Here we are, full swing into the Christmas season and my mind boggles with everything still to be done. It’s not a lot of major tasks, but a multitude of little things that, if they aren’t accomplished, the world will continue to revolve. Even those little things, if they manage to become compounded, can cause a great deal of angst. If you add in the normal uncertainties that can go along with everyday life, this time of year can be a source of anxiety for anyone.
I’m reminded of those two little words the angel uttered to Mary, “fear not.” If anyone had a good reason to have anxiety over an uncertain future, it was that young woman. When we say “young woman,” we really mean young. From what I have heard from folks that are probably more learned than I am on the subject, Mary was probably a teenager, and perhaps a young teenager at that. Yet, with being faced with news that could literally have caused her life to come to an extremely violent and torturous end (imagine having rocks thrown at you and hitting you over and over until you finally lose consciousness, then die). Yet, she took the angel’s words to heart when he said, “fear not.”