The Visitation of Mary - July 2 Traditional Calendar

Greetings in Jesus and Mary...

Today is the traditional feast day of the Visitation of Mary. One of the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary. This mystery is about Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth after she received Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and was told that her cousin is also pregnant. We know from tradition that Elizabeth was up in age and this alone was a miracle. Mary left in haste to go help her cousin and at our Blessed Mother's presence before Elizabeth, the baby inside Elizabeth’s womb leaped upon hearing Mary’s voice, the movement was no ordinary move. From the moment John the Baptist was conceived, the angel already told Zechariah (Elizabeth’s husband) that the Holy Spirit would fill his son even from his mother’s womb.
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“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” (Luke 1:15)

This is the significance of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. John’s movement inside his mother’s womb signifies that he recognized the divine presence of the Son of God. It confirms what the angel has told Mary – that the baby in her womb is the Savior promised in the old scriptures. John leapt out of joy because, at that moment, God’s divine grace filled him and he was cleansed from the stain of original sin.

When Elizabeth told her cousin that she is the most blessed among women, that’s because she knew Mary was chosen for a special purpose. She is to be the Mother of God – the woman who will make salvation possible. Without her fiat, God’s plans wouldn’t come to fruition. And by accepting God’s will, she has become a Mediatrix between God and men.

In the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, one of the invocations is the ark of the covenant. In the bible, the ark of the covenant is a symbol of faith and God’s presence. Just like the ark, Mary is a reminder of God’s presence. Her complete surrender to God’s will makes her a model of faith among Christians. And just as David danced around the Ark of the Covenant in the Second Book of Samuel, John leapt at the sound of her voice because he knew that God’s promise was finally fulfilled.
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This story not only should bring hope and trust during these trying times in history but they also prove that the baby in the womb is a REAL PERSON. This too is a reason to celebrate of the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

May we continue to pray for an end to abortion in this land and in the world. May we ask the intercession of our Blessed Mother, St. Elizabeth and all the saints before us to intercede for us.

Most Holy Trinity, bless the world with knowledge and grace of the sanctity of life!