Sometimes we give in these encounters, and sometimes we receive. We all live and thrive in relation to others. Ultimately, the Visitation reminds us that no one is an island. Pope John Paul II acknowledged this in a 1997 homily when he reflected on the Visitation and said, “In this act of human solidarity, Mary demonstrated that authentic charity which grows within us when Christ is present.” Remember, too, that Mary is carrying Christ inside her, which gives another layer of meaning to her decision to offer support to her cousin. Sometimes, our physical presence is the best gift we can give another person.
Mary’s trip also demonstrates the call of community. Mary must have been bursting to talk to a woman who could personally understand her excitement, her wonder, and probably her nervousness, too. She’s also learned that her cousin Elizabeth, believed to be too old to conceive, is expecting as well. Why does she do it? Well, think about what has just happened: She’s been told that she is pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. For Mary, the trip would have been especially grueling: She traveled to a town 80 miles away, likely on a donkey, without the comfort of paved roads, air conditioning, or shock absorbers. Mary left in late September, just before the early rains began, to go to Bethlehem to live with Joseph’s folks, even though it meant leaving before Elizabeth went into labor and had her baby.Q: Why does Mary visit her cousin Elizabeth? It doesn’t make sense to me for a pregnant woman to take such a long journey.Īny woman who has traveled while pregnant can tell you that it isn’t fun. This is just what had happened to Hannah when she found herself pregnant with Samuel. Elizabeth and Mary could not help but express the awe that each felt when they considered that both of them, just regular folk, had been chosen to be part of God’s plan and not the rich, the religious leaders, or the royal family. After she recovered from the shock, the Bible tells us that Mary hurried to the home of a relative, Elizabeth, to tell her the news.
#Mary visits elizabeth full#
He recognized the Holy Spirit in you.’Įlizabeth, after hearing the full explanation, was amazed by Mary’s willingness to agree to carry this baby and concluded by stating how much she admired Mary for agreeing to do the Lord’s will. ‘Now I understand why John, the name we will give our son, kicked when he heard your voice. Elizabeth explained what had happened to Zecharias (he was literate and could write). Then Mary asked Elizabeth about her pregnancy. Mary gave Elizabeth a full explanation of the angel’s appearance, Joseph’s dream and her pregnancy. Joseph left Mary at ain Karim and traveled back to Bethlehem.ĭuring their time together, there can be little doubt that Elizabeth asked Mary why she was visiting. Her gasp gave the two women the subject to begin a long talk. At the sound of Mary’s voice, Elizabeth’s six-month-old fetus kicked hard, taking Elizabeth’s breath away. When Mary entered the house of Zecharias and Elizabeth, she greeted Elizabeth, saying “Shalom (peace)”. They would travel past Jerusalem to get to the home of Zecharias and Elizabeth, who lived southwest of Jerusalem, about four miles, in a village called ain Karim, which means “spring in the vineyard”. They would join a traveling group in Capernaum, 23 miles east of Nazareth, beside the Sea of Galilee, then make the 100-mile Jordan Valley route from Capernaum to Jerusalem in five or six days, while avoiding Samaria. Packing quickly for their “honeymoon”, Joseph arranged for the transportation south.
Mary could also confirm the angel’s message that Elizabeth was pregnant and check on Elizabeth’s health, if she was.Īnd finally Mary would have the companionship of someone who was also being moved by the Holy Spirit. Joseph did not want to be accused of having had sex with her before they were married. It would minimize the “talk” that was bound to happen in the small village when the timing of the conception was established. Mary’s visit would serve several purposes. In mid-July of 6 BC, Mary was leaving Nazareth and traveling south to visit her relative Elizabeth in the hill country of Judah and then to stay with Joseph’s parents for the remainder of the pregnancy and delivery.
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