Luke chapter one: two expectant mothers
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’* 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’* 35The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born* will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 38Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be* a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
What a beautiful story, two expectant women, cousins tradition says, meeting and rejoicing in each other’s pregnancy. Mary and Elizabeth must have lived fairly close to each other for Mary to go in her condition..
Yesterday was my mother’s ninety-ninth birthday, today is Mothers Day. Several descendants visited her yesterday. I was sad to miss, but nearly a year ago Lauren asked me to officiate her marriage ceremony and we are glad we came. The garden wedding was lovely, the reception joyful. Daniel’s brother Andrew and his wife have two children, Nate, four, and Maggie, who must be two. The children were in the wedding, happily at the rehearsal Friday with only a few relatives watching; hesitantly at the wedding coming down the aisle surrounded by the eyes of a large crowd of strangers. Susanna came, with Charlotte her exchange student, so we had a mini family reunion.
This morning Linda and I are looking out the seventh floor window of the Renaissance Hotel at a rainy day. Linda just opened her Mothers Day card from Joe and I am writing for my blog post. Nick will sleep all morning, but Joe is meeting us for breakfast at quarter to eight, then we will leave for Savannah, overnight. Home late tomorrow afternoon.
Luke 1, verse 56 says, “And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.” Travel was such in those days that people didn’t just go for an overnight, but stayed for a long visit. No doubt someone will remember the proverb “guests and fish stink after three days,” but my thought is of two tiny boys, who will soon bless two new mothers who have no conception of the blessings their sons will bring to generations throughout the world for ages to come.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
TW+