A thirteen year old girl journeys alone through the desert, walking hundreds of miles from her home in the north to her cousin’s home in the southern part of the country. The voyage is long and tiring. The government checkpoints are cumbersome. Why must there be such hassle to move about one’s own land? As she travels, the young girl obsesses over recent unexpected, fairly troubling, but good news—she is pregnant. A baby! What a joyous occasion! Yet, she worries how this baby will be safe in a world of chaos? She seeks comfort in her wise cousin’s company and anxiously treads on. As she arrives in haste to the safety of her cousin’s home, ready to reveal the surprise, her cousin exclaims “Blessed are you among women! And Blessed is the fruit of your womb!”. The Prince of Peace will soon arrive to save the world. 
In today’s Gospel, we are asked to reflect upon the classic story of Mary visiting Elizabeth. The joy that both women, and the developing baby John the Baptist, feel at the coming of Christ permeates through the actions and words of Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, in her prophetic wisdom and total obedience to God, has completely trusted God’s will and begins to proclaim the wonders of God’s mercy and grace. In recounting God’s might, Mary mentions key phrases in verses 52 and 53 that resonate for the hope of God’s intervention in today’s world. “He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.” I read these verses through the lens of marginalized and oppressed populations who are being senselessly killed. With multiple wars and genocides happening concurrently, it is difficult to remain joyful in this season of Advent. I often wonder, where is God in this chaos? How can the world continue to allow rich rulers in power to authorize indiscriminate bombing of civilian lands? Is there room for peace when such graphic violence occurs daily? Mary’s reminder of God’s promise to provide for the most vulnerable populations offers some hope that there will be an end to the intense violence and that the oppressed will receive justice. Prior to today’s Gospel passage, the angel Gabriel announces the birth of Jesus to Mary and relays that “nothing will be impossible for God”. God kept His word to Elizabeth that she would bear a son and blessed Mary to carry the Savior of the World. We have faith that He will keep his word to lift the lowly from discrimination, provide spiritual and physical aid to the hungry, and bring about an era of peace and justice. Therefore, we must continue to pray unceasingly for ceasefire, pray unceasingly for the end of tyrannical rule, pray unceasingly for justice and peace to coexist.

As we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace, we must make ready our hearts, extending compassion to the marginalized and oppressed; develop our minds, to be aware and think critically about the current state of the world and what roles we play; and arrange a place for Christ—who himself was a refugee fleeing the Slaughter of the Innocents ordered by King Herod—by praying for the safety of all of God’s children. Through our faith in God’s promises to accompany the most vulnerable, His mercy, and unending love, we look forward to experiencing the joy of Christ at Christmas.