“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thes 1:2)
Aspazomai is the Greek word ἀσπασμὸν used for the English word “greeting”. It has many meanings but the root meaning is “to embrace”. This greeting appears many times in the Bible. For example, it is taught by Jesus to his disciples as a blessing to the household to which they enter. Other times, it is used in the first chapter of the New Testament Letters as a greeting to the Christian communities. These greetings impart spiritual embrace.
When Mary greeted Elizabeth, the infant in her womb leapt.
This is an immediate non-verbal response from John who acknowledges Mary’s presence and the significance of the child Jesus she carried. His response was spirit-filled, as foretold by the angel Gabriel in Luke 1:15 “He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb”.
This leap was a leap of joy. John the Baptist in his infancy had already recognised his Messiah and had started to prepare the way for Christ by pointing him out to Elizabeth. The Holy Spirit reveals Christ to those who seek Him. Do you have the same faith and joy in the Christ you see in your neighbours?
In turn, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit to bless Mary. She actually uses different types of the word “bless”. By saying Mary was “Blessed are you among women” (eulogemene/os), it meant that Mary was most blessed and would be praised for generations to come. In the Jewish culture of that time, a woman’s greatness was measured by the greatness of the children they bore. In her case, Mary’s state of blessedness was because of Jesus in her womb. Do you know what is in you that makes you blessed and holy?
“Be holy because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16) The meaning of blessed (Greek – eulogemene/os) differs from that in “Blessed (Greek – makários) are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled”. Makários is used by Jesus in the beatitudes to signify a blessing upon the obedient who receive the grace of God. “Blessed are the clean of heart for they will see God.” (Matt 5:7) Elizabeth was telling Mary that she was blessed to believe the words of the prophecy told to her without doubt.
Another point to note, in the Jewish custom, if a woman is found pregnant before being legally wedded she can be shamed and stoned to death too.
Mary had no fear and to have that trust and faith in something she did not understand is a gift, a grace bestowed upon her. Do you believe in the Lord’s plan for you?
Elizabeth, with the same faith in what she could not see and was not yet told, knew that Mary was pregnant and blessed Jesus as well – “Blessed is the fruit of your womb”. The sharing of the Holy Spirit from Mary and John has made her recognise the Lord in their presence. Do you recognise the movement of the Holy Spirit when you share and pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Finally, Mary was filled with the same Holy Spirit to announce her Magnificat to praise the Lord in his greatness and providence for her and for the forsaken. “Because of Mary’s singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her.” (CCC 2682) Great is the Lord to be praised!
A greeting in the name of God is powerful and passes on the peace and joy of the risen Lord to the recipients. How do you respond to a spiritual embrace? Ask the Lord to open your heart to the Holy Spirit, to receive his embrace through your brothers and sisters in Christ. Then, you will understand the meaning of true peace and joy in the kingdom of God.
By Jovian and Marianne
Questions for Reflection
Do you have the same faith and joy in the Christ you see in your neighbours?
Do you know what is in you that makes you blessed and holy?
Do you believe in the Lord’s plan for you?
Do you recognise the movement of the Holy Spirit when you share and pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ?