Mary's Choice
Gospel Reflection for May 31, 2020
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zecheriah ad greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most 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? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our father, to Abraham and his children for ever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. (Luke 1:39-56)
In today’s Gospel, we hear of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Elizabeth says to her, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognized that Mary’s assent to God’s Will was a critical element in what would come to pass.
Mary’s submission to God’s Will cannot be understated. We are endowed with free will, and Mary could have easily, and understandably, chosen not to be burdened with the task that God presented to her. Imagine being asked to bear the Son of God! She must have known the controversy her pregnancy would bring. She must have known the torment her son would have to endure. Yet, through her faith, she recognized that God is good, and whatever He was asking of her should be done despite the personal consequences. She chose to sacrifice her life for God’s Son, which is a sacrifice we should all take on in our own lives.
Every woman who is a mother can unite herself to Mary’s sacrifice. When we receive the gift of a child, we agree to give ourselves fully to God’s gift. The fruit of this, if we unite ourselves and our child to the Cross and Jesus, is that a little more love and holiness is brought into the world. Through our assent to motherhood, like Mary, we bring more light into the darkness, despite the personal sacrifice required. The assent to motherhood is a beautiful choice—a critically important choice that cannot be understated.
Copyright 2022 Jessica Tucker