Summary of the Week and a Reflection (9th February)

 Mary’s visit to Elizabeth

Muigai Peter Kariuki.

Mary was engaged in a service of charity to her cousin Elizabeth for three months. She gave her physical and moral support. Mary’s presence brought singular gifts of grace. To begin with, it gave to Elizabeth and her son the presence of the messiah, awaited for centuries and the joy associated with his coming. Secondly, it is linked to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is a proto-Pentecost investing Elizabeth and John the Baptist in her womb, then Zachariah and later on Simon and Anna in the temple. These happenings were a clear sign to the Jews that the time of the messiah had come which, according to the prophets would see an abundant outpouring of God’s spirit. This is a part of divine design to employ a woman as a mediatrix of the gifts of grace promised from ancient time. Eve by way of forbidden fruit procured the spiritual death of Adam and his descendants. God desired to re-establish supernatural life to mankind through the blessed fruit of the womb of Mary.

The journey made by Mary to Ain Karem has a parallel with the Old Testament episode involving the transportation of the Ark of the Covenant from Gabaa to Jerusalem. The comparison permits a strict analogy between Mary and the sacred ark.  The ark was the visible sign of the invisible but certain presence of God in the midst of his people; a presence assuring Israel of God’s divine protection and blessing. Mary is the new sacred ark because she carries in herself the sensibly corporal presence of the invisible God whose birth will bring definitive salvation and redemption to all mankind. She is the ark of the new and eternal covenant, established by God with man in the blood of his son. In realization of the divine plan of salvation, Mary collaborates completely and unreservedly with her whole self, soul and body.   

Through the light of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth recognized Mary as the mother of the lord i.e. God. Enlightened by the same spirit, she is the first to recognize the divinity of the son of Mary and to proclaim Mary’s divine maternity.