Gathered for Joy

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth 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. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Luke 1:39-45

After the angel told Mary she would give birth to the Messiah – and that her cousin Elizabeth, who was past childbearing age was six months pregnant – Mary “went with haste” to see Elizabeth. Many explanations have been offered for her trip.

Those of skeptical mind reason that Mary wanted proof that what the angel had told her was true. If Elizabeth were pregnant, then the promise to Mary could be trusted.

More than one task-oriented person has suggested Mary went to “help out.” Elizabeth was way too old to be pregnant. She needed someone to take care of her. That seems unlikely because Mary left (v. 56) just before Elizabeth’s baby was born.

What seems more likely is that Mary had just welcomed God to act in her life in an unimaginable way. God was breaking into history. The Messiah was at hand – and Mary would be his mother! Who could begin to understand what had happened to her? Only Elizabeth, who also had experienced an “impossible” act of God.

Elizabeth greets Mary with awe and joy. God is acting, and through them! After Elizabeth’s welcome, Mary bursts into a song of praise (vv. 46-55). The women celebrate with wonder what God is doing and that they are part of it.

Some have said that these women offer scripture’s earliest picture of the church – people gathered to rejoice at what God is doing and how they are part of it. What would it be like if we approached worship in the spirit of Mary and Elizabeth? We would have to take care to recognize the ways God is entering into the world and that God chooses to come among people through us – and then let ourselves be awed, humbled and joyous.

God’s peace,

Katie