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Mary, the Mother of JesusHer Strong Faith The people of Nazareth had a strong Jewish faith. As God's chosen people, descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Jews believed this land was theirs, given to their ancestors whom Moses led out of Egypt. They knew by heart the deeds of kings like David and Solomon and the words of prophets like Isaiah and Elijah. Even though the Romans, with Herod's family as their puppets, now occupied Palestine, the Jews of Galilee believed God would someday send a Messiah who would free Israel from her enemies. For some Jews, foreign domination only fanned the fires of revolution more brightly in their hearts. Others, like the Pharisees, became more strictly conservative and exclusive in their religious practices. Still others, like Mary and many ordinary people of the land, became more and more aware that they were powerless themselves, but God, the all powerful, could raise up the lowly. Their faith was of the deepest kind:
"The Lord hears the cry of the poor. When she was 15 or so, Mary's parents made plans for her to be married, as was customary in those days. They chose Joseph of Nazareth, a carpenter, for her husband. The engagement took place and Mary returned home to wait about a year before she would go to live with her husband as his wife. But then, something happened... |
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Mary,
the Mother of Jesus • Mary in Christian
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They
lived in a war-torn land. For centuries before the Roman occupation,
conquering armies of Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians and Greeks fought
over Palestine. Despite their wars, revolts and riots, the Jews remained
a subject people -- taxed, bullied and despised by succeeding rulers.
Like their compatriots, the Jews of Nazareth were never far from the
dangers of political violence. During the Jewish uprisings in Galilee
around 6 A.D. -- when Jesus was a child -- Roman legions captured the
city of Sepphoris, sold all its inhabitants into slavery and burned
the city to the ground.
Mary's
faith was strong. Yet, in fervently religious Nazareth with its high
moral standards, she hardly stood out at all, even in the eyes of those
who knew her best. Besides, as a woman living in a society where men
counted most, she would be little noticed except as a mother and a wife.
