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Photos of the Virgin Mary for Christmas: Her Perspective

By admin ⋅ December 4, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Every Christmas since I first saw it, this Christmas card of modern-day Virgin Mary reminds me again of the example of trust and faith she set for us. It shows us the derision Mary must have experienced for being pregnant out of wedlock along with the nervous excitement of carrying the Christ. Seeing a real young woman will help your congregation see Mary as a real young woman too.

Some Ideas for These Mary Photos

I know you already have some ideas already for how to use these pictures of Mary. If not, here are a few to get you started. Remember, you don’t have to use the text St. Stephen’s did. Go to his Flickr set of Mary photos to find one or two that would work for you and add your own words.

Christmas Outreach Postcards

It’s a little late this year, but you do what Ben Bell’s church did and send them out as Christmas cards to let your community about your Christmas services.

Screen Projection

Put her up on your screens when you sing or speak about Jesus’ mother. Here are some songs about Mary that might go well with this.

You could also string all of the different photos together, maybe add some additional text, and make a slideshow.

Bulletin Insert or Cover Art

Print a special bulletin cover or insert. Use it to advertise your Christmas programs

What else could you do with this? What other text would you write to go along with these photos?

Thoughts About the Image

Since we’re so used to seeing Mary with her head covered under a flowing cloth, I love seeing this modern Mary in a hoodie. It calls to mind the iconic image while showing her to be a youth. The card uses the words shunned and rejected, but I wondered how much teen moms are shunned today. Isn’t pre-marital sex, even among teens, pretty much accepted? Then I read that Bell has heard of a a teen mom spat on for being a teen mom. Now that I think about it, there is shame attached to being a teen mom. Besides the rejection came from being pregnant before marriage. For young women that stigma is still true.

Another possible breakdown in the analogy between the real Mary and this modern Mary is difference culture. It wasn’t uncommon for women in that place and that time to be married and have children. But I’m not sure how much it matters what your culture is like; there is a world of difference between a fifteen year old and 25 year old.

Tags: christmas, mary, Visuals