The Story of Mary: Catholic Version: II Another Special Birth - Ch. 6 – Getting Away from Galilee

 (Based on Luke chapter 1 and James’ Gospel section 12)

Mary did sleep that night, surprisingly, and most restfully. Before she knew it, she was waking up and the sun was streaming in through the small window high on the wall of her room. ‘Oh,’ She thought, ‘It’s getting late.’ She started to stretch and then remembered all that had happened the day before. As the memories flooded her mind, she suddenly recalled that the angel had said her aunt Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah the chief priest she had met several times,  was also pregnant. 

That gave her an idea. She should go and visit Elizabeth. It would be only proper for her, a young relative, to help Elizabeth out in her pregnancy, especially considering her advanced age. It would also give her a chance to visit her parents in Jerusalem. Mary resolved to do this. It would also give her a chance to get away from these gossipy Galileans.

But she needed to get Joseph’s approval. And he was away. However, she was not to be deterred. She found out where Joseph was and sent him word. She said she needed to go and help her aunt and would he approve? Mary was relieved when a positive response was received. After all, Joseph reasoned, we managed without her all these years; we can still do so. It will be good for her to get away for awhile too. He knew his children and the neighbours were not always the kindest to Mary. 

Joseph also sent word for his eldest, James, to accompany Mary to Judea.  James was already in his mid-teens and becoming quite mature, so Mary could accept that. She knew that Joseph was concerned for her safety too. One could certainly not travel alone as a young woman like herself. They made the necessary preparations for the trip and also for the family in their absence.  Then the two of them set out.

Mary could not help but feel her spirits lift as they traveled south.  They had brought some bread, dried figs and raisins to satisfy their hunger on the first leg of their journey. It was a beautiful day and Mary enjoyed seeing the green hills, the flowers and the singing birds as they began their trek to the southeast. Following the customs of their people, they did not take the most direct route from Nazareth to Judea. The Jews of the time considered the peoples living south of Galilee, the Samaritans, unclean, as they were not pure Jews and did not believe, worship or live according to The Law in the same way the Jews did. So, they added a couple of days to their journey to Jerusalem rather than risk difficulties going through Samaria, as the citizens of that area were not always friendly to them either, knowing how they were viewed.  Thus, it was getting late in the day as they arrived at their first night stop, Beth Shan, the ancient city – town really – the Greeks and Romans called Scythopolis. This was a major crossroads between the east-west route from the eastern cities of the Decapolis to Palestine and the Mediterranean. There were many travellers stopping for the night but their sight was not that unfamiliar. Nazareth was itself not that far from this route so many of these traders and pilgrims would pass that way too.

After stopping to rest and have a little evening meal, they found a sheltered place to sleep for the night. They wrapped themselves in their cloaks against the cool night air. In the morning, after eating a bit more of their carried food, they turned south to the Jordan Valley.  They walked past fields of corn and grain, groves of olive trees and figs. To the left lay the blue hills of the Transjordan. On their right were the dry and grassy hills of their own land. 

Three days later, getting dusty and tired by this time, they reached Jericho. Here James found them a citizen willing to let them share the family’s upper room for the night. He took care of the transactions required to make it possible. They rested easier that night, knowing their destination was near. 

Next morning, having eaten the last of their provisions and having refilled their canteens with water, they set out on the last leg of their journey together. James accompanied Mary to Jerusalem where she would stay with her family. 

The 20 miles or so from Jericho to Jerusalem were noted for the rough terrain in between. To begin with it was bleak, hilly and dry. It was also a steep climb from the Jordan Valley to the mountains on which Jerusalem was built. The winding road past rocky ledges and caves was also notorious as a hiding place for thieves who sometimes attacked travellers violently. For that reason, James had made arrangement for the three of them to travel with others going up to Jerusalem. If this had been a feast time the road would have been filled with pilgrims making their joyous way westward together but that was not the case now. Still, there was always the belief that there was some increased measure of safety in numbers. 

Before the day had ended they did arrive safely at Mary’s relative’s home in Jerusalem. They were welcomed enthusiastically and refreshed after their long and wearying journey. In the morning, Mary’s father, Joachim, convinced James that they would see her safely the rest of the way and so he was free to return home. Mary thanked him for accompanying her. Her uncle and aunt gave him provisions for the return journey and blessed him as he left. After a couple of days or rest, visiting her parents, they accompanied her to the village of Ein Kerem where Elizabeth and Zechariah lived. 

Mary and her parents knocked on their relatives’ door. When Elizabeth heard them, the baby leaped in her womb. She ran to the door  and filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? The instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:41-5).”

Mary was taken aback by his unusual greeting. Her parents knew nothing. She had tried to suppress the events that had begun at the well and ended in her home, but now it was out in the open. In a last ditch effort to appear surprised by this, she gazed up towards heaven, and said: “Who am I, O Lord, that all the generations of the earth should bless me? But before she had time to say anything more, she suddenly felt as though her tongue was not under her control and she heard herself uttering something entirely different and at the same time most beautiful words:

“My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has begun to rejoice in God my Savior, because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him.

“He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty.

“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever (Luke 1:46-55).” 

Just as suddenly, the oration was over. Mary was amazed. Where had that come from?

As if reading her mind, Elizabeth said, “Child, that was nothing less than the Spirit of Jehovah speaking through you! You are indeed most blessed to have The Highest One come upon you like this. How can we ever thank our Lord for these favours to us, among the least of his people?”

Mary had no answer to that. Understanding the full meaning of what was happening to them all was still far away. Needless to say, her parents wondered what this was all about. Mary was still determined to try to keep this all under wraps so, in response to her parents’ questions, she simply tried to say that this was just one more of those mysteries from the divine that had begun before her own birth and which she could not explain. Then she tried to change the subject and wanted to know all about Elizabeth’s and Zechariah’s experiences. 

To her surprise, she learned that an angel had also come and told them that, yes, Elizabeth was going to become pregnant. The angel had told Zechariah this when he was serving in the temple (Luke 1:5-25). Understandably, Zechariah had doubted this, with their being so advanced in years. As a result, God had struck him speechless until such a time as their son – it was going to be a boy, whom they were to name John – would be born. Now Mary knew why her uncle had been so silent on their arrival, leaving all the talking to Elizabeth.  The angel had also told Zechariah that this boy would be great in the sight of the Lord. He was never to drink wine or strong drink, and he was going to be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. The angel had said he would “turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. He would go as a forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him (Luke 1:16-7).” 

This was too much like Mary’s own memories, the ones she had tried so hard to hide. She began to think that maybe her aunt could help her begin to make sense of what had happened to her if she told her the whole story. Right now, she was just happy to be with family and after some visiting, Mary’s parents left to return to their home in the city.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home. But during those three months, they shared a lot of talks. Mary was blessed by the wisdom of her aunt. She was happy in return to help her aunt with housework. It was troubling though to see her dear uncle struggle with his being mute. However, she also loved him dearly and they managed to get along alright. It was also during these months that she too felt her own abdomen begin to swell. She could no longer deny the truth of what she had been told. She was pregnant too! This was really confirmed when she felt the babe move in her womb. This experience only deepened her wonder. Something great and also greatly beyond her was happening in and with her own body. But it also brought with it an element of fear and apprehension. Everyone who knew her, knew her as a special virgin. What would happen to her now? What would Joseph think, and his children, his family, and the other villagers back in Nazareth. She knew she had to return home but she began to dread it. However, Elizabeth knew the whole story and she, with the maturity and wisdom of her years, began to help Mary make more sense of it all. She also helped fortify her for her return to Nazareth and the inevitable need to be prepared to those who would question, confront and challenge her.