On May 31st, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. While the feast of Mary's visitation has been celebrated on other dates, the liturgical calendar revision authorized by Pope Paul VI placed it on May 31--after the Annunciation (March 25) and before the Birthday of St. John the Baptist (June 24). The feast of the Visitation recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady's greeting; Elizabeth's proclaiming of Mary—under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost—as Mother of God and "blessed among women"; Mary's singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat ("My soul doth magnify the Lord") which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church. The Visitation is frequently depicted in art and was the central mystery of St. Francis de Sales' devotions.
“At that time: Mary rising up, went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda; and she entered into the house of Zachariah, 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 Spirit; 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 Savior.” (Luke 1:39-47)
How lyrical that is, the opening sentence of St. Luke's description of the Visitation. We can feel the rush of warmth and kindness, the sudden urgency of love that sent Mary hurrying over the hills. "Those days" in which she rose on that impulse were the days in which Christ was being formed in her; the impulse was his impulse.
Many women, if they were expecting a child, would refuse to hurry over the hills on a visit of pure kindness. They would say they had a duty to themselves and to their unborn child which came before anything or anyone else.
The Mother of God considered no such thing. Elizabeth was going to have a child, too, and although Mary's own child was God, she could not forget Elizabeth's need—almost incredible to us, but characteristic of her.
She greeted her cousin Elizabeth, and at the sound of her voice, John quickened in his mother's womb and leapt for joy. “I have come, said Christ, that they may have life and may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Even before He was born His presence gave life.
From: Devout Instructions, Catholic Culture
