December 12/Second Friday of Advent
“. . . 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.” ~ Luke 1.39
After Gabriel has delivered his life-changing message and fluttered off in winged elegance, what does a stunned Mary do? She rushes – the Greek word for haste implies zealous exertion – to be with her cousin Elizabeth. She braves the rigors of the hill country in her eagerness to be with the older woman, herself the bearer of an unexpected child, John the Baptist. Mary seeks out human contact, craving the solace and strength that friendship offers. I’ve seen countless representations of the moment of their greeting: the outstretched arms of the two women, the look of relief on Mary’s face and joy on Elizabeth’s, the comfort of their embrace. Anachronistic as it is, I imagine them going right into the house for a cup of tea and a good chat. Sharing the burdens and joys that life brings us is essential to being human. God instilled this need for companionship into humankind in the very first moments of the created world, when he declared that it was not good for adam, or the earth-creature, to be alone. Today’s vignette of the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth stands out for its warm intimacy — especially in a biblical context that does not furnish numerous stories about women. The mutual comfort and joy of these two cousins, whose lives have been upended by the hand of God, is both endearing and exemplary. Today we celebrate the genuine connections of clasped hands, locked eyes, warm embraces, voices lifted up together — the tangible demonstrations of love and affection that expose the faux connections offered by social media and artificial intelligence. In these remaining days of Advent — and ever thereafter — let us strive to be present to one another in ways that divide our burdens and multiply our joys.
Loving Lord, Inspire us to strengthen the bonds of human connection, and to be truly attentive to the needs of others. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121225.cfm
To hear the Currende Vocal Ensemble sing “Exsurgens Maria” (“And Mary arose”), by Peter Philips, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRUo3cmX3Ws
