The Visitation of Our Lady

July 2

 

Luke Chapter 1, 39-56:

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.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
He hath showed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.

http://www.drbo.org/chapter/49001.htm

From a Sermon by St. John Chrysostom

As soon as our Redeemer was come among us, He went with haste, while He was as yet in His Mother's womb, to visit his friend John.  And John, in the one womb, as if conscious of the presence of Jesus in the other womb, dashed himself impatiently against the narrow walls of his natural prison, as though crying out:

I perceive the very Lord that gave nature her bounds! 

Why therefore should I wait for the due season of my birth? 

What need is there for me to linger here till nine months are ended, now that the Timeless One is with me! 

I would break out of my dark cell!  I would proclaim my manifold knowledge of marvellous things! 

I am meant to be a sign, and so even now I would show that the Christ is here! 

I am the trumpet-voice, and I desire to peal forth the news that the Son of God is come in the flesh.

Let me sound as a trumpet, and bless and loose my father's tongue, and make it speak again! 

Let me sound as a trumpet and quicken my mother's womb!

You see, O brethren beloved, how new and how strange a mystery is here! 

John is not yet born, but by leaping he speaks. 

He is as yet unseen, but he gives warning. 

He is not yet able to cry, but by his acts he bear witness. 

He draws not yet the breath of life, but he preaches God. 

He sees not yet the light, but he makes known the Sun. 

He is not yet come out of the womb, but he hastens to play the Forerunner. 

 In the presence of the Lord he cannot restrain himself, but rebels against the bounds set by nature, and struggles to break out of the prisoning womb, eager to herald the coming Saviour.  He says, as it were:

Behold, the Deliverer comes, and why am I yet in bonds, and made to abide here? 

The Word comes, that he may set right all things, and am I still to tarry in prison? 

I would go forth!  I would run before him, and proclaim to all mankind:

Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.

But do tell us, O John, how it came to pass that while you were still in the darkness of your mother's womb, you did see and hear?  How did you behold the things of God?  How did you leap and bound for joy? 

If we could hear him answer, he would say:

Great is the mystery of that which here takes place. 

Beyond the understanding of men are these doings! 

It is meet that I should show forth a new thing in nature for the sake of him who is making new things which are beyond nature. 

Even though I be yet in the womb, I perceive, for forth upon me the Sun of Righteousness shines from another womb. 

As it were, with my ears I understand, for I was created to be the Voice of the Great Word. 

I would cry aloud, for I contemplate the only-begotten Son of the Father clothed in flesh. 

I tremble for joy, for I perceive that He, by whom all things were made, has taken upon him the form of a servant. 

I leap as I think of the Redeemer of the world being made flesh, for I would run before his coming.  Nonetheless, I herald His approach unto you as best I can, and make on this way my confession of him whose Forerunner I am.

http://www.breviary.net/propsaints/propsaints07/propsaints0702.htm

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