My Kindred Spirits

Today’s gospel reading shows Mary’s traveling “in haste” to Judea to see her cousin, Elizabeth. I love that detail. I picture Mary, so full of joy that she is vibrating with excitement as she seeks out her elder cousin to tell her the news of her pregnancy. Her joy isn’t one sided. When she greets Elizabeth, infant John-the-Baptist leaps in her womb and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. This exchange leads to Mary’s Magnificat, her beautiful reflection on her joyful love for God and God’s commitment to justice. 

Can you imagine how close these women were for this to happen? L.M. Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series, often used the term “kindred spirits” to describe the relationship Anne has with the most important people in her life. These kindred spirits are like soul mates, the relationship allowing mutual deep growth and connection, leading to kinship. Mary and Elizabeth were actual blood relatives, but I believe their relationship went into the “kindred spirit” territory. 

I have a group of friends who have been meeting monthly for almost twenty years. It started as a gathering for folks who completed a year or more of service after graduating from college and sought a community steeped in spirituality, simple living, and justice. We began meeting at one another’s tiny apartments to share a simple meal and reflect on our lives. Over the years, our community weathered loss and expansion as our lives and relationships changed. These are my found-family, my kindred spirits. They are the ones I seek out in haste to share joy and grief. We support and understand one another in a special way.

Who brings this level of support to you? Perhaps it is blood-related kin. Perhaps your kindred spirits are found-family. How do your kindred spirits help support your own journey with God?

Aside from support, I have to return to the unbridled joy today’s readings showcase. Poet Mary Oliver wrote “If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give into it.”  Like both Marys (Oliver and the Mother of God), let us recognize and share our joy as we journey in faith.

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Sarah Signorino has almost 20 years of experience in mission and ministry. She served as the Assistant Director in Campus Ministry and the Director of Mission & Identity at her alma mater, Canisius University. During that time she also began and co-directed Canisius' Be the Light Youth Theology Institute in 2018, funded by the Lilly Endowment. Sarah is an oblate in the Erie Benedictine community of Mount St. Benedict’s Monastery. Sarah lives with her family in Buffalo, NY, and enjoys hiking, reading about women's spirituality, planning retreats, and going on adventures with her three kids. You can find more of her writing at the Ignatian Solidarity Network, Wisdom Dwelling, and on Substack.