On Friday, we observe The Feast of the Visitation. Mary, a young, unmarried teen, discovers that she is pregnant. She flees to the village of Ein Karem, a nine day walk from Nazareth, to visit her cousin Elizabeth. The very fact that Mary fled tells us that she must have had conflicting feelings about this pregnancy. What would Joseph think? How would she explain herself to her parents and to the townspeople? Scared and unsure, Mary must have been astonished by Elizabeth's welcome:
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?" (Luke 1:39-40)
Those words of welcome, of hospitality, filled Mary with the courage she needed to willingly accept God's call. Fear, questioning, and timidity disappeared as Mary felt the welcoming embrace of a distant cousin.
Are you available? God has put people all around us who need an encouraging word - a listening ear.
Who is in need of your love and acceptance right now?
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