deviation…

In the crucible of labor the tempter came to
her and said if you are the mother of God
then beg Him to let this cup pass, and she
flared don’t underestimate me, tempter,
for I am awake, I have heard the flute.
 
Then the devil scented the air with human
foul and said if you are indeed the mother 
of God then gird Him close so He will remain 
unspotted from the world, and she glared get
behind me, satan, for my son will coinhere. 
 
Finally the devil spun her memory into a possible
future and dangled the laughter of grandchildren
before her eyes and said save Him and they’ll live.
Mary the mother of God dared dissidence, leaned
back, and wrote the Word of God on history’s page. 
 
Then the devil left her, and it was evening, His first day.
 
 
 
 

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18 Comments

  1. patriciaspreng on December 20, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    really enjoyed this. such a creative gift you have been given. glad you are sharing it. Just the right way to start this day. Thanks.

  2. john santic on December 20, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    this is brilliant John….I love the way the word “coinhere” captures the essence of the incarnation!

    • thebeautifuldue on December 20, 2011 at 3:13 pm

      Thanks, John…I borrowed the word from Sue Monk Kidd and yes, it is a tremendous word.

    • Lucille Zimmerman on December 20, 2011 at 4:44 pm

      I liked that word as well. Is that a real word?

      • thebeautifuldue on December 20, 2011 at 4:59 pm

        Lucille, it really is a word…Kidd called it a ‘fancy’ word.

  3. abmaude on December 20, 2011 at 4:21 pm

    I really like this John. How tempting it must have been for Mary to try to steer Jesus away form the path laid out for him. We know of at lest one occasion when she tried (Mk 3:31-35 and parallels), but that can’t have been the only time she was tempted. Thanks for the reminder of how hard the Incarnation was on Mary.

    • thebeautifuldue on December 20, 2011 at 4:59 pm

      Yes, I’m afraid we only scratch the surface of the Incarnation…

  4. Leah Downs on December 20, 2011 at 5:18 pm

    This gave mr chills. Never considered how Satan might have attacked and tormented Mary.

    • thebeautifuldue on December 21, 2011 at 2:50 pm

      Leah, growing up Protestant I avoided any worship of Mary…but the older I get, I simply adore her…

  5. Bill Gillin on December 20, 2011 at 11:34 pm

    John, how insightful! I hadn’t considered how Mary might have been tempted. Even by the good – what mother doesn’t want grandchildren?

    • thebeautifuldue on December 21, 2011 at 2:50 pm

      Good to hear from you, Bill…merry christmas!

  6. Janna on December 21, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    I was not expecting the allusion to Eve. Took my breath away. The righting of that first wrong. Thanks, John.

    • thebeautifuldue on December 21, 2011 at 2:51 pm

      Janna, you are welcome…blessings on your holydays.

  7. thyrkas on December 22, 2011 at 4:18 am

    Wow – wonderful! Yes Mary did write the Word of God, God-with-us, on history’s page. And she was a poet as well, right? “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour…”
    Thank you, and Merry Christmas, John.

  8. D.L. Mayfield on December 13, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    this reads like a shot in the arm to my cozy nativity narrative. thanks, for i needed this.

  9. deb colarossi on December 13, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    oh my.
    Thank you for this John. So powerful

  10. Lisa-Jo Baker (@lisajobaker) on December 21, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    Can’t stop thinking about this one.

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