Peace in a War Zone
We have to remember that our only saving grace, in any of this, is actual Saving Grace. Over two millennia ago, an angel departed the throne of God to deliver a long awaited message to a carefully selected young woman. As the only woman prophesied of in our recorded scripture, Mary’s role was established since the foundation of the world (see 1 Nephi 10:18) as an irreplaceable piece of the Plan of Salvation. The angel’s message, of course, was that Mary would soon bear a child, even the promised Messiah hailing from the Kingdom of Heaven who would rule and reign upon the throne of David (see Luke 1:32-33). In the months leading up to her delivery, how often did Mary wonder at the prophecies about the child in her womb? How often did she converse with Joseph about how to protect him? And how quickly did fear creep into her mind as she laid him in the manger? Amid stars, shepherds, and wisemen, it became abundantly clear on that blessed night that Mary was not called to raise just an
