I fell in love with this icon the first time I saw it. So much so that I have found a copy on Ebay and am now awaiting its arrival.

I was immediately struck by the warmth of the relationship that there is between Jesus and his mum. Notice the level of contact. The prolonged, comfortable, cheek to cheek understanding that there is between the two. Notice the intimacy. Notice the trust. Notice the love and admiration of each other.

Jesus is embracing his mum, and just chilling out with her. Enjoying her warmth and presence, and she enjoying his.

A beautiful image.

Mary is unique. WE speak of being filled with Jesus, of having Jesus living in us. It strikes me that Mary was the very first person to experience Jesus living inside her. The first person to experience the level of intimacy of the relationship that could exist between person and God. Mary really was the first real disciple!

Today we are all excited to feel and experience God living within us. I also get excited when I see God living within, and making an impact upon, others.

But imagine being the first. The first person to be filled with the creator God. The first person to walk around with ‘him’ living inside you. The first person who asked herself ‘how will what I do today have an impact of the growth of Jesus within me?’ I can’t begin to imagine the mix of excitement,terror, unworthiness and blessedness emotions that must have been flying around in Mary’s head.

I look back at the icon and I see how Jesus loves us. He loves us in the way a small boy loves his mummy. A totally trusting, focused and dedicated love. A vulnerable love, but with a blind vulnerability as the child does not even entertain the thought that his love for mummy will be rejected, nor that it will not be reciprocated. Oh how great it would be if children of today could be so secure in their experience of love.

Mary is experiencing the love of the creator. Jesus is experiencing the love of the created. It’s an extremely powerful, yet balanced, image. I think it’s so powerful due to the fragility also seen here. Either party could easily stop and turn away – the relationship is that fragile, that delicate and inter-dependent. There is nothing to compel them to stay as they are, apart from love. A love that has come through the experience of each other. A love that can be wrecked by either. A love that is honoured and nurtured by both.

The relationship that Jesus has with us as is fragile as fine glass, as thin as eggshell; and yet that is precisely why it is so wonderful. It’s fragility is due to our fickleness, we are free to walk away at any time, and break the heart of our creator. There is no reason to stay together other than love, the desire to be together, to grow together, to dream together.

Mary and Jesus, you and Jesus, me and Jesus – a fine and delicately crafted partnership, best viewed through the iris of complete trust to see it at its intended best.