We continue this week our “Journey to Bethlehem.” We began two weeks ago in Nazareth with Luke’s account of the conception. And we considered Mary’s willingness to humbly serve the Lord, even under these very difficult and shocking circumstances. Last week, we heard Matthew’s account of Joseph learning of Mary’s pregnancy. And we talked about how Joseph acted with mercy and compassion toward Mary, and because of that God was able to go to work in a big way. This week, we go back to Luke’s account of the Christmas story, picking up with Mary where we left off two weeks ago. As you recall, Mary was faced with a very delicate situation. If news got out of her new pregnancy, it could be devastating, perhaps even fatal. We can only assume that Mary was very afraid to share news of her pregnancy.
So today, we learn how Mary handled that fear and what she did after learning of her pregnancy through the visit from the Angel Gabriel. It’s interesting, really. Mary, probably only 14 or 15, doesn’t go tell her parents. She doesn’t call up her girlfriends and excitedly share the news as they squeal in delight. The first thing Mary does after learning that God has conceived in her a child is that she sets off to see her cousin Elizabeth. Now, it’s not like Elizabeth lives next door, or even in the next village over. No, it is believed that Elizabeth and Zechariah lived in the town of Ein Karem, which is a few miles from Bethlehem in Judea, about a nine-day journey from Mary’s home in Nazareth. We can also safely assume that part of the reason for Mary’s visit to Elizabeth was to take a side-trip to Bethlehem to share the news with Joseph as well.
Now, as the crow flies, it’s about 80 miles from Nazareth to Ein Karem, but remember that Mary would have been walking, through Samaria, and over three different mountain ranges. She would have had to join with a caravan so that she would be safe from robbers as she made the journey. Obviously, this was a very serious journey that Mary undertook. Clearly, it was extremely important that Mary get to Elizabeth, but why? Why would Mary take this long and dangerous journey, while pregnant, to see her cousin?
Have you ever received news that was so shocking and overwhelming that you just needed someone to help you process it all? Sometimes it’s hard for us to deal with something on our own, and it is helpful to share with another person; to be listened to, to reveal our feelings and emotions, our joys and our apprehensions.
When I was a senior in college, I applied for at Master’s Degree program in Instrumental Conducting at UTK. I spent several months preparing, practicing, and rehearsing under the careful guidance of my conducting professor. I even practiced with the Furman band before heading over to Knoxville to conduct the UT band as an audition. A few weeks later I received a letter from the UT School of Music; my application had been rejected. I opened the letter as I entered the auditorium at Furman for a dress rehearsal with the band. I hadn’t told anyone else the news yet, not my parents or my roommates or any of my friends. I went straight to my conducting professor, who was also the Band Director, and crying, I told him that I had been rejected from the only program I was really interested in pursuing.
Dr. Hicken gave me a hug and he said, “I’m sorry.” My response to him was, “Its okay.” And he looked at me at me and said, “Well, no, it’s not.” He knew how much I wanted that then, he knew how upset I was, and he gave me permission to be upset. It certainly wasn’t the end of the world for me, there were other options, and I ended up going straight into the workforce rather than continuing my music education. Thank goodness that’s the way it happened too, because otherwise I would’ve ended up with a Master’s degree that would’ve been useless just a few years later. But the point is that in the face of some very shocking news, I had a mentor who listened, who gave me permission to be upset, and who helped me gain some perspective in the midst of it all.
And that’s exactly what Elizabeth did for Mary. Granted, my news and Mary’s news were a bit different, but in the midst of her fear, uncertainty, and even excitement, Mary needed to talk to someone safe, someone she trusted. Mary was desperate to find someone who would understand what had taken place, who would listen to her and believe in her; someone who would encourage her. Now remember that one of the last things the angel said to Mary was that Elizabeth, Mary’s relative well beyond childbearing years and said to be barren, was already in her sixth month of pregnancy. Mary knew that if anyone would understand this unexpected news from the angel, it would be Elizabeth. So Mary undergoes this journey to Ein Karem to see Elizabeth.
