Mary goes out

At the conclusion of the homily this morning, we’ll all stand to profess our faith. We’ll do so using the words of the Apostles’ Creed. And we will profess our belief in Jesus Christ, ‘who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.’ These words go back to the fifth century and are much the same as the words said in the Nicene Creed of the early fourth century: ‘by the Holy Spirt [he] was incarnate of the Virgin Mary.’

From the earliest of times in the Christian faith, we have recognised the preeminent place of Mary in the coming of God among us. Our salvation in Christ Jesus is the work of the Holy Spirit and of God’s Mother. Rightfully, we have given Mary the highest place of honour in God’s kingdom, for she—as one of us—enabled God to pitch his tent among us.

It is an entirely unexpected yet beautiful thing to hear, as we have today, of Mary’s first action following the annunciation. She does not do what most women have tended to do upon learning they are pregnant. She did not begin by ‘gathering in’, but instead ‘went out’. Mary didn’t even take time to sort out the complex relationship she would have with Joseph, her betrothed. Instead, Mary’s first action was to set out to be with her elderly cousin, Elizabeth, to support her in her unexpected pregnancy.

It is a pattern in Mary’s life. She first goes out to Elizabeth; she then goes out to Bethlehem for Jesus’ birth; she goes out with her adult Son on the mission he had been sent to do; she goes out to be with him at the foot of the cross; she goes out from the upper room of Pentecost, having been present for the second time when the Holy Spirt had settled within her. Mary goes out.

This way of ‘going out’ that is Mary’s way always involves the showing of her Son. To Elizabeth, she shows her pregnancy; to the shepherds, she shows her infant; to the baying crowds, she shows her sacrificial son; to the Church, she shows his glory.

As we make our way towards the Nativity, in these final days of expectancy, we can go to Mary, who will show us the reason we have to hope in the coming of her Son, Jesus.