The Overshadowing

The Overshadowing

 

Mary's body Was over shadowed
By the power
Of the Most-High
What happened, within
The nebulous shadow
Happened to her
Without a sigh
As woven in the secret
Deepest, darkest place
The light was born
Of truth
And grace
That would soon eclipse
Us all,

And Mary
Took each bit
Of light
And shade
And gathered it
To her soul

And, In that moment
Of divine acceptance
Surrendered will
She, herself
was over shadowed
By the light
Now growing
Glowing,
Starting to fill,
Her womb,
Her heart
Her world,


So many shadows
Yet to be unfurled,

And gathered round the manger,
On Bethlehem's brightest night,
An ominous darkness overshadows,
Creeping in the corners
Of our sight,
The arrival of joy,
Resounds echoes of loss,
The guiding starlight casts over the manger
The shadow of
The coming cross

 

Reflection: The Shadow That Brings Light

 

I called this poem ‘The Overshadowing’ because I was intrigued by the use of the term used in Luke 1:35: The power of the Most-high will ‘overshadow’ you. This idea of being caught in the shade cast by something so gargantuan that is blots out the sun itself. This is, at least, how I pictured it. As a metaphor, I might add. It’s a curious phrase. It casts, in my mind, a picture of the story of the Exodus, whereby the angle of death passes over the households of Egypt. It casts its shadow over the home and brings death to wherever there is no protection.
That overshadowing took the Firstborn. This overshadowing of Mary brings the Firstborn. The first born of Mary and Joseph. The first born second Adam. The First born from among the dead.

I also liked the Juxtaposition of darkness and light. The Lord Almighty, who dwells in inapproachable light, casts shade over Mary, as he does with Moses when he shields him from his glory by covering him in the cleft of the rock with his hand. On that occasion He passes over him, and Moses catches only a glimpse of the glory which is reflected on his face for a time, reflected to the extent that the Israelites asked him to wear a veil. That glory, over time, faded.

On that occasion God gave his word on tablets of stone, but on the occasion of The Overshadowing, he gave his word in flesh and blood. That light was the light of all mankind, and his glory will never fade.

This was the nature of the light, growing in Mary as a result of the this divine shade.

 

~Scripture~

 

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

~John 1:4-5

 

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 

~1 John:5

 

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God.

~Luke 1:35