For nine days, Mary walks and thinks. For nine days, Mary is terrified and confused. She travels that long distance with her secret; uncertain, afraid, and wondering how any of this could be true. Finally, she arrives at Elizabeth and Zechariah’s home, and the baby (John the Baptist) within Elizabeth leaps for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice, and Elizabeth says to Mary, “You don’t have to be afraid, you are blessed!” Can you imagine what a relief that must have been for Mary? At last, Mary’s fear gave way to joy, such joy that she breaks out into a song of praise to God! She found someone who had listened and believed! Elizabeth helped Mary find perspective, and she encouraged Mary, calling Mary “blessed” three times in this short passage.
Mary was desperately craving an older woman to give her some perspective in life, and Elizabeth does just that. Elizabeth helps Mary see that this special calling from God is not a burden but a wonderful blessing. And it goes both ways! Elizabeth has probably been in seclusion for four or five months trying to stay healthy and avoid a miscarriage. Add to that a husband who has been struck mute. I’d say Elizabeth was probably pretty bored, and lonely, and sad. But when Mary arrives, Elizabeth suddenly has a companion, someone who can draw her out of her seclusion, give her company and a sense of worth and joy! They are an encouragement to each other! We all need such companions in our lives. We need an older person to encourage and guide us, and we all need to do that for someone else!
Today I ask you, who is your “Elizabeth”? And who is your “Mary”? Who gives you perspective and encourages you? I have many “Elizabeths” in my life, you have already heard of one of them, my conducting professor, Dr. Hicken. But there is another, one who I am still in contact with, even today. His name is Tony Forstall, and he was the pastor of the church where I served as a part-time youth director for the three years I was in seminary. Even as I was busy with books, tests, papers, and all the “academic” concerns of becoming a minister, Tony was teaching me the practical things. He took me under his wing and he nurtured me and encouraged me, and quite simply, shared himself with me. When I was stuck in DC for holidays, he and his family always included me in their celebrations. When I was stressed about things at school or work or in my personal life, he would listen and help me think of ways to manage everything better. He traveled all the way from Northern Virginia to stand with me when I was ordained. He gave me insight when I moved to a church on my own, and he still listens to me and encourages me and gives me perspective. Today, Tony and I live and work in two different conferences. We don’t see each other regularly, we don’t even talk regularly, but when we do get in touch, we are able to pick up right where we left off. Tony is a mentor, companion, confidant, and friend. We all need people like this in our lives, and we all need to be this kind of person for others.
I believe this is something important for us to remember and consider this Christmas season. We so often lose perspective during the holidays. Did you know that the tradition of Christmas gift-giving started with St. Nicholas, who went around looking for the children of the poor and giving them gifts of things they needed that they would not otherwise have? And now, every year as Christmas approaches, we start feeling distressed. What do we get for the people who have everything? Did we get enough stuff for our kids; are all the children getting the same number of toys? It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s important at Christmas!
But what the story of Elizabeth and Mary reminds us is that the joy of Christmas comes in a different way. I saw a sign a few days ago that in a great way captures the heart of the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. It said, “Christmas is about relationships.” And it’s so true, isn’t it? We have vague memories of toys and gifts from Christmases past. But I think, without fail, the strongest and greatest memories we have are meals with family and friends, or time taken to give to people in need during the holidays, or the joy on the face of a young child who wouldn’t have had Christmas at all if not for you.
Joy comes in relationships that give us perspective and encouragement. So why not spend some time this Christmas building those relationships with people instead of worrying about what little trinket you should buy that will be forgotten in a few weeks anyway? Why not take some time to reconnect with your mentor, or to offer a sympathetic ear to someone like Mary, someone in your life who needs some encouragement? We all want to experience fully the joy of Christmas, and one of the best ways to do that is through the help of another who reassures us that God is with us! Thanks be to God! Let us pray:
Lord, thank you for all those people who have invested in our lives. Help us to encourage and bless others this Christmas, so that together, we all might more fully experience your presence with us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
