The God-Bearer

Over time, our images of Mary have become somewhat sanitised, partly due to cultural perceptions of the role of women, but also due to the longstanding correlation in Church tradition between ‘holiness’ and ‘purity’ for women. We return to Mary’s roots, to her early appearance as the brave, decisive, breathless, and excited young woman who rushed to Elizabeth’s house, pregnant with God’s promise, pregnant with joy, carrying the Word of God and passing it on. Many of us have a particular devotion to Mary. Advent is an ideal time to reflect on what Mary can teach us about being a disciple and ‘God-bearer’ (Theotokos). God asks each of us to be bearers of his love and his Word. Our challenge is to create a space for God in all of our human experience, in our joy and our brokenness. Let us follow in the footsteps of the first evangelist, Mary. Let us also listen to the experiences of the women in our Church and society who, through their strength and enthusiasm, continue the task of carrying Christ in and to the world.
Tríona Doherty and Jane Mellett, The Deep End: A Journey with the Gospels in the Year of Luke