06 jan 2005
Mary
by Nanci Olesen
It’s the twelfth day
of Christmas today.
Mary is exhausted and
exhilarated. She has changed, nursed, and
swaddled little
Jesus repeatedly. Night and day are blurred
for her, and she longs for home and not
this drafty stable and this constant parade
of visitors.
She’s had a few words
with Joseph, probably on a daily basis,
about who’s
doing more in terms of baby care, managing
visitors, and keeping the stable tidy.
Joseph is tired also and secretly envious
of how many people are adoring Mary and
Jesus. He feels distant from the whole
scene at times, and he can’t always
manage looking radiant as he takes his
turn holding the baby. He’s wandered
off a few times into the little town of
Bethlehem, to talk to other men and have
a glass of something alcoholic to steady
his nerves. It’s been a wild twelve
days, and if you count the trip before
that, leading Mary on a donkey and finding
the stable and assisting with the birth,
it’s been over a month of mind blowing
experiences laced with extreme exhaustion
and physical discomfort.
For her part, Mary
would so dearly love to have a bath. Last
week a couple of women
heated water and let her borrow some of
their oils and crude soaps. Joseph stayed
with Jesus and she had a good hour long
clean up. She wants that again now. The
life in the stable is constantly uncomfortable,
but Mary also dreads the long trip back
home, especially with an infant. Learning
to breast feed was hard and although she
has the hang of it now, it is not without
its complexities, physically and emotionally.
Sometimes she just wants her own body back.
And then of course there’s the fact
that this infant is like no other. Not
only is she a new mom with the deep shock
and confusion THAT causes, she is, by all
accounts, the mother of God’s son.
And
low and behold who should show up today
but three men from a distant land, who
followed a star which actually guided them
right here. Of all the visitors, these
are the most exotic and interesting. They
are dressed royally and are bearing strange
gifts. They smell spicy and are handsome.
They verify again what Mary and Joseph
are trying so hard to gracefully accept:
this is the child of God. In their strange
language they gently communicate that they
are glad to be here and thrilled to meet
this important human being. There’s
an hour or so of exhilaration as they all
adore the child. Mary cries, with a sense
of wonder and joy. Disbelief is right behind
her tears and the weight of the responsibility
is dense in her heart. Joseph rubs her
back and shakes his head.
The busy little
town of Bethlehem settles in for the evening
and shepherds and villagers
wander by, but they don’t come in
tonight, because they’re shy of the
three royal men.
Mary feels like she would
like to be alone now, just with Joseph
and the baby. She
is strained by the long visit of these
three strange men. She knows they are kind
and very excited. She needs to nurse and
she needs so badly to sleep. So many visitors
for so many days and nights. Joseph suggests
that the men find a place to stay for the
evening, indicating that there’s
not really room in the stable. The men
finally pick up on the cue, feeling their
own hunger, and promise to return as soon
as morning arrives. Mary smiles, perhaps
a bit thinly, and the men head into the
town for the night. Joseph follows, to
help interpret and perhaps ease the tension
which most certainly will ensue from the
sight of these foreigners.
Mary smoothes
out the blankets on the hay and adds
kindling to the little fire. She
changes and reswaddles baby Jesus and
snuggles him down on her little nest. And
there they are, Mary, and the twelve day old
Jesus, asleep on the hay.
—Nanci Olesen
producer and host, MOMbo: 1990-2007 |
