AFTER THE visit of the angel and the message which he had brought,
Mary's mind was filled with many thoughts and her heart was full. She
was only a young girl, not older than sixteen years, perhaps as young as
fifteen; for if she were older she should have been already married. In
that land nearly all young women are married as soon as they are sixteen
years old; and very few stay unmarried.
Mary felt that she must talk with somebody of all these wonderful things
that had been spoken to her. We would think that her mother was the one
with whom she could open her heart most freely, but we are not sure that
her mother was living. And is it not true that a young girl can
sometimes tell to a dear grandmother, or some other old lady who is her
friend, the deep things of the heart that she may hesitate to mention
even to her own mother?
She thought of one who was not her grandmother, but who from her age and
sweetness seemed like one. Her mind turned to Elizabeth, living far away
in the south. The angel, you know, had told her that Elizabeth was also
to have a child, and perhaps she would be able to understand Mary's
feelings better than any other woman.
Elizabeth was related to Mary. She is named in the gospel of St. Luke as
Mary's cousin, though very likely they were not near, but distant
relatives. Mary knew that she was wise and good, that she loved her, and
being old, could give her advice. Mary made up her mind to visit
Elizabeth and open her heart with her fully about what the angel had
spoken to her. From Nazareth to Elizabeth's house was a long distance,
in a straight line more than eighty miles, but much farther by the road
which travelers from Galilee generally followed in going from the north
to the south of the land.
Very soon after the angel's visit, Mary left her home and began her
journey southward. Of course, a young girl could not take a journey so
long alone. But there were always caravans or parties going from Galilee
to Jerusalem, and Mary would travel with one of those companies. A
soldier would ride on a horse, a general in his chariot, and an Arab on
his camel; but most men in those times walked, even on long journeys. A
woman would ride on an ass, which was the animal preferred by the Jews
for travel.
We may think of Mary with a beating heart leaving her home in Nazareth
in company with a caravan or party of people journeying to Jerusalem to
attend one of the great feasts held every year in that city. Their most
direct way would be over the mountains; but it would be rough and stony;
up one mountain, down another, and around a third mountain, nearly all
the way. Besides, this way would lead them through the country of the
Samaritans, which lay between Galilee and Judea, and such was the hatred
between Jews and Samaritans that it was scarcely safe for a company of
Jews to go through their land. A large company would need to stop by
night at some inn, and the Samaritans often shut their inns against
those who were going to Jerusalem.
The line of travel from Nazareth would be to go over the steep hill on
the south of their village, then follow a well-trodden way eastward down
to the river Jordan. There they would find a very good road built by
the Romans, straight down the Jordan Valley, with mountains on either
side. This they would follow about sixty miles until they came to
Jericho. There they might rest for a few days; and then climb the steep
path up the mountains to Jerusalem. This Jericho road was a hiding place
for robbers, and it was never safe for anyone to travel it alone. But in
a large company, with many men, and often a guard of soldiers, the
travelers need not fear. They would easily reach Jerusalem in a week or
ten days after leaving Nazareth, and might make the journey in five days
if they were in haste.
In Jerusalem Mary would visit with some friend. All the families in the
land had friends in Jerusalem with whom they stayed while attending the
great feasts, of which three were held each year; and the dwellers in
Jerusalem opened their houses to the same families year after year.
After the feast, Mary would find another caravan or party going home to
Hebron and the villages near it, and she would travel the rest of her
journey, about twenty miles, with this party. Altogether, Mary's
journey, from Nazareth to Hebron, was nearly one hundred and twenty
miles long. Although many people were with her all the way, she was
alone in spirit, for she could speak to no one of the great thoughts
which burdened her mind and her heart.
At last her long journey was over. She stopped at the door of the house
of Zacharias; and in a moment was clasped in the arms of Elizabeth. In
some strange way God had given to Elizabeth to know all that had come to
Mary. In a loud voice she said:
"Blessed, most blessed are you among women! And blessed among men shall
be the son born to you! High indeed is the honor mine today when the
mother of my Lord comes to my home! Blessed is she that believed the
angel's word, for that word shall surely come true!"
In that moment Mary's feelings, long held in, broke out into song. For
this young woman's soul was not only pure and tender and devout, it was
the soul of a poet whose thoughts shape themselves into verse. Mary
spoke and sung a song which has become famous. Someone wrote it down,
and Saint Luke, who wrote the gospel, found a copy of it and gave it to
the world. Everyone should read it. We give it here.
MARY'S SONG
My soul beholds the greatness of the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath looked upon his servant in my lowly state;
And from this time people in all ages shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
And holy is his name.
And his mercy is from age to age
On those who fear him.
He hath showed strength with his arm;
He hath scattered the proud in the vain thoughts of their heart.
He hath put down princes from their thrones,
And hath lifted up those of humble state.
The hungry he hath filled with good things;
And the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath given help to Israel his servant
That he might remember mercy
As he spoke to our fathers,
Toward Abraham and his children forever.
For three months Mary stayed with Elizabeth in that quiet home, the old
woman and the young woman, both soon to be mothers, talked together day
after day. Perhaps by this time people were going to another feast in
Jerusalem, and Mary found again a party of pilgrims--for that was the
name that they gave to people going to Jerusalem to worship--who were
returning to Galilee. She went home, comforted in spirit and made strong
by her visit with Elizabeth.
It was either while Mary was visiting with Elizabeth, or soon after her
return to her home, that Joseph, her promised husband, began to question
in his mind whether he ought to marry her. There was a strange look in
her face, and he saw that she had thoughts in her mind of which she
could not speak to him. He loved her deeply, and it was with sorrow that
he asked himself whether they would be happy together.
But one night, while he was sleeping, a dream came to Joseph. In his
dream he saw an angel standing by his side. The angel said to him:
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife. She
shall have a son; and his name shall be Jesus, for it is he that shall
save his people from their sins."
The word Jesus, in the language of that people, means "Saviour," and
often Jesus is spoken of as "Our Saviour" because he came to take away
our sins.
After this message, Joseph hesitated no longer. He did as the angel had
bidden him. He was married to Mary, and led her to his own home, in
which was also the shop where he followed his trade as a carpenter.
The Boy Who Never Tasted Wine