Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/79

 obliged by  Jewish  law  to  take  for  husband  the  man nearest of  kin,  for  these  two  reasons:  first,  lest  the line of  David  should  be  broken,  and  secondly,  that  the property might  not  pass  from  out  the  family. Thus Mary, notwithstanding  her  chaste  vow  and  natural repugnance, became  engaged  to  Joseph. Meanwhile Salome married  Zebedee  of  Capharnaum,  and  had  for sons the  Apostles  James  and  John. Cleophas, too,  was married, to  whom  we  know  not,  except  that  her  name was Mary  and  that  their  sons  were  the  Apostles  James and Judas — not  the  traitor — and  Simon  Zelotes. We may remark  in  passing  that  Jesus  and  John  the  Baptist were  second  cousins,  and  that  of  the  twelve Apostles, five  were,  humanly  speaking,  first  cousins  to the  Lord. While Mary,  therefore,  was  engaged  to Joseph,  there  came  to  her  news  of  the  wondrous  apparition of  the  angel  to  Zachary  in  the  Temple,  and the miraculous  conception  whereby  her  cousin  Elizabeth was  to  be  the  mother  of  the  Lord's  precursor, — the Baptist. What must  the  Virgin's  thoughts  have been when  hearing  the  Messias  was  at  hand,  and  her own family  the  instrument  of  His  coming! Did she covet the  honor  every  daughter  of  Israel  coveted? No doubt  in  her  humility  she  never  deemed  it  possible. Anyhow, had  she  not  consecrated  herself  to God? and dearer  even  than  the  honor  of  being  His Mother was  the  happiness  of  being  His  virgin spouse. Six months  had  passed,  and  once  again  the angel of  Zachary's  vision,  Gabriel,  came  and  hailed the Virgin  as  the  Mother  of  God. Mary's astonishment was  not  so  much  that  such  a  message  should