It is one of the most joyful scenes in the Bible. Two pregnant women meet. One is old (Elizabeth). One is young (Mary). Both are carrying miracle babies. And when they hug, the history of the world changes.
The Visitation (celebrated May 31) is the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. But it is more than just a nice family reunion. It is a theological earthquake. It is the moment where the Old Testament (represented by Elizabeth and John the Baptist) meets the New Testament (Mary and Jesus). And John does a backflip.
Here is the deep meaning of what happened in the hill country of Judea.
1. The Journey of Charity
Mary had just found out she was the Mother of God (The Annunciation). Most of us would have sat down and demanded a foot rub. "I am carrying the Messiah! Bring me pickles!" Not Mary. The Angel Gabriel told her that her cousin Elizabeth was also pregnant in her old age. What does Mary do? "Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste" (Luke 1:39).
She didn't think of herself. She thought of Elizabeth. She walked ~90 miles (from Nazareth to Ein Karem). In the first trimester. On a donkey (probably). Through bandit country. Lesson: The first instinct of a Christian who has received Jesus is to serve. If you have Jesus in you, you must bring Him to others.
2. The New Ark of the Covenant
When Mary arrives, something strange happens. Elizabeth is "filled with the Holy Spirit" and shouts:
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?" (Luke 1:42-43).
Does this sound familiar? In the Old Testament (2 Samuel 6), King David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. He dances before it and shouts: "How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?" Luke is making a point: Mary is the New Ark.
- The Old Ark carried the stone tablets (Word of God in stone).
- The New Ark (Mary) carries Jesus (Word of God in flesh).
- The Old Ark carried Manna (bread from heaven).
- The New Ark carries the Eucharist (True Bread).
3. The First "Hail Mary"
Elizabeth is the first person to pray the Hail Mary (after the Angel).
- Gabriel: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee."
- Elizabeth: "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb."
- Church: "Holy Mary, Mother of God..." (Added later).
When you pray the Rosary, you are repeating the Spirit-inspired words of Elizabeth. You are joining the party.
4. The Leap of John
Elizabeth says: "As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy." This is John the Baptist. He is the last prophet of the Old Testament. Even in the womb, he recognizes the Messiah. He is sanctified (cleansed of Original Sin) in this moment. Tradition says John was born without Original Sin because of this encounter (though he was conceived with it).
Pro-Life Point: Notice Scripture calls him a "baby" (Greek: brephos). He feels joy. He recognizes God. Life begins in the womb. God is already at work there.
5. The Magnificat: Mary's Song
Mary responds with the most famous hymn in history: The Magnificat.
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
It is a revolutionary song. She prophecies: "All generations will call me blessed." (Are you fulfilling that prophecy?). She speaks of God casting down the mighty and lifting up the lowly. It is the anthem of the humble. Mary knows she is nothing ("lowliness of his handmaid"), yet God has done "great things" for her. True humility isn't hiding your gifts; it's giving God the credit for them.
Conclusion: Bring Him to Others
The Visitation teaches us the "Model of Evangelization." Mary didn't preach a sermon to Elizabeth. She just brought Jesus into the room. She served. She loved. And Jesus did the rest.
We are called to do the same. Carry Jesus in your heart (through the Eucharist). Walk "in haste" to your neighbor. Be an Ark.
Pray the Magnificat every evening in Evening Prayer (Vespers) with the MyPrayerTower app.