Children.  He was born.  He died.  We were saved.

Now, as we recall the maternity of Mary, we remember our Mother as she held her Son for the first time.  In that there was great joy.  Then we must recall the opposite, when Mother Mary held the body of her Son in her arms after His horrific death on the cross.