lost in the love of another human being; this also is true, no? For in this way, we are found.” Elizabeth reached out and gently touched Mary’s cheek. “Such are the ways of life and love. You will come to see how we live so paradoxically. We are happy, yet we are sad. We become enraged by our beloved because he
is
our beloved. We look forward to something, yet we are full of dread. We long for summer in winter, and winter in summer. What a contrary species are we! Better we should be cattle, at peace in the fields!” She grimaced and Mary laughed.
“But mostly in this life,” Elizabeth said, “we are continually lifted by the love of God, by the miracles he so freely bestows upon us, and by his nearness to us.”
Mary fell silent, thinking, then asked, “But how will Joseph ever believe me, that I am a virgin and yet with child?”
“It is a mountain that has risen in your path, it is true. It would be natural for Joseph to doubt you, even as Zechariah first doubted me. When I told him of the angel appearing to tell me I was with child, he became angry and shouted that I had long been barren. And he reminded me that my years for childbearing were now long past. But then, on the day when he had been chosen to burn incense in the holy place, the angel came to him in the synagogue, telling him that in my womb was a child who would be called John. Yet Zechariah doubted even the angel’s words. He questioned him and asked for a sign! Imagine!”
Mary cast her eyes downward, remembering her own questioning of the angel who had appeared to her.
“Yes, my husband, the priest, doubted the truth of the angel’s words! And so the angel punished Zechariah. When he came out to speak to the people who had gathered for prayer, he realized he had been struck dumb. There was his sign! The angel said Zechariah will recover his voice when the child is born and named. It is for this reason that my husband does not speak. He was full of worry that I might reveal to you the circumstances of his condition, for he is shamed by the appalling lack of faith he showed. I trust you will not betray my confidence.”
Mary shook her head. “Of course I shall not. But how awful! Were you frightened when your husband was struck dumb? Were you terribly sad?”
Elizabeth hesitated. Then her left shoulder met her ear and she raised an eyebrow. “To tell the truth, it isn’t so bad.”
They laughed, and then Elizabeth put her hand on Mary’s arm. “You must explain something to Joseph. Say to him, many are the ways that children come unto us, for mysterious are the ways of the Lord. He may not believe, at first, in the circumstances of your condition. But speak to him of how both of you must want the child who is come, for this is a thing deserved by all who sleep in the womb.”
“Yet I cannot help but wonder if he has now lost the love he had for me, if he will still take me as his wife.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Who can guess at what is in another’s heart? The things greatest to us are the things we cannot see. I speak here of honor. Truth. Faith. And the greatest of all, which is love. Yet invisible though it may be, when you look upon Joseph again, you will see immediately if love is there.”
She grimaced again, then squeezed Mary’s arm hard.
“Oh!” Mary said. “Is it time?” Her heart rose in her throat.
Elizabeth nodded. “Help me up.”
Mary did, then spoke calmly, saying, “I shall help you to your bed, and then fetch the midwife.”
“Make haste,” Elizabeth said, around an enormous push.
“ANOTHER BLESSING ON US ALL!” Zechariah shouted. He took a drink of wine from his cup and once more slapped the back of his beleaguered round-bellied friend. From the doorway of the house, Mary watched the small but rowdy group of men standing in the courtyard and celebrating. They had stayed outside as Elizabeth labored, for their place at that time was out of the way of the midwife and her
is
our beloved. We look forward to something, yet we are full of dread. We long for summer in winter, and winter in summer. What a contrary species are we! Better we should be cattle, at peace in the fields!” She grimaced and Mary laughed.
“But mostly in this life,” Elizabeth said, “we are continually lifted by the love of God, by the miracles he so freely bestows upon us, and by his nearness to us.”
Mary fell silent, thinking, then asked, “But how will Joseph ever believe me, that I am a virgin and yet with child?”
“It is a mountain that has risen in your path, it is true. It would be natural for Joseph to doubt you, even as Zechariah first doubted me. When I told him of the angel appearing to tell me I was with child, he became angry and shouted that I had long been barren. And he reminded me that my years for childbearing were now long past. But then, on the day when he had been chosen to burn incense in the holy place, the angel came to him in the synagogue, telling him that in my womb was a child who would be called John. Yet Zechariah doubted even the angel’s words. He questioned him and asked for a sign! Imagine!”
Mary cast her eyes downward, remembering her own questioning of the angel who had appeared to her.
“Yes, my husband, the priest, doubted the truth of the angel’s words! And so the angel punished Zechariah. When he came out to speak to the people who had gathered for prayer, he realized he had been struck dumb. There was his sign! The angel said Zechariah will recover his voice when the child is born and named. It is for this reason that my husband does not speak. He was full of worry that I might reveal to you the circumstances of his condition, for he is shamed by the appalling lack of faith he showed. I trust you will not betray my confidence.”
Mary shook her head. “Of course I shall not. But how awful! Were you frightened when your husband was struck dumb? Were you terribly sad?”
Elizabeth hesitated. Then her left shoulder met her ear and she raised an eyebrow. “To tell the truth, it isn’t so bad.”
They laughed, and then Elizabeth put her hand on Mary’s arm. “You must explain something to Joseph. Say to him, many are the ways that children come unto us, for mysterious are the ways of the Lord. He may not believe, at first, in the circumstances of your condition. But speak to him of how both of you must want the child who is come, for this is a thing deserved by all who sleep in the womb.”
“Yet I cannot help but wonder if he has now lost the love he had for me, if he will still take me as his wife.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Who can guess at what is in another’s heart? The things greatest to us are the things we cannot see. I speak here of honor. Truth. Faith. And the greatest of all, which is love. Yet invisible though it may be, when you look upon Joseph again, you will see immediately if love is there.”
She grimaced again, then squeezed Mary’s arm hard.
“Oh!” Mary said. “Is it time?” Her heart rose in her throat.
Elizabeth nodded. “Help me up.”
Mary did, then spoke calmly, saying, “I shall help you to your bed, and then fetch the midwife.”
“Make haste,” Elizabeth said, around an enormous push.
“ANOTHER BLESSING ON US ALL!” Zechariah shouted. He took a drink of wine from his cup and once more slapped the back of his beleaguered round-bellied friend. From the doorway of the house, Mary watched the small but rowdy group of men standing in the courtyard and celebrating. They had stayed outside as Elizabeth labored, for their place at that time was out of the way of the midwife and her
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