The “Sword” of the Virgin

As that holy Baby lay in the loving arms of the Virgin mother of Jesus, in Bethlehem’s manger, neither He nor she, let alone Joseph, had any clear idea what kind of life lay before Him.  But a few days later in the Temple, an old man who knew the Lord would provide some unexpected “clarity,” albeit in a message as cryptic as it was predictive: “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2: 34, 35).

Can you imagine how Mother Mary felt that Friday when she saw her Son hanging naked on a cross, apparently “forsaken” by God, with everybody around taunting Him?  Crucifixion was commonly considered to be the most awful possible “curse” of God.  She was at a loss to understand it all.  How can this be?  “Did not the angel tell me He was to be the Messiah?”  Not only was her own mother-heart crushed; she sensed that the only hope for the world itself was dying with Him.  Oh, what a “sword” that was that “pierced” her heart!

Even as a Baby, Jesus was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  All throughout His life, He had fought the battle with self, step by step.  He kept saying, “I came down from heaven not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (See John 6: 38).  That means He had to say “No!” to His own will in order to say “Yes!” to what His Father willed.  It was a path of self-denial every step of the way.   As a result, He did something that no other human being has ever done:  He “condemned sin in the flesh.”

Oh, what a glorious accomplishment that was!  No wonder the angels, a “multitude of the heavenly host,” sang over the plains of Bethlehem when He was born, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2: 13, 14).  Let us join the Wise Men from the East and the humble shepherds who said, “Let us now go” and worship Him!  And how are we to “worship” Him?  Not in tiring shopping sprees and exuberant commercialism, but in humble heart-surrender.

Finally, let us listen to Mary in her one powerful but short “sermon.”  She is speaking about her Son to the servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and what she “preached” to them, we would do well to oblige: “Whatsoever He saith unto you, DO IT!” (John 2: 5).