The Visitation
The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56)
Have you ever had a secret too significant to bear alone? Perhaps you have one now? Nothing can make a person feel quite so alone as harboring a secret.
The Visitation is one of my favorite scenes from the gospels, for too many reasons to touch on here. But imagine the young teenaged Mary, who in the span of a short conversation goes from her daily routine in Galilee to suddenly carrying within her womb the Incarnate God of the created Universe. Who can comprehend such a mystery?! Human beings have pondered it for two thousand years!
What physical and emotional sensations this secret must have evoked in the young Virgin! Aside from the exuberant anticipation of the arrival of the Messiah, the mystery of the great humility by which He chose to enter the world, and the mind-blowing realization of having been chosen to mother this Child, Mary also had to contend with the reality that if not handled carefully, this secret could cause her not only to be disbelieved, mocked, ostracized and to lose her fiancé, but even to be stoned to death.
Have you ever been terrified by a secret that had life or death consequences?
Have you ever found yourself with a secret that you knew would get you in trouble with your parents or the authorities if it were to be revealed?
Can you remember being a teenager with a secret that you did not wish to reveal to your parents because of how it might frighten, hurt or disappoint them?
What to do with such a secret? Despite her perfect trust in God, one can imagine the thoughts, emotions, and questions that turned in Mary’s mind. The angel provided no directives or hints as to how everything would play out in the short term -- no advice on if, when or how to tell Joseph, or her parents. The only consolation offered to Mary is that her much older cousin likewise received the blessing of a miraculous conception. No doubt Mary “went in haste” to the hill country to serve Elizabeth in her physical and practical needs, yet Mary was likewise about to receive a great gift: the presence of someone who would understand and believe her, and someone who would share her joy, since she too had experienced the impossible within her womb. At the instant of Mary’s greeting to Elizabeth a chorus of praise bursts forth from both women. Even the preborn future-Baptist leaps in delight! Through Mary, Elizabeth experiences overwhelming joy as she finds herself in the presence of the long-awaited Savior of her people. She also sees in Mary the unfathomable dignity of being the Mother of this particular Child – this Divine Child - and is greatly humbled by the honor that her visit bestows. Mary in turn receives a wise and holy confidant with whom she can rejoice, celebrate, praise God and discuss how to proceed with this knowledge, with her secret.
Perhaps the sensitive details of your life are not as weighty as Mary’s, yet some circumstance has changed or complicated your life. Perhaps some condition that would cause others to look down on you has beset you. Like Mary, we all seek someone to understand and to listen without judgment or misinterpretation. And whether we know it or not, like Elizabeth, we all long to be near people who bring us closer to Jesus, people who carry Him within and are there to serve.
Is there someone in your life with whom you can share in this way? This is neither a selfish desire, nor a luxury; it is a basic human need.
The Feast of the Visitation is May 31.