Patristic Wisdom: Looking to the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:39–45)

Elizabeth says, “Why does this happen to me?” She is utterly filled with the Holy Spirit. She does not speak in ignorance, as if she did not know that, according to God’s will, the mother of the Lord was coming to her. She rather speaks with this meaning: “What good have I done? What deeds of mine are so great that the mother of my Lord should come to me? By what justice, by what good works, by what fidelity of mind have I merited this, that the mother of the Lord should come to me?” “For behold, as your greeting sounded in my ears, the infant leapt for joy in my womb.” The soul of the blessed John was holy. While he was still enclosed in his mother’s womb and still to come into the world, he recognized the one whom Israel did not know. Hence “he leapt”—and he did not simply leap, but he leapt “for joy.” For he had perceived that his Lord had come to sanctify his servant before he went forth from his mother’s womb. I hope that unbelievers might call me stupid because I have believed such things. The deed itself, and the truth, show that I have put my trust not in stupidity but in wisdom, because this, which they consider stupid, is the occasion of my salvation.

For, unless the Savior’s birth had been heavenly and blessed, unless it had had something of the divine that surpassed human nature, his teaching would never have spread to the whole world. If only a man had been in Mary’s womb and not the Son of God, how could it happen—both at that time and now—that many diseases are cured, not only of bodies but also of souls? Who of us was not once foolish? Now, because of God’s mercy, we have understanding, and we know God. Who of us believed in justice? Now, because of Christ, we possess justice and follow it. Who of us was not wandering aimlessly, and vacillating? Now, because of the Savior’s coming, we are not tossed about by the waves or agitated. We are on our way—that is, we are in him who says, “I am the Way.”

Origen, Homilies on Luke 7.5–6