The Gospel reading for this feast is a very familiar one. Mary is traveling to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary had just had a visit from an unexpected and unsettling experience. She had a visitor come to her: an angel! As we know, the angel announced to Mary that she would have a child even though she was a virgin. The angel had also told her a fantastic tale. She was to have a child who would be great and he would be called “the Son of the Most High.”
Mary was confused, afraid and reeling after this encounter. She didn’t know what to make of it and she desperately needed to talk with someone she trusted: a person who would take her seriously and listen to her tale. Thus, she decided to go and visit Elizabeth. After all, Elizabeth also had had a very unusual experience: she found that she was with child even though she was far beyond the age of having children. Perhaps Elizabeth could help Mary make sense of all that was happening in her life. Mary must have been very confused and frightened. What would her parents think? What would the townspeople think when they realized that she was pregnant? Imagine the riot of emotions that were in Mary’s mind and heart!
We may have had  a time in our life when we had an experience that was unsettling, frightening, confusing, and created difficulties for us. What was our response? What did we do? Who did we depend on? Did  we go to a wise person whom we trusted? Someone we knew would listen to us and walk with us during this difficult time? Someone who could give us good advice and would support us every step of the way?
At various moments in our lives, we all will need an “Elizabeth” (who may be male or female). Let us take  a moment to remember the “Elizabeths”.  Who were they? What was the impact they had on us?
Let  us give thanks for these loving and caring individuals. Ask God to bless them! We may  want to thank them in some way for being there when we needed them. And at some point, maybe we can be an “Elizabeth” to someone!

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