Simple Thoughts on the Rosary: Joyful Mysteries: The Visitation
I.—Whithersoever she entereth God will give a blessing.—Ecclus. iv.
And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she cried out with a loud voice, and said—Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary said—My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (Luke 1).
See the hilly road from Nazareth to Hebron. The house of Zachary and Elizabeth. Our Lady on her journey, and at the moment she greets Elizabeth. See the aged saint sinking on her knees before the Mother of her Lord. Hear the sweet tones of the Magnificat.
II.—Mary went with haste into the hill country.—Luke i.
Many reasons might have exempted Our Lady from this visit of charity. Many difficulties stood in the way. But faithful to every impulse of grace, she never took difficulties into account when there was question of accomplishing the Will of God. However uphill her journey through life—and it was uphill from Bethlehem to Calvary—she went forward with a simplicity and strength of purpose that never faltered. Do I go with haste into hilly country when duty or charity calls me thither?
God is never outdone in generosity. He rewards abundantly even here those who prefer His service to their own satisfaction, or rather, who make His Will their own. What consolations He had here for Mary and for those dear to her. If I try to forget myself for His sake, I shall find him going out of His way to prepare for me sweet surprises. Let me trust Him. Let me taste and see that the Lord is sweet.
What compensation for the fatigues of the journey must the Blessed Mother have found in the presence of her Son. If my road like hers lies uphill, why do I not find strength and comfort in Jesus, present with me always by sanctifying grace, and present Body and Blood and Soul and Divinity as often as I desire—as really present as He was with Mary!
Had I been in her company and so near to Christ, should I have found the road over rugged and tedious? How is it that my quarter-of-an-hour’s thanksgiving after Communion seems so long? O Mother of God, get me something of thy faith and thy love. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now.
If the saints have revealed Christ in the whole tenour of their lives, so as to be “other Christs,” how must He have shone forth in Mary, and worked through her means during her stay with Elizabeth. Oh that in virtue of my Communions He would live and work in me! That he would make me kind in my thoughts, in my words, in my looks, in my listening, in the tone of my voice, in my offers of help, in my visits, in my interpretations; that I could live by Him, speak by Him, work through Him, be in my little measure His instrument as Mary was! Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now.
III.—Her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness.—Wisd. viii.
Consider the conversation of the two holy cousins. How interesting, edifying, profitable, it was. Interesting, as dealing with the most momentous question of that age and of every age—the fulfilment of the promises of God, the coming of His Son upon the earth for the redemption of all nations. Edifying and profitable, because not occupied with trivialities—mere chit-chat, the retailing of news, the shortcomings of others—like so many conversations of even good people, but elevating and helpful, promoting directly or indirectly the glory of God.
It was not all on the lines of the Magnificat: there were tender greetings interchanged and words of affectionate solicitude. But with God so near, in what direction must their thoughts and their words have been ever tending? Where could their hearts be but with their treasure?
What is my conversation like? Presuming it to be harmless, is this its only merit? When the topics of the hour or of daily life are discussed after the ordinary fashion, do I ever strike a higher note, or by a word of sympathy or encouragement draw forth the riches hidden in the heart of another?
Mary’s heart was full, but it needed the loving congratulations of her cousin to unlock its treasures and give the Magnificat to the world.
I will ask our Lady to watch over and to bless my intercourse with others. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now.
IV.—In her is the spirit of understanding, holy, active, sweet.—Wisd. vii.
See our Lady on her journey to Hebron—leaving her poor home in Galilee, a despised province, whose people were uncouth and of ill-repute—and making her way to Judea, the home of all the culture Palestine possessed, where were the Temple and the seat of the schools of the learned. Zachary and Elizabeth, if not wealthy, were in easy circumstances, persons of consideration, not in their own little town only, but in the Holy City, when the Temple services took them thither. Mary, a poor girl from the country, advanced timidly, ignorant of God’s designs in this visit, thinking only of carrying out the inspiration He had given her.
Let us look at her in these last days of her girlhood, before the responsibilities and anxieties of motherhood have begun. Nothing that comes from the hand of God is so beautiful as the soul of a child. What must this child have been, whose face reflected the innocence of her soul and the beauty of her character, whose every word and movement by its charm and grace gave her an attractiveness unsurpassed till then, and only to be surpassed by the attractiveness of her Child who was God! To look on her would have made our hearts beat high.
(1) Notice how the immediate effect of God’s presence is to enkindle zeal for souls.
(2) The sanctification of the Precursor was attached by God to Mary’s salutation. To this end He inspired her to visit her cousin. How much depends on fidelity to the whisperings of grace!
(3) Fidelity brooks no delay. Mary went in haste.
(4) In haste, not in hurry. The God of peace entrusts His work to peaceful souls. “The Lord is not in a whirlwind” (3 Kings 19).
(5) Mary salutes Elizabeth. The higher in dignity is the readier with the graceful acts of courtesy that charity inspires. Do I stand upon my dignity overmuch, to the detriment of charity?
(6) What trivial acts God uses for His purposes! Mary’s affectionate greeting was the channel of grace to the Baptist!
(7) With the instinct of humility Mary hides her secret even from such a kindred spirit as Elizabeth’s.
(8) But finding that God had revealed it for the consolation of both, she refers all praise to Him with the instinct of love.
(9) In the Magnificat she pours forth her soul in the most glorious act of praise earth had ever heard.
(10) And then she descends to little, lowly, household duties—handmaid, not of the Lord only but of Elizabeth, servant of a servant of God. Am I in any degree like her?
Freely have you received, freely give.—Matt. x.
Hasten o’er the mountains, Unto Hebron be Bearer of the Blessing Gabriel brought to thee:
Sing thy song of gladness For a world restored, Mouthpiece of creation, Magnify the Lord!
V.—Charity is kind—I. Cor. xiii.
(1) Let us love one another, for charity is of God (1 John 4).
(2) Let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3).
(3) Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another. . . communicating to the necessities of the saints (Rom. 12).
(4) Rejoice with them that rejoice, weep with them that weep. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble (Rom. 12).
(5) Freely have you received, freely give (Matth. 10).
(6) According to thy ability be merciful. If thou have much give abundantly (Tobias 4).
(7) He gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbour (Ecclus 17).
(8) Every one shall help his neighbour, and shall say to his brother: Be of good courage (Isaias 41).
(9) Hast thou heard a word against thy neighbour, let it die within thee. And believe not every word. There is one that slippeth with the tongue, but not from the heart. For who is there that hath not offended with the tongue? (Ecclus. 19).
(10) God gave to Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart as the sand that is on the seashore (III. Kings 4).