Feast of The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Visitation
Mariotto Albertinelli
1503 - Oil on wood, 232 x 146 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence


Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things,and the rich he has sent away empty.He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. (~ Luke 1: 39 - 56)

Elizabeth has been barren all her life, but in the Annunciation Mary learned that her kinswoman is miraculously expecting a child in her old age, "For with God nothing will be impossible (Luke 1: 37). Upon hearing this good news, Mary fervently desires to share in Elizabeth's joy and serve her during the last part of her pregnancy. She goes "with haste" to visit Elizabeth and then remains with her for three months.

Imagine the meeting of these two expectant mothers. What joy and excitement they must have had for each other. Elizabeth rushes out to greet Mary saying, "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (Luke 1: 42). Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth recognizes that of all the women who ever lived, Mary is most blessed, for the child in her womb is not any ordinary son, but the Son of God himself.

In awe over this mystery, Elizabeth feels a bit unworthy to be in the presence of the Lord dwelling in Mary. She says, "why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Even the baby John the Baptist recognizes the presence of Jesus, leaping in Elizabeth's womb as soon as Mary arrives.

Mary, Ark of the Covenant

One of the invocations in Mary’s litany is “Ark of the Covenant.” Like the Ark of the Covenant of old, Mary brings God’s presence into the lives of other people. As David danced before the Ark, John the Baptist leaps for joy. As the Ark helped to unite the 12 tribes of Israel by being placed in David’s capital, so Mary has the power to unite all Christians through her Son. To learn more about why Mary is called the Ark of the Covenant and how it relates to the mystery of the Visitation, read Steve Ray's Mary: The Ark of the New Covenant.

The Magnificat

Mary gives all the glory to the Lord for the marvelous things which are accomplished in her. From the moment of the Incarnation the Virgin Mother sings in her heart a canticle full of love and gratitude. In the presence of her cousin Elizabeth she allows the most profound sentiments of her heart to break forth in song; she intones the "Magnificat" which, in the course of centuries, her children will repeat with her to praise God for having chosen her among all women:

"My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid...Because He Who is mighty has done great things for me And holy is His name."

The Magnificat reveals Mary's humility and her gratitude that God has chosen her, a lowly servant, to be the Mother of God. In the second half of the Magnificat, Mary sees a connection between what God has done for her and what he wants to accomplish in the lives of all of his people. Mary views herself as the first recipient of God's blessings and just as God has shown favor to his handmaiden, so he will help "his servant Israel". The Magnificat tells us that what God has done for this lowly woman of Nazareth, he will do for all who humbly serve him as Mary did. God will bless our faithfulness, look mercifully on our lowliness, and exalt us in our afflictions. May we imitate Mary in thanking and praising the mighty God who does "great things" for us. May we forever sing with her, "My soul magnifies the Lord."

~ Adapted and excerpted in part from "The New Rosary in Scripture" by Edward P. Sri
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