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Gospel: Luke 1: 39-56
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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Pregnancy is, perhaps, among the most intimate of human experiences. I can imagine an expectant mother rubbing her belly, feeling her child forming slowly, silently beneath her heart. Perhaps there’s an occasional kick, reminding the mother of the life forming within her.
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Pregnancy is a unique bond that only women share, including the expectant mothers, Mary and Elizabeth in today’s Gospel.
In fact, this is the only story in the Gospels between two women…and they’re both pregnant.
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Much could be said about this Feast of the Visitation.
But perhaps we can focus on a single moment: the embrace between Mary and Elizabeth, which puts flesh on our parish vision statement.
At Saint Pius X, we believe in, “All generations journeying together with Jesus to satisfy our hungry hearts. Come and see!”
In that embrace between Mary and Elizabeth, we find “all generations”:
Elizabeth represents those who are married; barren; or elderly. Mary represents those who are young; unmarried; or who are faithful to God’s promises.
Jesus and John the Baptist represent the unborn; children; religious (both John and Jesus were servants of God); and our future as a Church.
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There, in that single embrace, we find the life of the church – of our church.
It’s an embrace between two women – years apart in age and experience – who find what we are all hungry for: friendship, faith, affirmation, community, understanding, and belonging.
I’ve found all of the above here. Have you?
If so, then invite another person to, “Come and see!”
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Image credits: The Visitation by James B. Janknegt, 2008