A virgin shall conceive and bear a son…

St Elizabeth was married into the heart of the Temple tradition.  She represents the best of the ancient chosen people of God.  The Temple was a sign pointing to God.  The ancient Hebrews struggled with the concept of building a Temple, while the pagans built temples everywhere and limited their gods to their buildings.  The Hebrews, however, knew that God could not be limited to one place; but they wanted a place to honour God, a place that would hold the special presence of the One whom the universe could not contain.  Elizabeth’s body was like that ancient Temple; it contained the one who would point out the Lord to the world. John the Baptist. Within Elizabeth, he leapt for joy in the presence of Jesus within Mary.  John, the last of the ancient prophets became the first of the Christian prophets pointing to the One he would later call the Lamb of God.  He embodied and brought to a conclusion the Temple Tradition of Israel, the tradition of reminding the people that God is among them.  Jesus is Emmanuel, God-with-us

…and they shall call Him, Emmanuel,
which means, God-is- with-us!