“But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:43
In the Sunday Gospel (12.20.09) we read that Mary has traveled to Zechariah’s home to greet Elizabeth. Lk. 1:39-45. Although Zechariah is “speechless and unable to talk” as we read in Luke 1:5-25 (12.19.2009), the child in Elizabeth’s womb is already proclaiming the joy of the Lord. As Elizabeth put it, “for at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant [John the Baptist] in my womb leaped for joy.” Lk. 1:13, 44. A child who would be “called prophet of the Most High, [who would go] before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. . .” Lk. 1:76-77. But, what strikes me here is God’s plan and purpose for John (a prophet) was being realized before John had even left his mother’s womb. It gives me hope to know that God is involved in our lives even before we are born. Even Zechariah, once struck dumb by the Lord, is later filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied. Lk. 1:67. That too gives me hope to read how our Father works in our lives regardless of what we have done, what we have failed to do, or where we currently are in our lives. Of course we must ultimately be obedient to our Father’s call. Ultimately, for John the Baptist obedience meant proclaiming the Kingdom (Matthew 3:1) and living and dying in a way that contradicted worldly wisdom. Mt.14:10.
In Sunday’s Gospel we also see that Elizabeth was able to discern truth not yet revealed. “Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’” Lk. 1:42-43 (Emphasis added). Elizabeth, inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit, humbly recognizes that Mary is full of favor and grace and that the baby Mary carries is the promised Lord and King. Compare Lk. 1:28-33. Like the unborn John the Baptist who was the prophet sent by God, Jesus was also recognized as Light and Redeemer of the world in Mary’s womb. See John 1:1-18.
What a mystery that the greatest of the prophets (Mt. 11:11), able to announce the arrival of the Lord (before either of their births) would ultimately live such a simple and tragic life. Mt.14:11. What a mystery that all powerful and ever living Christ Jesus should choose to fulfill thousands of years of promises in such a humble and helpless form; as a weak and feeble baby. Mt. 1:18-25. What a mystery that our King and Savior would choose the lowly and poor setting of a trough for feeding livestock as His place of birth. Luke 2:7.
It could only be by the power of the Holy Spirit that we could have faith in these Christmas truths.
So let us pray today that through the Holy Spirit we obediently live, like John the Baptist did, in submission to our Father’s will and purpose for our lives. And let us pray that we be filled with the Holy Spirit, like humble Elizabeth, so that we may have the wisdom of God and knowledge of the joy of salvation. See Ephesians 1:17-23.
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