I hope and pray that you all are having a blessed Advent, preparing for the Coming of Our Lord at Christmas tomorrow evening! This post has been delayed in coming; I keep intending to write it, but with the relaxation and craziness (what a paradox...) of break thus far, I have not been able to write it. I hope you enjoy, and take time for quiet reflection in the peacefulness of Christ this Christmas and always!
"During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth." (Lk 1:39-40)
Early on in this week, I was praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary with a good friend. And as I reflected on the 2nd Joyful Mystery (the Visitation), the humility of Mary hit me in a whole new way. Mary, after being greeted by the angel, informed of her divine motherhood, and of Elizabeth's pregnancy, set out in haste to be with Elizabeth for three months!
Whoa, hold on a minute...let's get just a couple of things straight here:
1. According to tradition, Mary was probably around the age of 14 years old when the angel appeared to her.
2. Pregnancy--in all of its beauty--entails suffering and changes in lifestyle; whether it be fatigue, morning sickness, etc. (especially in the first trimester!) And Mary is the sinless Mother of God, so she probably didn't have morning sickness--but she would still have to cope with the many changes of being pregnant.
So you have this pregnant teenage woman. And she's pregnant for the first time. It would be easier to stay at home, continue in the same lifestyle, and try to care for her needs first and foremost, before looking to help others out with thier lives. But what does Mary do? Once she hears that her aging cousin is pregnant, Mary gets up and goes off to spend her first trimester of pregnancy serving Elizabeth! Mary's humility is incredible; her love is unconditional. She is putting others before herself-big time. She did not delay her actions, making sure that she would have her needs met, then thinking about going to help others; no, Mary went in haste!
Let us always use Mary as our model, our example, so that she may teach us the ways of humility! So that we each may go in haste to serve others!
