“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.”

As I prepare for my flight to Chicago for Christmas, I can resonate with the joyful gathering that enveloped the two cousins in this memorable story. The Visitation of Mary and Elizabeth highlights the mystery of God’s work in our lives, and the ways we find support from people who love and comfort us during moments of confusion and uncertainty. Both women have been invited to a radical reorienting of their life and identity as the chosen mothers of pivotal players in salvation history.

Though there was no angel who visited me, nor were the stakes as high during the surprising invitations in my own life, I can relate to some of the elements in this story. Most recently, I recall the surprising twists and turns in my own lengthy time of discernment that led me to work at Saint Thomas More. I didn’t know where or how the path would unfold, but there was a profound sense of trust that God was present with me amidst the restlessness, questions and unknowns about my future. Fortunately, I had family, friends and spiritual mentors who were reflections of God’s encouragement and reassurance in that time of discernment.

Relatedly, I am struck by the words of today’s responsorial psalm, “Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.” As people of faith, there is a longing for all of us to make choices aligned with God’s will for us. The fact that there is even a desire to “see God’s face” in times of decision-making is already a sign of the Spirit at work within us. I think it’s understandable to believe that Mary and Elizabeth’s YES to God wasn’t necessarily stated with elation and exuberance, but rather confusion and trepidation intertwined with a gentle trust in the One who created us. God is embedded in the mystery, and even the discomfort, of taking a leap of faith.

The Visitation reminds us that the invitation to trust in God’s promises has been a well worn and traveled path with our spiritual ancestors. The outer appearance may look different, but ultimately, the call and response are the same, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled,” and “Let it be done to me according to your Word.” May we continue to echo these sacred words in our own life.