Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth (May 31)

Magnificat

Zeph. 3:14-18; Ps. 113; Rom. 12:9-16; Luke 1:39-49[50-56]

‘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.”’ Luke 1:46-49

How great is God!

The Magnificat is a very personal hymn, yet Mary manages to make it unselfishly a paean of praise, magnifying the greatness and goodness of God. Her own news, brought by Gabriel, had sent her hurrying over to see Elizabeth – and the sharing of the women’s happiness brought the first rejoicing of John, while still in his mother’s womb. In ecstasy, Mary sings, little thinking, perhaps, that her song would go round the world.

While choirs of angels sang in heaven, just two women celebrated on earth. It was how the great and good God had planned. Slowly, so slowly, the salvation of the world was beginning.

The visit that meant so much

Mary could have stayed at home, hugging her good news to herself. She could have gone to Joseph – but what would she have said? But Gabriel had mentioned Elizabeth’s own good news – and, thus prompted, Mary set out on the visit that would mean so much for them both. In these times of telephone, fax and Internet, we tend not to visit in person as often as we used to – and something precious is thereby lacking in our lives. We miss the shared smiles, and sometimes tears; the chats over coffee, the children running in and out, the sunshine in someone else’s garden . . . Visits are not reproducible on the Net or the telephone.

There are hospitals and nursing homes, where some of the patients receive no visits from one year to the next; the house-bound, the new neighbours, the families who never seem to integrate in the community . . . there are even the friends to whom we are quick to say: ‘I’ll pop round one evening this week!’ – and then too often forget. God deals with each of us personally; but have we lost ‘the personal touch’? Do we ‘visit’ the TV screen or the computer more than anyone else? Is our door open to callers, or have they other things to do as well?

Staying to help

Mary’s was not a five-minute chat. She stayed to help Elizabeth through the older woman’s last three months of pregnancy. What a wonderful cousin to have! Our visits to others will probably be nowhere near as long – but perhaps we could offer help with someone’s need, someone’s emergency? Whether it’s doing the ironing or weeding the rose bed, ‘helping out’ is as valuable and valued as it ever was: it’s that simple ‘cup of cold water’, given in the Name of Jesus (Matthew 1o:42; Mark 9:41).

Our knowledge of Mary is little enough: are there not many questions we’re ready to ask when we meet her in glory? But today we can give special thanks to God for this precious account of her visit to Elizabeth; it tells us, above everything else, that God chose a beautiful woman to be his Son’s mother.

Suggested hymns

Hail, Queen of heaven; I’ll sing a hymn to Mary; Mary Immaculate, Star of the morning; O purest of creatures, Sweet Mother, sweet Maid.