Visitation, Macha Chmakoff
Three: Mary visits Elizabeth
Over successive Mondays in advent I will look at extraordinary meetings involving Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and some angels. And in these, as the first advent reflection on 24th November said, we shall see that all of life is indeed intrinsically and intricately bound up with the ever-present God/man Jesus as we see in the stories of these three very ordinary and unremarkable people how heaven and earth are becoming joined as one in human hearts.
Opening prayer
May I, with Mary and Elizabeth, see the divine image in those that I meet. May I recognise the work of heaven on earth. May I boldly in the midst of the ordinary be prepared to meet the extraordinary and rejoice in it, though it be beyond my understanding or control.
The story unfolds
Luke 1:39-45: Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and travelled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true! And Mary said...Luke 1:46-56
Reflection
How extraordinary for Elizabeth. Her cousin arrives unexpectedly and suddenly the baby in her womb starts turning cartwheels. And she bursts into a stream of ecstatic prophesy. What had she been doing a couple of minutes before? Washing the dishes? Making bread? Chatting to a neighbour? And suddenly heaven breaks into her day and upends everything. And it is as though nothing else exists but the joy she feels at what is before her.
Exercise
Again, find somewhere quiet for a few minutes and read this story then leave the words behind and let the story play out in your imagination. Be Elizabeth or Mary or someone who happened to be walking down the street when this encounter took place. What do you see? What feelings does this evoke? Is there anything you want to say to God – or someone else – because of this?
Gus MacLeod
Click here to print out a single sheet PDF of the above reflection.