Since this upcoming Thursday is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (and my Mom’s Birthday), I wanted to briefly share with you a reflection on Mary and Elizabeth’s encounter as well as Mary’s Magnificat. This is a subject that I have written on numerous times over the 6 years of writing these weekly blog articles. Below you can read the previous articles on the Visitation.
After receiving the news from the Angel at the Annunciation that she would be the Mother of God, Mary quickly departs for the hill country, very similar to King David in the Old Testament, where she goes to serve her cousin, Elizabeth. Two major events of grace occur when she goes to Elizabeth. First, Elizabeth declares by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Mary is the Mother of her Lord and the child in womb (St. John the Baptist) leapt for joy. Second, the same Holy Spirit inspires Mary to declare her “Magnificat” or song of praise. A song of praise similar to that of Hannah’s hymn, a hymn that we believe Our Lady would have known by memory.
The two reflections below come from the Dictionary of Mary, a book that recently came into my possession. Next week, I will share with you the exciting news of this book and the other 33 books on Our Lady that are now part of my Marian library. I also have 20 or so more books on a wide variety of Catholic topics and theology. Come back next week and hear the story about these books – some that are so old they are no longer in print.
The first reflection on the Visitation is titled – “Blest Is She Who Trusted [Believed]…” –
At the same time, Elizabeth makes known to us the mystery of Mary and the basic reason why she is blessed. The mystery of Mary stems entirely from the privileged bond of her motherhood, which unites her with the “fruit of [her] womb” (Lk 1:42). To capture the spirit of Elizabeth’s greeting, the translation out to read: “Blest are you among women BECAUSE blest is the fruit of your womb.” The blessedness, the holiness, of the Son is reflected in the Mother. Better still, the Son is cause of the Mother’s holiness. In the estimation of the Evangelists and the first Christians, there is not a more beautiful title for May this one: “Mother of Jesus” (cf. Jn 2:1), “Mother of my Lord.”
But it is a motherhood first received in faith. Mary is most of all believer, a woman who has given a total yes to God’s Word, unlike Zechariah who doubted.
It is this faith of Mary that Elizabeth extols: “Blest is she who trusted [believed] that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). Luke sees no opposition between Mary’s motherhood and her hearing the Word of God (cf. 11:27-28). On the contrary, he associates one with the other.
Visitation, Oil on Canvas. For more from Steve Bird, visit his website – http://www.stevebirdart.com
The second reflection on the Visitation is titled – Mary’s Thanksgiving –
The scene of the Visitation is extended in Mary’s personal act of thanksgiving, the Magnificat. Mary gives her praise for the intervention of God, her Savior, in the stupendous motherhood that is coming to pass within her: “God who is mighty has done great things for me” (1:49).
But Mary’s vision does not stop at herself. It moves over the whole history of Israel, and her thanksgiving take on the accents of a whole people singing the great deeds of God. This woman, “blessed above all women” (cf. Jdt 13:18), belongs entirely to the history of Israel, the long line of men and women who have experienced the extolled the salvation of God. Like them, Mary sings praise to the God faithful to his Covenant, faithful to the Promise made the Fathers.
To learn more about Mary’s Magnificat, I would encourage you to read one of my very first “Mondays with Mary” here.
To read more about the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I would encourage you to check out the seven articles I have written previously –
“Mondays with Mary” – Pope Benedict on the ‘Visitation of Mary’
“Mondays with Mary” – St. Francis de Sales on the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Mondays with Mary” – The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Mondays with Mary”- The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Take 2
“Mondays with Mary” – ‘Bringing Jesus to Others’
“Mondays with Mary” – The Visitation of Mary in Advent
“Mondays with Mary” – Mary Greets Elizabeth
Categories: Mariology
TOM PERNA 
Excellent post, Tony. Thanks for the new insights. If I may add, the Greek word in Luke for Mary being blessed is eulogomene and for the “fruit of her womb, ” Jesus eulogemenos. These past participles of the verb eulogeo apply only to Jesus and Mary in the New Testament. The feminine form also applies to the Kingdom of God in Mark’s gospel. Elizabeth is pronouncing a benediction upon the Mother and the Son who are both consecrated to the Father and removed from the dominion of Satan in their collaboration with each other for the salvation of fallen humanity. Judith collaborated with God for the redemption of Israel who faced impending exile and enslavement. Holofernes is Satan’s anti-type. Judith smote his head as Mary crushed the head of the serpent with her heel (cf. Gen, 3:15) by her faith in charity and grace. Jesus and Mary share a common enmity with the Serpent and its offspring in his dominion. Thus, Luke uses the same Greek verbs in his restructuring of Judith 13:18 which does parallel the Protoevangelium along with the gospel.
Thank you. However, my name is Tom, not Tony.
My apologies, Tom. I must have had another Catholic I correspond with in the back of my mind.