Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
I confess that over the years I have read poorly the passage we have before us today from Luke. That is, I didn’t take a number of the specifics seriously enough. I am grateful that the occasion to write this reflection took me to my favorite commentary—Wisdom Commentary published by Liturgical Press (a Catholic and ecumenical press). And I learned a great deal.
First, the commentary points out that it’s very important that Luke says that “Mary set out and traveled to the hill country.” The commentary also points out that while some commentators have assumed that Joseph went with her, Luke doesn’t say that. Mary set out, and it seems ill-advised to assume Joseph was with her but Luke failed to mention it. This alone is incredible. A young (she’s in her teens) pregnant woman sets out on her own and travels (according to the commentary) about a hundred miles to reach Elizabeth. If I had a pregnant teenage daughter today who said she wanted to “set out” to a town a hundred miles away by herself, I would say, “Nothing doing!”
And Mary did it.
It also says that she set out “in haste.” Again, according to the commentary, the Greek word that is translated as “in haste” is better understood as suggesting not just speed but also anxiety. In other words, according to Luke’s telling, Mary knew that what she was doing was dangerous. And she did it anyway.
When she arrives at Elizabeth’s, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps. There is great excitement at Mary’s arrival among those born and even unborn!
And then Elizabeth utters those beautiful words: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Indeed. And what an extraordinary thing to say to a pregnant teen who may or may not have been married to Joseph at the time. So, she may have been an unwed pregnant teen to boot. That’s not a position a young woman wants to find herself in during Mary’s time (perhaps any time, for that matter). “Blessed” is not typically the word that comes to mind!
Clearly, Elizabeth can see things others can’t. And Mary knows that her cousin has it right. She is blessed. And her unborn child is blessed. Women. Even teenage unwed pregnant women can do amazing things!
In addition to accepting God’s extraordinary invitation to become the theotokos or mother of God (as if that were not enough), she makes this dangerous journey alone (if we are to take Luke’s telling on the face of it), finds her way to Elizabeth, fully embraces her social position and all that will mean in the coming months and years, and sings the Magnificat—one of the earliest ancient Christian hymns.
Amazingly, in it she not only anticipates the Kingdom of God that Jesus will preach and teach (before she has even heard him utter one word), she puts it into this gorgeous song. She’s arguably the first Christian theologian and a poet!
She lets the world know what is coming. Her beloved son will turn everything upside down and inside out. He will be made to pay for that by the rich and the powerful. And, of course, she will too.
What an extraordinarily brave, wise, and poetic young woman. An inspiration to all us women. Amen.
—Susan Trollinger