The First Trimester

"Mary remained with her about three months" (Luke 1:56).

It's called the Visitation: when Mary, pregnant with our Lord, visited the much older Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist (about six months older than Christ).  And it looks like Mary spent roughly the first trimester of her pregnancy visiting Elizabeth: helping her, serving her, preparing for the birth of John.

If that is correct, then it was during the Visitation that the heart of our Lord took shape and began to beat.  The same heart that would stop beating on the cross.  During the Visitation that His face got its eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.  The same mouth that would say, "Take heart, child, your sins are forgiven" (Matt. 9:2).

We think much about the birth of our dear Lord.  And well we should!  But let us think some more about His nine months in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary.

Mary visited Elizabeth with Christ inside of her.  Holy Communion means that Christ is inside of you and that you may go and serve your spouse, children, neighbor, and especially the one in need.

Holy Baptism puts us inside of Christ.  Holy Communion puts Christ inside of us.  And all that is left is to love.

In Christ We Cannot Lose

Acts 1:15-26

When, in Acts 1, Matthias is chosen to take the place of Judas, it meant that another man was not chosen.  His name?  Joseph Barsabbas Justus.  The man no one remembers.

That's mainly because he wasn't chosen.  But it's partly because three names is a lot to remember.  The last of his names, Justus, was likely a nickname.  It means "just, upright, impartial."  He was an especially godly, pious man.  A man who sought God's will and glory, not his own.  A man who led me to write these words:

We praise You, Lord, for Joseph,

The one You did not choose.

A man who surely loved You,

A man You surely used.

May we, like him, desire

Whatever You may choose,

And learn, with him, the lesson:

In Christ we cannot lose!

These words are a prayer to be sung (to the tune of Lutheran Service Book 517) or simply spoken.

We lose in life if we say, "My will be done."  We win when we pray, "Thy will be done."

In Christ, who is risen, ascended, and praying for us, we cannot lose!