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| Photo Credit: nataliesnapp.com |
MARY & ELIZABETH
A
lovely a young virgin
from
Nazareth, was roused
by
the flapping of wings
a
manshape in moonbeams
and
a perplexing salutation:
Greetings,
favored one!
The Lord is with you
It
was Gabriel
an
angel sent by God
who
told Mary she would conceive
and
bear a boy child, Jesus—
the
Son of the Most High
He
spoke of the Holy Spirit
and
overshadowing
and
of her relative, Elizabeth
who
though barren
conceived
in her old age—
for nothing is
impossible with God
Awestruck,
trembling
needing
to tell someone
who
did Mary go to first?
Her
mother? Father?
How
would they receive such news?
Or
did she run to her betrothed, Joseph
expecting
him to understand?
Oh,
he wanted to understand
wanted
to believe, but
it
was unbelievable, preposterous
So,
stunned, disappointed
feeling
utterly deceived, Joseph
contemplated
quietly sending her away
Then
Mary remembered the angel
had
spoken of her dear cousin, Elizabeth—
Is
that why Mary hurried off
on
a brave trek to the hills of Hebron…alone?
Of
course, it had to be Elizabeth
aged,
wise, expecting
and
now acquainted, herself, with miracles
When
Mary arrived at the home
of
Zacharias and Elizabeth
Elizabeth’s
unborn baby
leapt for joy! in her womb
and
in a whirl of wondrous ecstasy
Elizabeth
knew of Mary’s pregnancy
before being told
…then
a psalm-like lilt of praise
sprang
from Mary’s lips
extolling
the great things
the
Mighty One had done for her
Tender
were the next three months
as
the household awaited Elizabeth’s travail
(and
the birth of John, the baptizer)
The
women prepared their layettes
folded
the swaddling clothes
shared
their magnanimous miracles
and
confided maternal aspirations
as
their bellies swelled
…and
I like to think
Joseph
ran all the way to Hebron
one
day expressly to announce
his
own angelic vision in a dream—
that
he was to take Mary as his wife
and
they would await
the
miraculous birth of Jesus—together
Maude
Carolan Pych
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