My absolute favourite image of Mary,
The Mother of our most Holy King, Jesus,
The image that always comforts me deeply,
Satisfies me again, and eases,
Any concern I feel for the fate,
Of the human family, the human race -
Is dear Mary’s journey to Elisabeth,
Her footsteps across the stark country,
My heart does often trace her steps,
And I see her, before me.
The Angel Gabriel came to ask
The Queen for her consent
And she freely gave it,
Then to her cousin, she went.
Alone she travelled for many days,
Making camp each evening, along the way.
The Lord of the Ages entrusted to her keeping,
Peacefully within her as she lay sleeping.
In a humble satchel, a little portion of bread,
A cloak to cover her, the bare ground for her bed.
A little flask of water, for this most humble of daughters.
But Oh! What delights our eyes cannot fathom,
Glowing within this mother of God, this daughter of Adam.
What light must have accompanied that tiny foetus so small,
Radiating gently, the greatest love of all.
How her inner world, her soul, her heart, her mind to transfer;
She with He, the Living God, growing inside her.
Did not her eyes sense the constellations sing?
Could she not hear the Sun rise, in praise of its King?
Did not every little bird she met along the way,
Not sing the more sweetly, recognising their Lord that day?
Did not the very Angels, accompany this living ark of the covenant,
Carrying their blessed saviour so supplicant -
To the tranquil Queen, and her sweet songs of praise,
Her heart all aglow, with the Messiah's bright rays…
For all the highways of the air,
Where the Lord used to pass,
Stretching now in silence, their routes empty, at last…
Because His throne became this precious girl,
This Mother of Nations, This Mother of the World.
She is our example that we can cross any terrain,
So long as He is within us, and we treasure His name.
She, the greatest of Saints,
The holy beloved, who secured all our fates…
In this, the great marriage, between heaven and earth,
In these tender months before the blessed virgin birth -
Of the One who would save us -
The One who was promised,
Since the earliest times,
Sung of by the Psalmists.
The Son that was gifted so humanity could live,
So that for all of our trespasses, He could then forgive.
St. Mary traveling to St. Elisabeth,
Mother of St. John the Baptiser,
Who would prepare the way for the One,
Who was so much higher, kinder and wiser.
St. John who would baptise with water in His name,
Who’d prepare us for Jesus, and who in the wilderness proclaimed:
“There is a route out of the penalty of sin,
All sinners can start this journey.”
He announced the Lord's appearance on earth,
As a Judge, but first, as a bringing of mercy.
That journey began with brave Mary
Walking with Jesus alone,
That journey we all then can follow
As she all her children, has shown.
