In the traditional calendar of the Roman Rite, July 2 is the feast of the Visitation, upon which we mediate in the Second Mystery of the Rosary (May 31 in the reformed calendar). When the Archangel Gabriel came to Blessed Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, he told her that her cousin Elizabeth was six months pregnant with Christ’s forerunner, St John the Baptist. Mary then rushed to find her cousin.
At Mary’s approach, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, the pre-born John leapt, and she exclaimed: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.” Mary responded with her great prayer which we call the Magnificat, prayed each day at Vespers. The office for the feast was perhaps composed by an Englishman, Cardinal Adam Easton (d 1397), who may have been the spiritual director of Julian of Norwich. He also was involved in the condemnation of the heretic John Wycliffe.
Speaking of being “filled with the Holy Spirit”, perhaps you have heard of glosses on this phrase which compare the Blessed Virgin, John the Baptist and St Stephen, deacon and protomartyr. All were said to be filled with the Spirit, with the effect that Mary was prevented from ever having any stain of original sin, John was forgiven the guilt of original sin before his birth, which is the moment he leapt, and Stephen, forgiven original sin after his birth, was filled with the Spirit as he was being martyred (Acts 7).
Each of us must prepare to bear Christ and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In his Exposition of the Gospel of Luke (2:26) St Ambrose of Milan (d 397) said:
You see that Mary did not doubt, but believed and therefore obtained the fruit of faith. “Blessed … are you who have believed.” But you also are blessed who have heard and believed. For a soul that has believed has both conceived and bears the Word of God and declares His works. Let the soul of Mary be in each of you, so that it magnifies the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you, so that it rejoices in God. She is the one mother of Christ according to the flesh yet Christ is the Fruit of all according to faith. Every soul receives the Word of God, provided that, undefiled and unstained by vices, it guards its purity with inviolate modesty.
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