Mary kept all these things in her heart
Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. Luke 2:19
This sentence is what I would call a piece of considerable understatement! Mary, who was probably a teenager and who almost certainly knew very little about the world, had just given birth to the Messiah. She had certainly been given plenty to think about! Older versions of the Bible translate this verse as “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
The truth is that no one, however old or mature, could possibly have taken it all in. What had happened to Mary was a turning point in human history and stands at the centre of God’s loving plan for his world. No one could have claimed to have fully understood what had happened, and theologians 2,000 years later are still reflecting deeply on it all. So Mary was wise to ponder.
There is much that we understand about our world, but always much that is still beyond us. When we see the wonders of creation, we can offer a description of what we see, but we will never be able to describe completely its beauty and intricacy. When we see the way in which God works in our lives there is much that makes sense but always some things that puzzle us, and which leave us with big questions.
Like Mary, it is good for us to keep pondering and to do that we need to allow ourselves space to reflect. It’s so easy to get sucked into a life of relentless activity. I believe God wants us to give ourselves the space to reflect deeply. In some traditions of the Church the idea of retreat is very important. A retreat is a time to stand back from life, away from home, to give unhurried time to listen to God. In a world that encourages us to race through our lives at a breathless pace, we need to learn from Mary’s example and ponder.
QUESTION
Where are you able to find space to listen to God?
PRAYER
Loving Lord, help me to listen more carefully to your voice. Amen
Photograph – St John’s Parish Church side-chapel, Belfast