But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
I've blogged on this before, but there's more on this verse that came to light following the meetings today.
The first part of this verse uses the Greek word συνετήρει (sunetērei), which is here translated as 'treasured' but in essence means to keep close, i.e. preserve. The term 'pondering' in the original Greek is συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) which means to throw together, hence to discuss, consider.
The English word we use for Mary's meditation on the extraordinary events of the Nativity is based on the Latin root ponderare, which actually means to weigh.
Reflecting on all these words, we have young Mary committing every detail of what happened to memory; keeping them close, turning them over and over in her mind, her heart. In trying to 'weigh up' all these facts, she took note of it all so that it could be quietly reflected on.
Interestingly, this Latin root also gives us the word 'pondus'. It's the word for a weight on a line used when a ship entered shallow water. It's how sailors used to find out exactly where the sea bed was. Hence the saying, 'to get to the bottom of it' - to be able to work out what is currently not obvious.
Following all those events in Bethlehem, Mary pondered, quietly obeying God without fully understanding what was happening, yet reflecting on it and committing it to memory. Which is doubtless how the Gospel writers recorded the events of Jesus' birth in such detail...
So that we can get to the bottom of it, too.
Happy Christmas.
1 comment:
Talk about having faith......I admire Mary's. Blessings.
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