Just a visit?
Is it rather curious that as soon as Mary learned that she was with child, she rushed to the hill country to see her elder kinswoman, Elizabeth? Mary must have been close to Elizabeth – at least we can assume they were not strangers. The word that Luke uses to describe Mary’s hurried departure means “to arise,” or “to start moving.” Immediately after the Incarnation, Mary rushes to bring salvation to the world, beginning with her immediate family. This makes Mary the first evangelist, the first to spread the “Good News!”
And chances are Mary didn’t make the trip alone. Young, First Century Jewish woman did not go out and about alone. She would have had a companion with her – a relative, most likely. What about Joseph? We’ll never know because Scripture is silent about everything except that to Elizabeth she went.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the babe in her own womb leaped with joy. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and “… exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’” (Luke 1:41-42)
A couple of things about this passage are worthy of note. First, it was Mary’s greeting that caused John, the Baptizer, to leap in Elizabeth’s womb. I was taught, or assumed more likely, that it was because Elizabeth was in the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary. But that’s not what the text says.
Secondly, Elizabeth uses the same word “blessed” to describe both Mary and the baby that she carried. From what I’ve learned, this was a very unusual way for Elizabeth, the elder, to greet Mary, the younger. In Jewish culture of the day, Mary should be giving honor to Elizabeth. Instead, just the opposite occurs.
Elizabeth goes on to exclaim, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1:43-45)
Again, Elizabeth acknowledges that it was Mary’s greeting, Mary’s voice that caused her baby to fairly jump with joy!
Mary, however, is her usual humble self. Instead of being proud, her “soul magnifies the Lord” and her “spirit rejoices in God”, her Savior. She acknowledges that she’s merely a humble handmaiden and yes, she, too, needs a Savior. Only God saved her in a special way – at the moment of her conception says the Church. And how quickly do we forget what the Angel Gabriel said mere verses before? “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37).
Mary says something during her Magnificat that my family has ignored for who knows how many years: “… For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” It is a fair question to ask my Protestant friends and family, “exactly WHEN do you call Mary blessed?”
Are a few weeks out of the year, from mid-December until January first, enough? Somehow, I don’t think so.
And chances are Mary didn’t make the trip alone. Young, First Century Jewish woman did not go out and about alone. She would have had a companion with her – a relative, most likely. What about Joseph? We’ll never know because Scripture is silent about everything except that to Elizabeth she went.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s voice, the babe in her own womb leaped with joy. She was filled with the Holy Spirit and “… exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’” (Luke 1:41-42)
A couple of things about this passage are worthy of note. First, it was Mary’s greeting that caused John, the Baptizer, to leap in Elizabeth’s womb. I was taught, or assumed more likely, that it was because Elizabeth was in the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary. But that’s not what the text says.
Secondly, Elizabeth uses the same word “blessed” to describe both Mary and the baby that she carried. From what I’ve learned, this was a very unusual way for Elizabeth, the elder, to greet Mary, the younger. In Jewish culture of the day, Mary should be giving honor to Elizabeth. Instead, just the opposite occurs.
Elizabeth goes on to exclaim, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.” (Luke 1:43-45)
Again, Elizabeth acknowledges that it was Mary’s greeting, Mary’s voice that caused her baby to fairly jump with joy!
Mary, however, is her usual humble self. Instead of being proud, her “soul magnifies the Lord” and her “spirit rejoices in God”, her Savior. She acknowledges that she’s merely a humble handmaiden and yes, she, too, needs a Savior. Only God saved her in a special way – at the moment of her conception says the Church. And how quickly do we forget what the Angel Gabriel said mere verses before? “For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37).
Mary says something during her Magnificat that my family has ignored for who knows how many years: “… For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” It is a fair question to ask my Protestant friends and family, “exactly WHEN do you call Mary blessed?”
Are a few weeks out of the year, from mid-December until January first, enough? Somehow, I don’t think so.
posted by Dixie @ 3:17 PM
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