“O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.” These are the last words written in the first reading for mass today. They remind us of how Mary must have felt, carrying this lovely secret life of the Lord Jesus within the recesses of her own body. It certainly wasn’t something she would have shared with anyone other than Joseph and maybe her immediate family, who had a need to know this. What a beautiful secret she carried in her womb. How could she keep it to herself? Her joy must surely have shone on her face, because of the inward joy she felt, and carried within her.
The gospel reading today said that Mary traveled in haste to her cousin Elizabeth’s house. Can you imagine what that must have been like for her? She was amazed at all the angel had told her, and of this new life she carried in her womb. Perhaps she just couldn’t wait until she saw her cousin Elizabeth, because it would confirm that what the angel told her was really true. That must be why she traveled “in haste” to see her cousin Elizabeth.
What were her thoughts along the way? Was she nervous about what Elizabeth would say about her “condition”? How would she be able to explain what had happened to her? Was it really true that Elizabeth was pregnant after all this time? We do not have very many clues as to what Mary was feeling on her journey to Elizabeth’s house, except that she traveled “in haste”.
Mary need not have worried about it though, for God was true to his promise. It really was true. The whole thing was. The truth did not settle in on Mary gently, joyfully in a single instant. Elizabeth’s baby recognized God’s son immediately, and even from the secret depths of the womb. They were created, one for the other. John the Baptist was specifically created for baby Jesus. So was Mary in fact.
Elizabeth literally cried out, “Most blessed are you among women”, for God had chosen her out of all the women who had ever lived, to carry His son. What a perfectly beautiful woman she was, both inside and out, for God’s own son had come to dwell within her.
Elizabeth knew something that modern people should pay more attention to. She was very reverent toward the Lord Jesus, just to be in his presence, because she said “How does this happen to me, that the mother of the Lord should come to me?” Even though baby Jesus was hidden from her eyes, she recognized his true presence. We too, should recognize his presence hidden in all the tabernacles throughout the world. Mary was a human tabernacle for the Lord, the first and the finest dwelling place for Jesus on this earth. Each and every person that comes into contact with the tabernacles in our churches, should treat the occasion as just as special as Elizabeth did, for she knew that she stood on holy ground.
John the Baptist literally leaped for joy that the Lord Jesus had come into his presence as well. He didn’t just move within Elizabeth, he leaped with joy to the point that Elizabeth cried out to Mary, letting her know they recognized the son of God before she ever said a word, confirming the truth of what the angel had told her. How Mary and Elizabeth must have shone with joy at this reunion!
The last thing the gospel tells us, is that Elizabeth said to Mary, Blessed are you who believed what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. She immediately knew of Mary’s profound faith and trust in God, and this alone was an absolutely beautiful thing.
Mary set an example for all of us, just like she did for Elizabeth, with her profound belief, faith, and trust in God. Everyone who believes in this tiny baby’s life is also blessed. Everyone that believes in the words that baby Jesus grew up and taught us, will also be blessed beyond measure both in this life, and most especially in the next.
Baby Jesus’ birth would have no meaning if it wasn’t for his death on the cross and resurrection to new life. This was the proof that Jesus provided to the whole world that he truly is the son of God. Without Easter morning, we would not be celebrating Christmas morning. Our joy is in knowing that we owe our salvation to baby Jesus. We will live forever in his company. God kept his promise to many generations of his people, by bringing baby Jesus into the world. He also proved to Mary that what he said was true, by the miracle of Elizabeth’s pregnancy in her old age. Jesus also proved to the world that he really was God’s own son, by his resurrection on Easter morning. He will keep his promise of eternal life to us as well. This is the joy that we will celebrate this Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.
