Mary and Elizabeth: Central Figures in Salvation History

Two women at the center of salvation history! Both from a culture that treats women as nobodies, as second-class citizens, who stone them to death if raped, who deny their female children an education!  More or less, women continue to be treated as "less than" in many ways throughout the world. With the same educational background and skill level, in the same jobs as men, for instance, they are paid less! In many instances, women are excluded from ecclesiastical ministry positions because they are women. And here are Mary and Elizabeth, both chosen as instruments in the coming of the Messiah into the world. Both would have a significant influence in  bringing up Jesus, teaching him his Jewish faith, handing on values that would shine forth brilliantly in his ministry, teaching him to put God first, to carry out the will of His Father, even in the face of dire consequences(Mary risked her life in saying "yes" to the angel--she could have been stoned to death if found pregnant out of wedlock).

In her visit to Elizabeth, Mary recognizes her privileged position when she says in the Magnificat: "From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name." Mary assumes the role of prophet, as also evidenced in the Magnificat where she proclaims that God will fill "the hungry with good things," will lift "up the lowly," will show "the strength of his arm," "has mercy on those who fear him in every generation, and will send "the rich...away empty."  Mary exercises her faith in God's plan for her son when, at Cana, she draws Jesus' attention to the wedding couples' dilemma: "They have no wine." When Jesus tartly says to her: "What is that to me; my hour has not yet come," she says to the servants: "Do whatever He tells you." In a sense, Mary is at the center of "his coming out" moment!  She is also a significant figure on Mount Calvary, giving her son strength to carry out God's plan for our salvation.

Yet, publically, to this very day women are excluded from being at the center of the proclamation of our faith. I suspect Jesus weeps at this situation, as He did not exclude women. He sent them to proclaim the presence of the Kingdom, the presence of the Messiah, as he did the woman at the well, as He did when he sent Mary Magdalen to proclaim the resurrection to the apostles, and, yes, when He responded to Mary's request at Cana and when, on the cross, He gave Mary to us as our mother in faith, hope and love!

Though publically excluded from an ecclesiastical ministry, we women still have a responsibility as baptized Christians, to proclaim the faith, share Jesus with the world, put God first in our lives and teach our children to do the same.