Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Lectionary: 572

“Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

 T here may be unintended irony in the naming of this feast. The word visitation appears only eight times in the New American Bible: six in the Old Testament, and twice in the New. Invariably, the word means God's visit to his people in this world; a visit rich with hope for God's people, but fraught with judgment and doom for many. 

The Book of Wisdom speaks of that joyful day: 

3:7 In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;

3:13 -- Yes, blessed is she who, childless and undefiled, knew not transgression of the marriage bed; she shall bear fruit at the visitation of souls.

Sirach's references are also hopeful: 

16:16 Behold, the heavens, the heaven of heavens, the earth and the abyss tremble at his visitation;

and 18:19 Before you are judged, seek merit for yourself, and at the time of visitation you will have a ransom.

1 Peter 2:12 is hopeful: 

Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles, so that if they speak of you as evildoers, they may observe your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation.

But there are frightening references to the Day of God's judgment: 

Wisdom 14:11 Therefore upon even the idols of the nations shall a visitation come, since they have become abominable amid God's works, snares for the souls of men and a trap for the feet of the senseless.

Sirach 2:14  Woe to you who have lost hope! what will you do at the visitation of the LORD! 

and finally, perhaps the most frightening of all:

Luke 19:44 They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."

Older Catholics must think of the frightful song from our Latin tradition, "Dies irae, dies illa." It is nineteen verses of gloom and doom, beginning with: 

Day of wrath and doom impending!

David's word with Sibyl's blending,

Heaven and earth in ashes ending!

Given those biblical and liturgical references, it is pleasant to remember the Visitation of Mary in the first chapter of Saint Luke's Gospel. There is no shadow of sadness or fear as the two expectant women share their astonishing good news. Nor is there the least anxiety in their pregnancies for God has promised happy, healthy boys to both of them.

One will

...go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

to give his people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God

And the other will be 

"...great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But we should notice this "Visitation" includes both Mary and Jesus. She comes to visit Elizabeth, to share the Good News, while the God yet-to-be-born rests in her Womb. He visits to bring redemption to his people, and to set them free! 

Those who know the story rejoice before the Visitation of the Lamb of God. On that day he will "receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing." (Revelation 5:12-13)