Today is the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Mother, when we recall Our Lady’s generous and humble visit to her cousin Elizabeth. While there are so many mysteries wrapped up in this event, I want to focus today on the person of Elizabeth.
When we look at the unfolding of God’s plan in these stories–stories that are often quite familiar to us–we perhaps take for granted this mystery of the Incarnation: that God became man. The Jewish people had been waiting for a Messiah, a New Moses, for a King to reunite the tribes of Israel. They never dreamed that King would be God Himself.
And yet that is exactly what Gabriel had announced to Mary. The King had come. And that King was God.
In the Gospel today, we hear the story of Mary going to Elizabeth, and we hear Elizabeth professing this mystery immediately:
“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43)
The Holy Spirit has revealed something very specific to Elizabeth, and her two-fold profession is key.
Two-Fold Profession
First, Mary is mother of God. The word “Lord” has a few of important meanings. In the Old Testament, it is the title frequently used for the Davidic King. So Mary bears the Messiah. But it is also the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for the Hebrew name of God which should not be written. Until now in Luke’s Gospel, the title was used to refer to God (Luke 1:28). So when it’s used here, it’s still referring to God–the second person of the Trinity, Jesus.
Elizabeth also professes Mary to be a model for believers, perhaps set in juxtaposition by Luke with her husband Zechariah. “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45). Mary would be praised for this same characteristic by her own son during his public ministry: “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it” (Luke 11:28).
How does Elizabeth make this bold profession of faith? Because she is filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reveals this truth to her and she accepts it, proclaims it, rejoices in it. She is immediately responsive to the Holy Spirit.
A Priestly Shout
Luke tells us that Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and “exclaimed.” In Greek, the word for exclaimed, or cried out, is anaphonéo. This word appears nowhere else in New Testament. It appears five times in Old Testament (see 1 Chron 15:28, 2 Chron 5:13), and every time, it refers specifically to the joyful noise the priest makes because of the presence of the Ark of the Covenant.
Luke is showing that Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant. Mary is the new dwelling place of God with his people. And who does he depict as making this joyful priestly noise? Elizabeth, of the priestly house of Aaron, when her Lord comes to dwell with her for three months.
For most of us, the Holy Spirit is the most mysterious person of the Holy Trinity. But we see here a bit of prelude to Pentecost: a descent of the Spirit on Elizabeth and her infant John. Filled with the Spirit, they are able to prophesy — Elizabeth, right at this moment, and John when he embraces his mission as the new Elijah, the precursor to the Lamb of God.
Do not overlook at the power of the prophecy of Elizabeth. The prophet Joel foretold: “It shall come to pass, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and daughters will prophesy” (Joel 3:1). This would be fulfilled at Pentecost, but we see it here too. Elizabeth, in the line of the great prophets, announces this mystery of the incarnation: the Lord has come to dwell with his people.
Be Open
In this meeting between Elizabeth and Mary, the Old Covenant meets the New Covenant. The priesthood of Aaron meets the fulfillment of the priesthood. Israel meets the fulfillment of the promise of mercy. And the kingdom of God, animated by the Holy Spirit, is at hand.
May we too be open to the Holy Spirit — opening our hearts, living his gifts, so that His word bears fruit in our lives. May we have the zeal to joyfully proclaim he is near.
Image credit: The Visitation (detail) | Gerónimo Antonio de Ezquerra, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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