THE WORD
Zeph 3,14-18 or Rm 12,9-16 / Lk 1,39-56
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariahand 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 upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
IN OTHER WORDS
Why did Mary make that long journey from Nazareth up north in Galilee to Ain Karim down south in Judaea where old Elizabeth, her kin, lived with her equally old husband Zecchariah? What meaning does the Visitation hold for us?
At the Annunciation, the angel informed Mary that her cousin Elizabeth, though now old, was already in her sixth month of pregnancy, “for nothing is impossible to God.” Yes, nothing is impossible to God, and so Mary, though a Virgin, was going to be pregnant. With this obvious encouragement, Mary gave her consent: “Be it done to me according to your word.” Clearly, the purpose of Mary’s visit was to be of service to her old cousin, she herself being the much younger and stronger person. She would do the fetching of water, the washing of clothes and the rest of the household chores. The closing verse of the Visitation narrative would point to Mary’s term of service: “Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.” In other words, Mary waited until the birth of Elizabeth’s baby and until she was strong enough to do the household chores herself, and then only she returned home.
The meaning of the Visitation then would be this: Mary leaving her comfort zone and journeying towards Elizabeth to help her in her need. What the Good Samaritan did in the story of Jesus some 30 years later would be reminiscent of Mary’s compassionate deed.
Something wonderful happened when the two mothers-to-be met: at the sound of Mary’s greeting the baby in Elizabeth’s womb stirred for joy! Some form of salutation of the inferior to the superior? Elizabeth herself recognized Mary as above her in dignity, regarding her visit as a distinct honor for her, Mary being now the “mother of my Lord”. Was not that the very rst recognition ever of Mary’s divine motherhood? Elizabeth then praised Mary for believing in God’s word. And Mary praised God the Mighty One for taking notice of her in her lowliness and even desiring her to be his mother so that “from now on will all ages call me blessed”. A lovely sight, this: the humble one exulting in the Lord just like a child does!
Lovely too, this: the scene of the meeting being gently flooded with serene light. The two being as joyful as they are thankful. The Holy Spirit hovering over the whole scene. Yes, the Spirit of unity, of harmony, of peace!
This refraction of heaven, as it were, would be ours too if we open ourselves to the same Spirit of Love and allow Him to make our heart His home!
- Fr. Dong Alpuerto, SVD | USC, Talamban, Cebu City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
