Anne and Joachim knew you were gift, precious,
a blessing to be blessed.
Gifted back to God,
waiting for the opportune time.

God waited for you,
readying you, shaping your womb,
carefully.
You would carry not only His child
but His dreams:
vision for a world He formed, brooded over, loved and despaired of.
You would bring into the world not just a child but a hope.
‘I’m counting on you’, breathed God expectantly, apprehensively,
scarily.

God waited,
knowing the power of rejection,
knowing what He was asking:
well aware that your child would be destined
for the rising and falling of many
and would know the power of rejection.
He too would burden some with His hope and love
and they would turn
as we might turn.
‘It is too hard for us.’

It was hard for you too.
Prophecy sent a sword straight into your heart.
Yet you bore it as you bore everything because you were God-bearer –
Theotokos – carrying the child of God into the world.
Your ‘Yes’ always ‘Yes’.

And gently, beautifully, as you looked on Jesus,
you look on us:
on each theotokos
bearing God today.

GC – 8 September 2020

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