And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor upon 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,
and 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 fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.” Luke 1:46-55
Mary had her encounter with the Angel and was able to listen and believe what the Angel told her. Mary, in her humility, gave her Yes when she said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Luke 1:38. The next line says that the Angel left, Now What? What was Mary thinking?
Apparently, she was thinking of her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant in her old age! Mary hurried to her cousin’s home which was in another town. When she arrived, Elizabeth knew that Mary was pregnant with the Child, and now the Mother of the Lord! Miracles abound! Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and I’m sure they talked and talked about the babies that were coming soon, as women do with their relatives and friends. Perhaps they were making baby clothes, cleaning, cooking and taking care of Zachariah. And, soon, it was time for Mary to go back home. She really needed to talk to Joseph and her parents. She had had the time to think about what she would say.
We know that Joseph was shocked, but through a dream he came to understand that this was the Lord’s work and plan. He followed through with his marriage to Mary and was an earthly father to her Son. Joseph was a protector, a provider, and a teacher to his son Jesus, but we don’t hear about him after the trip to Jerusalem when Jesus was 12.
If all babies could be welcomed into homes of love between the parents and a love for God! Children need to be loved and cared for and they do much better with two parents. Not all children are planned . . .but it doesn’t mean they aren’t wanted. Some are not wanted and it is heartbreaking. If we all had a cousin Elizabeth to visit and discuss the future of our children, we would probably feel better. Having a mother or a sister to share our concerns with would be so reassuring. A man such as Joseph would give us comfort and reassurance.
Today is the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Let us pray for all children, born and unborn.
That all children will know the love of a family. . .
That children will have food to satisfy their nutritional needs and not be worried about when they can eat again . . .
That children will be treated with kindness and respect; May they not suffer from fear of harm to their bodies, emotions, or mental health . . .May children live in safe communities . . .
That good people will come forward to care for children when parents cannot . . .
That our laws will protect our children. . .end child-trafficking and sexual abuse of children,
In The Name of Jesus, Amen