Submitted by Jan on Tue, 15/12/2015 – 12:13
Year C (2015-2016)
Bible Book: Luke / Lukas
Chapter: 1
Verse: 39 – 45
Luke 1:39-45 tells us the story of two women. Two pregnant women, two miracle mothers. One is old, married for many years, childless and barren. The other is young, having never been married and a virgin. One probably in her 70s or so, one probably in her early teens. These two unusual women, with unusual situations, are seen by God.
They meet in Elizabeth’s house where Mary hurried to visit. Each one knows something about the other. The angel told Mary that Elizabeth is also pregnant, and Elizabeth felt Mary’s unborn baby. They have one thing in common; they are both seen by God in a different way. God didn’t look at them the way the community saw them. Rather, God put these two women where everybody could see them. Since they gave birth to their extraordinary children, the world also saw them differently.
We need to stand where God is standing, so that we can see people the way He sees them.
During Elizabeth’s time and culture, being barren carried stigma. Elizabeth was stigmatized. Bareness was also seen as a punishment from God, (Genesis16:2). Mary on the other hand, found herself in a strange situation. She is engaged to be married to Joseph, and a virgin. She is told the greatest news ever, that she will be a mother of our Lord Jesus. Maybe Mary accepted the fact that she is “just” a girl, and Elizabeth accepted her barrenness.
Now God showed up, when people already labelled Elizabeth as the barren one. God showed up, not for Elizabeth alone, but for the rest of the people. Nothing is impossible with Him. God showed the world that Elizabeth was not defined by her bareness.
God touched the life of Mary the young girl, and touched the life of Elizabeth the old woman. God did not look at what the people look at, He saw further than where we can see.
Remember also the woman who was bleeding for years, and the custom of the time which did not allow her to be among people, let alone touch Jesus. Yet Jesus saw her and was not bothered by her “uncleanness”. Instead, Jesus appreciated her touching Him.
To Think About: We commemorated Word AIDS Day on the 1st of this month. How do we see the people that are living with HIV? I am not talking about physical eyes, I am talking about the eyes of the heart. Are we putting a label on people? Are we able to see people the way God sees them?
Written By: Nobuntu Penxa-Matholeni, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
Author: Penxa-Matholeni N.
Language: English