"Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, 'You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my LORD comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the LORD's word would come true!'
And Mary said,'My soul proclaims the greatness of the LORD,my spirit exults in GOD, my savior! HE has looked upon HIS servant, in her lowliness, and people, forever, will call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me, Holy is HIS Name! From age to age, HIS mercy extends to those who live in HIS presence.
HE has acted with power and done wonders, and scattered the proud with their plans. HE has put down the mighty from their thrones, and lifted up those who are downtrodden. HE has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
HE held out HIS hand to Israel, HIS servant, for HE remembered HIS mercy, even as HE promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.'
Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home." - Luke 1:39-56
(The angel's message has not left Mary alone with her problems. The angel spoke of her elderly cousin, Elizabeth. With her Mary will share her joy and her secret. Mary, quite young [was she more than fifteen?], will learn from her many things that Joseph could not tell her. What had been foretold to Zechariah will now be fulfilled: "Your son will be filled with the Holy Spirit while in the womb of his mother."
What is most important in history is not what is spectacular. The Gospel prefers to draw our attention to life-filled events.
A few years later, Jewish crowds would go to John the Baptist looking for the word of GOD. No one would wonder how he received the Spirit of GOD, and no one would know that a humble girl, Mary, put GOD's plan in motion on that Visitation Day.
Blessed are you who believed! What is important is not that Mary is the mother of JESUS in the flesh, and this, JESUS will repeat [11:27].
Mary, who has become the Temple of GOD, communicates the Spirit--the Spirit of JESUS.
About Mary's canticle. Mary, so unobtrusive in the Gospel, having no part in JESUS' ministry, is the one who proclaims the historical revolution begun with the coming of the Savior.
She proclaims: - the mercy of GOD who always keeps HIS promises, - the change that is to take place in the human condition.
The song of Mary also expresses the deepest feeling of the Christian soul. There is a time for us to seek truth, to discover what our major duties are and to become truly and essentially human. There is a time for asking from and serving GOD. In the long run, we come to understand that divine love seeks out what is poorer and weaker to fill it and make it great. Then our only prayer becomes thanksgiving to GOD for HIS understanding and merciful designs.)
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