The Gospel of Luke 1:39-57
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
Let us Pray the collect for the Visitation: Father in heaven, by your grace the virgin mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
This passage highlights themes of joy, faith, and divine fulfillment. Elizabeth recognizes the significance of Mary’s pregnancy, affirming her faith in God’s promise. Mary’s Magnificat expresses gratitude and trust in God’s plan, emphasizing His mercy and justice.
So, have you ever decided to give a relative a surprise visit? Many of us, as we grew up, it was a very familiar thing to do, go visit relatives on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday after church. No invites were needed and when you showed up you were always welcome. In today’s world it seems like we are so self-absorbed we hardly have time for our immediate families. Can you Imagine this riding a donkey across hills and valley simply to visit her cousin Elizabeth. She travelled out of love, humility, and self-giving concern. When we go visit, we usually travel in a comfortable car. And how many of us would welcome a family visitor to stay, three months. There was a very special bond between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary went to visit Elizabeth because she knew that she would not be criticized or humiliated. This also was obvious when Elizabeth greeted Mary, the Baby Jesus leaped for joy. We can surmise a lot about that sentence, but it seems it was the sincerity and softness of Elizabeth’s voice that the infant could feel. I am sure when many of you were in the midst of a hard time a soft and comforting voice made you feel loved. When Elizabeth exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women”: Mary sang her famous canticle where she extolled God’s great deeds and mercy most especially for lowly people.
And Mary Sang: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
Reflections by Bob 