After Gabriel left, I was alone and able to ponder what had just happened. The miracle had taken place. The Word had become flesh. I was pregnant with the heavenly Father’s Son. I had become the bride of the eternal Holy Spirit. Now, I had to live out this mystery. Where should I go from here? What would be my first steps?
I found a new light within me. Formerly, this inner light had guided me to perfection and showed me the way to be pleasing to God. Now, this new light would show me how to be God’s mother. All was clear. The angel had revealed God’s miracle to Elizabeth. I would go there and we would rejoice together, each of us sharing what God had done within our wombs, for in both of us there was miraculous life.
It was not easy to say “goodbye”. How could I explain this decision? All I could say to others was that my heart was set on it. When would I return? I had to say that I did not know. Of course, Joseph was the most difficult of all. He was puzzled. So recently, we had come to our decision. Now, I was leaving Nazareth for far away Judea (90 miles). I knew I had to go, so I set out in haste for the hill country of Judea.
I was alone on the journey and better able to ponder the events that had overtaken me. Within my womb I carried the Savior of the world. Within my heart, I carried this secret known only to me. As I arrived at Zechariah’s house, Elizabeth broke out into prophetic words, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. The Spirit had placed these words on her lips. She went on “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” She knew that I was pregnant with God’s Son. The Lord had given me a companion in my mystery. I was no longer alone in the universe because our hearts were joined by divine revelation. Then, she said those final words, “Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s words to you would be fulfilled”.
Suddenly, I was back in spirit in Nazareth, at that moment when Gabriel revealed the mystery and when everything had been placed before me. I understood clearly what the angel was saying. However, would I believe that it was true? God flooded my heart with this extraordinary divine light and my mind believed that God wanted to take flesh within me. All that Gabriel had proclaimed in just a few words was God’s invitation. Within I was saying, “I believe. I believe”. My mind did not move to the right or to the left. I did not ponder the consequences. My eyes focused only on the mystery and I repeated those words, “I believe. I believe”.
As I said those words, my heart rushed to the center of the mystery, drawn by the almighty hand of God. Suddenly, I was there, on the edge of eternity, at the brink of the mystery, ready to fall forever into the arms of the Father. Elizabeth was right, “Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s words to you would be fulfilled.”
In her presence, I relived those moments. How many times, God would always lead me back to that scene of divine intimacy. It was so good to be with Zechariah and Elizabeth. They had their own divine mystery, a child leaping in her womb and filling her with the Holy Spirit.
