Mary
Sacred history tells us that in the province of Galilee, among the common people, there was a little group of metaphysical thinkers. Right in the midst of this dense materialistic thinking of the upper class was this little group, this remnant of Israel who practiced pure and undefiled religion. They taught and practiced the most beautiful moral precepts. In fact, they were full of light in that black night of materialism. This little group knew from actual experience that spiritual law, set in motion by purified and spiritualized thought, was far more effective than the forcing of political issue through material aggression or human will.
Mary belonged to this group. Mary was deeply religious, a woman of strong character and super-intelligence. She was far from the “clinging vine” type to which so many have ignorantly assigned her. It is interesting and wonderful to learn how Mary, within herself, prepared for the coming of the Saviour. She was familiar with the Scriptures and knew that an immaculate conception would not just happen. She knew that an immaculate conception could take place only if the purity of the virgin’s thought was sufficiently demonstrated.
Mary was familiar with the miracles of the ancient patriarchs and prophets. She, no doubt, prayed and sang the songs of David. To her, the Psalms were the same source of comfort and consolation as they have been to both Christian and Jew alike, down through the ages. Mary knew that all things, circumstances, conditions, and events do not just happen. She clearly understood that any thought held in the mentality tends to express or eternalize itself in outward or visible form. Therefore, Mary firmly believed that the longing and the undaunted faith in the certain coming of Israel’s deliverer, would sometime become externalized. Mary knew that if she, a virgin, were to become the mother of the Saviour, this demonstration could only be made through her spiritual understanding of the Fatherhood of God. Her demonstration made, then, indeed, God would be the Father of her child, and her child would truly be the Son of God.
The annunciation, as recorded by Luke, was Mary’s announcement to herself, and to those who looked for Israel’s deliverer, that she was to be the mother of the Saviour, who would save not only Israel of that day, but all generations to come. This annunciation represents Mary’s own reasoning; her communion with the angel was her communion with her own inner self. In a larger sense, her annunciation was her communion with God, her own mind. This, indeed, was the power and operation of the divine idea in human consciousness.
In this annunciation, Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him from generation to generation.” (Luke) This annunciation by the Virgin Mary is the greatest poem in Hebrew literature. I will say it is the greatest poem that has ever been written.
When the angel, that mighty impression of good, appeared to Mary and said unto her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God,” Mary answered this angel, saying, “Be it unto me according to Thy word.” (Luke)
False theology has made the world believe that this statement made by Mary to the angel was made in a spirit of mere pious resignation on her part, and that Mary had little to do with giving a Saviour to the world. But since “The Key to the Scriptures” has unlocked for us the “Science of Mind,” Mary’s statement, “Be it unto me according to Thy word,” reveals Mary’s thought as being on a lofty plane of spiritual power and realization. This statement was a confident assertion that nothing, not even the bringing forth of Israel’s deliverer, was impossible with God. Her words were the acknowledgement of spiritual law.
Martha Wilcox