Sunday 20 December 2009
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"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 leapt for joy.'" (v.41-44)
Background
Luke's Gospel tells the reader that Elizabeth and Mary wererelated. It is usually assumed that they are cousins. Both hadreceived the news that they are to have babies in extraordinaryways.
Zechariah was a priest and he and his wife were descended fromimportant families within the history of Israel. They were known tohave led blameless lives but were unable to have children. When itwas time for Zechariah to enter the sanctuary of the Lord - themost holy place in the Temple - he found more holiness than heexpected (Luke1:8-20)! He was met by the angel Gabriel who proclaimed to himthat Elizabeth would bear a son who was to be named John. The childwas to have a special role for Israel, preparing people for theLord. Zechariah did not believe the angel's words and as aconsequence was unable to speak until the birth of his son.
Meanwhile Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear a son andthat he was to be called Jesus, "the Son of the Most High" (Luke1:32). Mary was also in some doubt, not least because she was avirgin, but she was spared Zechariah's fate.
These verses contain a great deal about proclamation - aboutspeaking out. Zechariah can be seen to represent an old way ofdoing things, which was rooted in the Temple where holiness wasbelieved to dwell. Elizabeth and Mary are bearers of a new order, anew way of doing things. For John and Jesus, holiness - God'spresence - was very much out in the world. John preached hismessage of repentance in the open air and Jesus' ministry tookplace in streets and homes, and on boats and hilltops.
There is a great contrast between the silent, constrained holinessthat Zechariah understood and the words of Elizabeth, who shoutedout her joy at meeting her Lord within Mary's womb. The encounterbetween Mary and Elizabeth and the children in their wombs causedMary to sing a great hymn of praise (
To Ponder
Where do you feel close to God? In holy places?In the world?
What makes you shout or sing?
Read the Magnificat - Mary's song of praisein Luke1:46-55. If you were to write a poem of praise, what would youthank God for?