MEDITATION TIP —
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22, 2024

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)

　Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is prayed as a joyful mystery in the Rosary. Consequently, many people perceive it as an event where Mary joyfully conveyed the news of her pregnancy with the Lord to Elizabeth, who lived in the town of Judah, that is, a scene from daily life. However, I sense the hidden struggles of the two women within the lines of this brief story. Certainly, this event eventually brought joy, but initially, it was an encounter between two women filled with uncertainty about the future.

　Mary was informed by the angel Gabriel that she was carrying a boy (Luke 1:31), but who would rejoice upon being told they were pregnant without any prior knowledge? Moreover, according to the law at the time, a woman pregnant before marriage was considered adulterous and sentenced to death by stoning. Such a dreadful situation awaited Mary. She likely couldn’t confide in her parents and went to seek counsel from Elizabeth, whom she trusted most. Thus, her hurried departure to the town of Judah in the hill country (Luke 1:39) reflected her anxiety and urgency.

　On the other hand, Elizabeth, who welcomed Mary, was also burdened with significant anxiety. While Mary greeted Elizabeth in the house of Zechariah (Luke 1:40), Zechariah himself does not appear. This is because Zechariah was mute at that time, having been rendered speechless due to doubting Gabriel’s announcement that his wife Elizabeth would conceive (Luke 1:20). This occurrence should be understood not as a punishment for Zechariah but as a divine mandate for him to remain in God’s presence until the child was born. However, Elizabeth did not understand why Zechariah had become mute and feared that this condition might persist for his entire life, especially at a time when society was less understanding of people with disabilities.

　Therefore, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth would have been a meeting of two women carrying great anxieties, likely discussing how they should live from then on. They concluded that their only remaining path was to believe in God. If they both believed, they could surely overcome any difficulty. From that moment on, they resolved to live strongly together. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” concluded this conversation. Consequently, I interpret the embrace depicted in traditional paintings of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth not as the embrace of their first meeting, but as a manifestation of their resolved determination after discussing their issues.

　Today’s meditation hint is purely from my imagination. I encourage you to freely use your imagination while reading this story. However, one thing is certain: the subsequent lives of these two women were far from smooth.

 　　　　　(Contribution by Father Akabae)