Feast of the Visitation of Mary

May 31, 2016 6:30am

Readings: Zephaniah 3.14-18

Luke 1.39-56

One of our Scripture experts comments that we have somewhat embellished the scene in today’s gospel by calling it a “visitation.”

We name today the Feast of the Visitation of Mary.

This Scripture expert says that in truth, this was a visit.

Mary, an ordinary person, did not arrive in Elizabeth’s village with a motorcade.

There was no ceremonial welcome by the mayor of the town.

There were no press people or others gathered around.

This was a simple visit.

And this visit includes what other real-life, personal visits include or should include.

Mary and Elizabeth are cousins and they get caught up with each other.

They talk and share about their amazing pregnancies – Elizabeth’s unexpected because of her older age, and Mary’s miraculous because it has happened through the direct action of God.

So they talk and share, undistracted by their cell phones or text messages.

And because of this personal interaction, they are caring for one another.

Elizabeth prayerfully praises God’s action in Mary and Mary’s trusting response to God.

Mary responds to that with her beautiful prayer that we call the Magnificat, the Latin word for the first words of the prayer – “My soul proclaims.”

And then Mary responds to Elizabeth by staying with her for three months, apparently until she delivered her baby.

I think it is important not to overlook the human, personal dimension of this simple visit.

Maybe it has some ingredients that we need to be reminded of in our interactions with one another.

Communicating, sharing, and responding to the person we are with right now – that is what we mean by visiting one another.

It is a valuable way of relating to one another and of living out the gospel.