”Jesus, who was in [Mary's] womb, hurried to sanctify John still in his mother’s womb.  Before Mary arrived and greeted Elizabeth, the child had not leapt in the womb, but as soon as Mary had spoken the word that the Son of God in her womb had suggested, the child leapt for joy, and at that moment Jesus made his precursor his prophet…There is no doubt that [Elizabeth] who was then filled with the Holy Spirit was filled on account of her son.  She was not the first to be granted the Holy Spirit.  No, only when John, enclosed in her womb, had received the Holy Spirit, only after his sanctification, was she filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Origen, Homilia VIII in Lucam)

On this blessed day in the hill country of Judea, Our Lady arrived at the house of Zechariah.  At her greeting to her cousin Elizabeth, Our Lord, hidden in her womb, poured the Holy Spirit through her words.  John the Baptist is filled with the Holy Spirit and dances with delight, filling his mother Elizabeth with the Holy Spirit such that she cries out, “Blessed are you among women….”

How I would have loved to sit in the midst of that exchange of Divine Fire, to bask in the love flowing from child to mother to cousin.  Imagine the conversations that must have passed between the blessed women during their three months together; they probably discussed the care of infants, proper swaddling techniques, the futures of their sons, the wondrous plan of the salvation through the coming Messiah, heaven.  It would have been so wonderful to share with them in the joy of growing life within the womb, to sing and laugh at the mercy of the Lord.  I wish I could have been their friends in the flesh; my faith is too little to fully appreciate their friendship in spirit.

Especially, now that I’m with child, I feel deeply connected to the Visitation.  I pray for the grace to be a daughter of Our Lady who brings the Christ Child to all she meets.  I pray for the grace to be a daughter of Elizabeth, who introduces my pre-born child to Christ through the Holy Spirit.  Dear mothers in faith, please pray for me.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum.