Mary - Mother of Jesus
Holy Week 2008
And I got to portray Mary in the Passion Play of the Four Corners. I have wanted to "play" Mary ever since second grade when Sr. Igneous was casting the St. Monica's School Christmas pageant. Only, there is no cute little baby lying in a manger in this production. Mary doesn't go to the stable in the light of the Christmas star, shining over Bethlehem, she goes to the cross as darkness shrouds Golgotha.
So, I've been thinking a lot about Mary these past few weeks. Mary, the virgin mother, Mary blessed among all women, Mary, with a mother's heart, broken as her son died on the cross of shame, the cross of sacrifice, the cross of salvation.
Mary, who bore the stigma of an unexplained pregnancy. Mary who carried the King of kings within her womb for nine months. Mary, who kissed his little hands and feet, fed him at her breast, cleaned up his messes...who kissed his sweet little baby feet.
I love baby feet.
As Mary, I begin the play by retelling the words of the Angel Gabriel: the holy child, born unto you, will be called the "Son of God". And then, 8 acts later, I go to the cross.
I push past the guards to get to my dying son. I can only reach his feet. His bloody feet. I need to let him know I am there, like I was when he was a baby, and needed to be fed or cleaned. Those feet...those precious feet...my son, my son!
The crucifixion is an event out of time. it was the moment of salvation for people in the past, present, and future. But at that moment in time, it meant something different than it does to most Christians today. For some people it was the solution to a problem - he wouldn't be causing trouble any more. For some people it was the hopeless end to a beautiful promise. They couldn't see Resurrecton Sunday like we can. and for Mary, although she knew He was the Messiah, at that moment it was only and tragically the death of her first born son.
As I prepared for that scene, I offered it up as a living sacrifice to the Prince of Peace who died a violent death for the sake of every mother and every mother's son. When I was at the cross, there was nothing in my mind except Jesus and His mother Mary. I didn't worry about audience, or costums, or lines. I'm so glad the story doesn't end at the cross. I got to go to the empty tomb. Another angel..."Why seek the living among the dead?" And as Mary, I get to run through the audience and onto the stage, into the upper room, declaring with Peter and the others, "He's Alive" as our play ends with Don Francsicos' song "He's Alive"
I was overjoyed to have had the chance to play this role. And humbled.
I pray that somehow, in some small way the LORD used me to make the passion of our Christ more real to some hurting mother or rejected child. This production is more than just entertainment, so much more. It is one of the most real things I have ever done. May God bless and prosper Passion Play Ministries International! Christ has died, Christ has risen (He is risen indeed) and Christ is coming again!
The pictures are Scene one, Palm Sunday - "Rabi" Art in the back ground. And Mary at the Cross.
Nearly 1/2 of our regular attenders were in the play. And our Easter was blessed as well. I'm on Spring Break - so perhaps I will have some real blogging time the next few days....love and prayers to you all.
