“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
Good evening God.
Last week, we received a huge surprise. Zacharias, Elizabeth and John came to visit us. They stayed with us for one week. John is already five months old. He is a robust and healthy baby. His eyes are deep and wise. I can tell that You have an important mission for him. Zacharias said it when he was born: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways.” (1) John’s destiny is definitely intertwined with that of your Son.
Mary reprimanded them for taking such a long journey with an infant, but interiorly, I know that she was so happy with their visit. It was good for her to have her cousin by her side for this one week. I know that Mary would have liked for Elizabeth to stay until the Child is born, just like she was able to be with her for the birth of John, but Zacharias has responsibilities as a priest, and there is so much unrest in our country that it would have been unsafe for Elizabeth and John to return by themselves. Therefore, Mary was thankful for the one week that they were able to spend together.
Elizabeth wanted to take over the household chores, but Mary only allowed her to do menial chores. Even in her eighth month, Mary is much more stronger than Elizabeth. She looked very fragile to me. The pregnancy and birth of John have taken a toll on her. And caring for an infant is no easy feat, so it’s been more difficult for her because of her advanced age.
I took advantage of their visit, to go to Sepphoris, the capital, from where I have received a big assignment that would help our diminishing coffers tremendously. Leaving Elizabeth and her family with Mary while I was gone, was a huge relief. They kept her company during the day, and she did not have to ask her aunt to come stay with her at night.
The days are now growing shorter, so there are not enough hours to finish all the work I have pending. For Mary, on the other hand, they seem interminable, even if she occupies her time working on the swaddling clothes and coverlets for the Baby. Elizabeth’s visit helped to make her days pass faster.
After Elizabeth and her family left, Mary shared with me that she had told Elizabeth her concerns regarding people’s expectations of the Messiah. Elizabeth is a wise woman, and this was her insight:
“God hates the sin and violence and injustice that have rendered gloomy His beautiful world, and therefore He comes into that world as a warrior, ready to fight. But He arrives stealthily, clandestinely—sneaking, as it were, unnoticed behind enemy lines. The King comes as a helpless infant, born of insignificant parents in a small town of a distant outpost of the Roman Empire. He will conquer through the finally irresistible power of love, the same power with which He made the universe.” (2)
I asked Mary: “What did she mean by insignificant parents?” She told me that by “insignificant” Elizabeth meant humble and poor. She said that “most people are expecting a King, of royal blood. God definitely has a sense of humor, because instead of choosing a queen with power, He chose a queen with a huge heart.” Elizabeth told Mary: “You are a queen, Mary, even if the world does not consider you one. But God is sneaky, and therefore, He chose you because people would not notice you. He doesn’t want to arrive with noise and fanfare, He wants to sneak into our world unnoticed, so that He can reveal His plan in His time, not ours.”
Tonight I ponder Elizabeth’s words, and I must agree with her. Your Son is indeed a King, but not the kind of King that people are expecting. And Mary, His Mother, is a queen.
Little Emmanuel, pray for us.
Reflection:
How did Jesus conquer with love, and where am I called to do the same? How is God using me, an insignificant servant, to spread His seeds of love in my small corner of the world?
Copyright © 2024 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.
References:
- Luke 1:76
- Bishop Robert Barron Reflection 12-18-19
Resources from the following books are being used on this journey:
- The Mystical City of God: A Popular Abridgement of the Divine History and Live of the Virgin Mother of God by Venerable Mary of Agreda
- Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald H. Calloway
- Las Palabras Calladas: Diario de Maria de Nazaret by Pedro Miguel Lamet
All Bible references are from the New American Revised Edition Bible (NAREB) unless otherwise specified.
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