Mary’s visit to Elizabeth

(St. Luke 1:39 – 56) 

A speech presented by Sherin Varghese on Sunday November 28th, 2004 at

St. George Syrian Orthodox Church of Rockland County

484 New Hempstead Rd.

P.O. Box 712

New City, New York 10956 

I was asked to speak about the importance of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth (St. Luke 1:39 – 56). Now at first, the significance of the meeting was lost one me. I figured they’re relatives, they’re both going to have a child, they’re bound to visit each other. But delving deeper into this, I realized Mary’s visit to Elizabeth had been prepared and planned way before either woman knew they were pregnant. God had planned this meeting to serve a purpose. 

Mary had been told by the Angel Gabriel that Elizabeth, in spite of her old age, was expecting. Elizabeth and Zechariah had been blessed with everything but a child. Now, this was a pious couple. And they wondered, as did everyone else around them, why these “righteous” people were being punished because, certainly, barrenness was a sign of punishment – wasn’t it? In those times, it was considered to be the worst tragedy that could happen to a woman and her family. For years, Elizabeth and Zechariah had prayed that the Lord would give them a child. And for just as many years, their prayers remained unanswered. And so perhaps, like many of us, once they could no longer see any natural way that their prayers could be answered – when they realized they were too old to have kids – they probably gave up praying for that blessing. After all, if God had not seen fit to give them children when their bodies were young and strong, surely they wouldn’t expect Him to answer their prayers now – in their old age. And then long after her body was able to conceive naturally, she miraculously became pregnant – not quite like Mary, but a miracle all the same. What was impossible in the natural realm was possible only through God. That is both a thrilling and a humbling truth. It is thrilling for us to see God work supernaturally in somebody else but it is humbling for those who experience it because it means coming to the end of their own resources. Before we can experience God’s power, we often need to acknowledge that we are but human and powerless. All those years, Elizabeth may have felt God was punishing her but, in reality, he had chosen her and was using her and preparing her for what was to come. 

Do you think it was a coincidence that Elizabeth and Mary were pregnant at the same time? Of course not! Mary was but a teenager and Elizabeth, a woman well into her years. Elizabeth was preparing the way for Mary just as later on her son, John the Baptist would prepare the way for Jesus Christ. Having seen the miraculous power of God in her own life, Elizabeth began to see everything through the eyes of a renewed faith. When Mary came to her, Elizabeth knew what had happened to her without a word of explanation. Of course she had some help from her unborn son and the Holy Spirit. Luke 1: 41- 45 states:  

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice, she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy: Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!” 

The most important message here is the acknowledgment and affirmation that Mary is the mother of our Lord.  

Mary responds with a song. Luke 1:46 – 55: 

And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

For the Mighty One has done great things for me –

Holy is his name

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

From generation to generation.

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones

But has lifted up the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things

But has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

Remembering to be merciful

To Abraham and his descendants forever,

Even as he said to our fathers.” 

This reply carries with it three important messages. The first being forgiveness – praising God for His forgiveness to the world. The second being victory. He was the Savior who would right the wrongs of the world and would give those who were downtrodden great reason to rejoice. The third and last message is the affirmation of His covenant with Israel- His promise to help the Israeli people. And to this day because of what God has done, we worship Him for His forgiveness, His victory over the world, and His covenant with us. 

There are a whole lot of things which yesterday seemed impossible, but which today are not only, not impossible, but also are everyday, ordinary occurrences. For nothing is impossible for God. If He does not answer your prayers today, it is not because He doesn’t hear it, or because He has rejected you but because it is not the right time. Our prayers are not answered when we want it to be but when God wants it to be. If you truly believe in Him and have put your life in His hands, then you must also be prepared for what He has planned for you. Because he does have a purpose for each and every one of us and that purpose will only be revealed when HE is ready and when HE deems it’s the right time. The most important message we can walk away with from this is - to never lose faith in God; no matter what the circumstances, what the obstacles you face, or how hopeless a situation may seem – always remember that nothing is impossible for God.