THE VISITATION

Visitation - Albertinelli, Mariotto -Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Luke 1:39-49

 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 leapt 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 leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

 And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour 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.

Bro John Anthony posted in St. Cuthbert's Cottage

 We honor Mary because she took an active part in God’s plans. She was a consenting partner. Elizabeth recognizes this when she says “Blessed are you among women” – blessed not only because she has been chosen to be the mother of our Lord, but, Elizabeth goes on to say, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Mary is praised by Elizabeth because she believed.

 -Br. Geoffrey Tristram Society of Saint John the Evangelist

Image from the Web Gallery of Art.