ANNUNCIATION

A hillside cave there still is shown In Nazareth town to-day, Beneath an ancient church of stone, A cave, where neighbors say, That Gabriel breathed to Mary young In angels' sweetest way, Excelling every mortal's tongue: "Fear not, for thou shalt bear a Child In whom all will be reconciled; His reign shall last forever more His throne all shall at last adore."

Then maiden Mary bowed her head And to the angel humbly said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord! On me hath God His Spirit poured, According to His word let it be: A worthy mother make of me!"
____Madeleine S. Miller

MADONNA

"My soul doeth magnify the Lord," The Virgin Mary spake these singing words, "And my spirit hath rejoiced in God . . ." Along the hillroad that her feet had trod Her song had lifted ceaselessly: "He hath exalted them of low degree."

O ageless, timeless singer, it is true You are "called blessed," and in giving you High praise, all generations praise your son, Born of a simple maid, "the lowly one": A woman who was pure enough to bear The Son of God, who trusted in her care That precious body and that stainless soul, God sets before each mother a bright goal: To win and save the child that He has given, That he may have eternal life in Heaven.

All Christian mothers who are good and true, I think deserve the title "blessed," too.
__Grace Noll Crowell

TWO MOTHERS

"Mary, Mary, look at him So little and so very sweet, Do you know how dark the road Stretches before his feet?"

"Sister, I knew it long ago. God said it would be so." Mary, tell me, what will you do__ I am a mother, too." "Sister, what more can I do than this: To press his brow with a kiss?"

"Mary, Mary, surely you shrink From the cup that you must drink?" "Sister, my soul cries out, yet I Must drink the dark cup dry."

"Mary, Mary, what will you say When they come to take him away?" "As greatly as I love my son: God's holy will be done."

"But Mary, the cross, and the mocking men.. How will you bear it then?" "Sister, sister, look in my face: Only through God's grace."

"O Mary, the mothers of earth have need To follow you indeed." "Nay, sister, until life be done, Follow my holy son."
___Grace Noll Crowell

SLEEP, SLEEP, MINE HOLY ONE

And art thou come for saving, baby-browed
And speechless Being? art thou come for saving?
The palm that grows beside our door is bowed
By treadlings of the low wind from the south,
A restless shadow through the chamber waving,
Upon it's bough a bird sings in the sun.
But thou, with that close slumber on thy mouth,
Dost seem of wind and sun already weary.
Art come for saving, O my weary One?

Perchance this sleep that shutteth out the dreary
Earth-sounds and motions, opens on thy soul
High dreams on fire with God;
High songs that make the pathways where they roll
More bright than stars do theirs; and visions new
Of thine eternal nature's old abode.
Suffer this mother's kiss,
Best thing that earthly is,
To glide the music and the glory through,
Nor narrow in thy dream the broad upliftings
Of any seraph wing.
Thus, noiseless, thus! Sleep, sleep my dreaming One.
____Elizabeth Barrett Browning

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the Angel came unto her, and said, hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elizabeth....
And Mary said, behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word, and the Angel departed..." .... Luke 1: 26-38 KJV The Bible

The account of Mary's visit to Elizabeth

When Mary visited, Elizabeth told Mary that the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost
(and Elizabeth said to Mary)
"...Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb
...And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his hand maiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is His name, and His mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour." Biblical account – KJV

The Story of Christmas With Nativity and Other Pictures

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