The Mother of my Lord come to me - Lk 1:39-45
On the front wall of the basilica at Ein Karem is a beautiful mosaic, depicts Mary on her way to Elizabeth. The road meanders steeply between the mountains, and Elizabeth waiting is visible at its summit. Angels accompany Mary in her lonely, hurried and impatient journey.
In the eastern icons, Mary is presented as a Monstrance who carries Jesus within her. However, Mary does not keep Jesus to herself. On the contrary, after the Annunciation, she goes to share Him with Elizabeth.
In the description of Mary's journey, the haste is striking: "she went with haste to the mountains". Mary's rush, her "impatient desire" to share the Gift she received from God, her desire to share Jesus and her service to Elizabeth express the dynamism of her faith. From the moment of the Visitation, Mary shows signs of impatience. She is aware that the Son does not belong to her. He is intended for others. He is a gift for everyone. Before he was born, she carries him to those to whom he came. She carries him to people.
Mary "entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth." This short sentence contains the depth of the meeting. Two close women meet; fertile, happy, blessed women. Each of them carries a child: Mary - the Son of God, Elizabeth - His predecessor, precursor. They both respect each other, have faith, love and enjoy the Gift of God - the Savior.
“And how does this happen to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" - cried Elizabeth when she saw Mary. It is impossible not to associate these words with the words of King David, delighted but also concerned about the prospect of moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem:" How can the ark of the LORDcome to me? (cf. 2 Sm 6:9)
Evangelist Luke wants to present Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant. For example, when King David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he danced of joy. Well, Elizabeth's words that makes the baby move in her womb when Mary greeted her, it would have to be literally translated that the baby danced in her womb.
Now let us consider how much glorious Mary is as the New Ark of the Covenant than the Ark that David brought into the Temple of Jerusalem.
The tablets of the ten commandments of God were kept in the ark of David; Mary carried within herself the Divine Legislator. The glory of the Lord was floating above the ark in the temple in Jerusalem as a sign of God's special presence among his people. Mary bore Jesus in her womb, He who is the same all-powerful and infinite Son of God through whom the world was created.
Mary physically carried within her and gave birth to the Son of God, so that each of us could carry Him within us spiritually. After all, those unforgettable words of the Lord Jesus from the Apocalypse apply to us: " Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me." (cf. Rev 3:20). After all, it is thanks to the fact that Mary gave birth to Jesus for us that we can listen to his teachings, nourish ourselves with his body, follow him in carrying the cross and participate in his resurrection. Every year Christmas presents us with the question: do I, or do also my relatives, open the doors of our hearts to Jesus?
The first thing that Mary did when the Son of God began to be in her, was to go to Elizabeth with the service of mercy. This is an important criterion by which we can know that we have Jesus in our heart - do we try to notice those people who need our help?
On these last Advent days, when we are busy, we do not have time and we surrender to the pre-Christmas fever, Mary reminds us of a different activity, rush, fever - about "spiritual fever". Let us not lose the spiritual dimension of Advent. Let us be impatient, tense and eager to meet the coming Lord. Let us not lose the importance and depth of interpersonal meetings. In "visiting others" let us contemplate and imitate Mary.
In order for our "visitations" to be deep, we must leave "our own Nazareth", go out of ourselves, overcome "mountains" of fears, own selfishness and comfort. When entering the home of others, we should "greet" them; look at their mystery with respect, see what is unique in others. A real encounter is possible thanks to respect and the appreciation of mutual value and dignity. There is no depreciation, jealousy, self-exaltation, comparison ... There is friendly acceptance and respect for otherness, mystery. As in the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth ...
Until Tomorrow
fr. george