Tuesday August 15, 2017
We begin with John's vision while he is in exile. And the people he loves, his beloved community, is under terrible persecution. His vision is one of struggle on a universal level between good and evil and of a woman giving birth to the one who saves. The woman is the church that is to give birth to the children of God as a woman gave birth to the Son of Man. It is both a symbolic telling of what God has done for us in Jesus Crucified and Risen, and how that will come to fulfillment at the end of time for those born of God. We stake our lives on the resurrection of Jesus: that the Father has raised Jesus from the dead in the power of the Spirit and that God will do the same for us. There will be a time when we will know the fullness of life in God with Christ.
Mary is the mother of Jesus, but to be holy, she had to become a disciple of Jesus just as everyone else is called to believe in the Word of God, obey it with others in community, and live in the power of the Spirit. Elizabeth confirms Mary's act of faith and the four of them-Elizabeth, John, Mary and Jesus-stand before God filled with the life of God coming into the world.
Alternative
Mary’s actuality is our possibility. She is a living testament of our resurrectional possibilities. If the Mighty One has done great things for her, He would do similar great things for us as well.
As Mary’s Magnificat declares, it is a gift done to her in generosity, and received in gratitude. Despite her heroic virtues and lofty status among men and women, Mary does not rise up by herself; she is raised by the power of God. It is all God’s doing. So will it be in our case. We will be raised by God. We can only receive this blessing in utmost gratitude and humility. It is no surprise that little John in the womb of Elizabeth could not contain his joy at the sound of Mary’s voice: here is one who is the walking evidence of what God would achieve in the world! Mary gave hope to Elizabeth; Mary gave reason for little John to be born and live a life of great austerity and sacrifice. Mary gives us reason to bear with the imperfections of this life and rest assured in the promises of the perfection that awaits us. Hail Mary! You are indeed full of Grace!
