Word to the Wise
Thursday, May 31, 2012 - May 31 - Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Zeph 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16 and Luke 1:39-56]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.....Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. [Luke]
Few feasts in the liturgical calendar have the charm that the "Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary" has. [However, I wish the powers-that-be would say "Visitation BY," since it is Mary who is doing the visitation TO or OF Elizabeth!" Oh well...they didn't ask me!] Indeed, the two unexpectedly pregnant women, the joyful greeting, the child leaping in the womb - these are elements that call for preaching by a woman, especially an expectant mom! Knowing my own limitations in that regard, I feel I should note the serious theological aspects of the scene. The evangelist, Luke, has an "agenda" here that calls for our attention!
The "agenda" is the portrayal of the mother of the Messiah as a true disciple! Elizabeth's greeting praises Mary as the mother of the Messiah but Elizabeth also praises Mary for believing "that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." This description, although earlier in the story but later in the composition, echoes Jesus comment in Luke 11:27-28, responding to the woman who says, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked!" But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it."
We Catholics who say the "Hail Mary..." thousands of times in our lives probably do not realize that the first part of the prayer is not all from the Angel Gabriel, but comes from Cousin Elizabeth, and it is a statement of discipleship that we should be emulating! Jesus places "hearing the word of God and keeping it" at the top of his agenda. The wonderful story of the Visitation is a great way to remind us of this. AMEN