The Fourth Day of Christmas

Luke 1:39-56
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

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The meeting of Mary and Elisabeth-the meeting of Jesus and John!-sparks immense joy for everyone involved. At the greeting of Mary, John leaps in his mother’s womb. This preborn babe is drunk with joy. Elisabeth is filled to overflowing with the Holy Ghost as she bursts out in praise to God and blessing to Mary and Jesus. And Mary herself breaks into song, rejoicing in God her Saviour, recounting the blessing that God has brought to her.


Mary sings to remember what God has done because God has remembered her. The Lord had regard for Mary and she will be remembered by all Christians in all generations as the most blessed of women. Only one woman in the history of the universe gets to be the Mother of God. 


Mary stays with her cousin for three months. One can imagine the two of them trying to put this genie of joy back in the bottle. Did they burst into song at any other time? Doing chores, visiting relatives, catching up on old times, were they once again filled with the Spirit of God and overflowing with joy? How could they not be? These two women stood at the edge of the end of all things and the beginning of all things. God was about to keep His promise that “he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” 


Mary and Elisabeth could not contain themselves. Can you blame them? No. And I would not blame you (I hope you would not blame me) if you broke into songs of joy when you remembered the deeds of the other perborn infant, Jesus Christ. Mary and Elisabeth lived just before God fulfilled all His promises. We live after. All the more reason that we should follow their example, rejoice and sing.


The fulfillment of those promises is poured out on us by the bucket full. Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Lamb of God was crucified! Christ the Redeemer is risen! Jesus Christ is Lord! May we be so filled with the Holy Ghost at the sound of this greeting that we sing as we remember, that we leap with joy, that we bless God who keeps His promises.