The Scripture ~ “Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, “You’re so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed! And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me? The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy. Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!” Luke 1:39-45 The Message
The Spiritual Focus ~ “The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.” ~ Hubert H Humphrey
The Breath Prayer ~ Teachers Choice
The Devotion ~ Embodying the Christmas story through the story of Mary and Elizabeth points us toward the important nature of healing of friendships. Friendships can enhance and transcend family connections; healing friendships allow us to bring our whole selves to the kind of love God has for us. In this scripture passage, Mary is trying to logically understand the message from Gabriel when she visits her older cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth welcomes her as a friend and greets her in love. As she does this, she is blessed with the most intimate of physical experiences—that of one being moving inside another. This mystical spiritual experience is the ultimate body, mind, and Spirit experiential affirmation of Love.
Friendships have the power to heal us… and they have the power to deepen our faith in something greater than ourselves and move us toward unconditional love. Friendships may take on many shapes, but all have one common factor in mutual participation. This past Thanksgiving the rising phenomenon of Friendsgiving caught the attention of some of us. Friendsgiving has different modes of expression but one expression that most would agree to is a gratitude for the healing nature of friendships.
Yoga philosopher Ram Dass says it well, “We are all just walking each other home.” As we gather during this time of year in particular, let us remember friends and family we have not visited in a while. Let us be open to the movement of the Spirit to bring us together for the sake of love and blessing.
