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My husband and I named our stunning third little one Elizabeth. I used to be requested many occasions if we had named her after St Elizabeth of Hungary or Portugal and there would normally be shock after I replied St Elizabeth of the Visitation, maybe a generally missed Saint. It was throughout my being pregnant that I felt notably moved by the story of the Visitation. When my husband was on out on night time obligation I’d pray the Rosary alone; I’d learn the passage from Luke’s Gospel over and over and ship it to my mates, it spoke to me loudly in so some ways.
Mary is the brand new Ark of the Covenant. She was on the primary Eucharistic Procession carrying Christ to her cousin St Elizabeth. The story is an ideal mannequin for everybody in the present day: how we should always carry Jesus to others like Mary did and in addition how we ought to be overcome with pleasure as we welcome Jesus into out properties as Elizabeth did.
There usually are not many accounts within the Bible of Mary’s being pregnant aside from the Visitation and the Nativity. Mary was pregnant for an entire 9 months; she walked, talked, cleaned, ate and slept whereas carrying Jesus. She made an extended journey to go to Elizabeth and once more to offer beginning in Bethlehem, carrying Jesus.
“In these days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill nation, to a metropolis of Judah, and entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Luke 1:39-41
Mary would have understood Elizabeth’s sorrow in lots of childless years, she visited her cousin to share the enjoyment of being pregnant collectively. Women are naturally drawn to the corporate of different girls however much more so when pregnant. Each week of being pregnant brings many adjustments for mom and child to share that point collectively is really stunning.
This passage jogs my memory of all my fantastic Mum mates; mates who’ve introduced round meals after a brand new child, prayed and chatted with me or like angels visited utterly unexpectedly when I’m having a tough day.
“And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her previous age has additionally conceived a son; and that is the sixth month together with her who was known as barren. For with God nothing will likely be unimaginable” Luke1:36-38
Mary was chosen by God to hold Jesus as Elizabeth was chosen by God to hold John the Baptist, she was even past the age of getting kids. When Mary visited Elizabeth she was six months pregnant, her child would have been kicking regularly. I don’t take pleasure in being pregnant however these final three months are at all times pretty. The previous couple of months are full of ready and getting ready for the newborn, imagining life after child is born. Most of the illness is normally gone instead of a pleasant waddle (maybe a glow). Fit is at all times a lovely privilege to be pregnant, to hold and love a child. When I used to be pregnant with my first I used to be working as a nurse on an aged care ward. So many occasions there could be an emergency on the ward or a affected person had handed away and in the course of all that stress I’d really feel the newborn transferring round. It was in these moments that I actually felt like a mom and I felt extremely near God.
“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was full of the Holy Spirit and she or he exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you amongst girls, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is that this granted me, that the mom of my Lord ought to come to me? For behold when the voice of your greeting got here to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for pleasure. And blessed is she who believed that there could be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:41-46
Elizabeth’s child didn’t simply transfer round within the womb like I’ve felt my infants Elizabeth’s child leaped within the womb, like King David “danced earlier than the Lord with all his may” (2Samuel 6:14) Saint Elizabeth was overcome with pleasure for the Lord and so was her child.
St Elizabeth reveals us a lovely pleasure in her being pregnant, and in Our Lady’s being pregnant.
She reveals us the way to reply when assembly Our Lord in our properties and within the folks we meet.
St Elizabeth reveals us the way to obtain Christ joyfully in our hearts after we go to church and obtain our Lord within the Eucharist.
Image: The Visitation, Philippe de Champaigne, Public area, by way of Wikimedia Commons
