Go About Your Business – The Visitation
This is part two of a short series on the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary as a guide for discernment. The introduction and “index” are here. The previous mystery, The Annunciation, is here. The next mystery, the Nativity of Jesus, is here.
The Visitation
Cory Eisbacher’s Jump for Joy
Mary (now pregnant) heads up to the hill country to see her kinswoman, Elizabeth, who is both old and pregnant. Elizabeth recognizes there is something special about Mary and the child she’s carrying. Elizabeth calls her “blessed” for believing what the Lord told her.
This second stage, is perhaps summarized as – go about your business, and prepare yourself, but don’t focus on yourself.
Sometimes, the call of God is an immediate call to action. Many times, however, we receive some insight or calling, then need to ponder it while we prepare ourselves, or while we await God’s timing. In the case of Mary’s visit to her kinswoman Elizabeth, it says Mary got up in haste, and went to visit her in the hill country. She didn’t loiter about, go tell everyone about her amazing experience, or otherwise delay. Instead, she did the same thing she always does when a need is brought to her attention – she went to help.
There can be a temptation, I think, when we are in the process of discernment, to obsess a bit. “Did that really happen?” “What exactly did God mean?” “When, exactly, will I conceive?” “How will I know it happened?” “Did it already happen?” “Am I crazy?” “What about X, Y, and Z?” “How will I… ” While we certainly want to ponder those things that need pondering, we don’t want to make an idol of the message or the experience of receiving the message. Mary offers an excellent example – she hid these things in her heart, pondered them, and went about serving others.
Mary also received the gift of a consolation from St John, 6 months in utero, via St Elizabeth. Mary arrives, and greets Elizabeth, and barely begins her greeting before St John leaps within Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and inspired to bless God, and proclaim Mary most blessed among women. The language suggests that “as soon as” Mary’s voice sounded in Elizabeth’s ears, her son leapt, and she knew why. It doesn’t suggest this understanding came as a result of a protracted middle eastern greeting ritual, but rather by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
A note on Saint Elizabeth. I really admire Saint Elizabeth in this situation. Here she is, living through a miracle, 2/3 of the way through carrying a son promised to be “great,” and the beneficiary of a notable (and perhaps unique in its time?) miracle. She is not jealous that a greater miracle has occurred. She is not ready to tell Mary all about it, since she’s older, and 6 months pregnant, and all, or to compare stories. She humbly celebrates the arrival of the mother of her Lord, and celebrates Mary’s faith.
Often, I think, the best response to a possible call is to go about our business, making an extra effort to focus on others, and not on ourselves, but daring to hope God will give some consolation to affirm our discernment. God is often kind to provide consolations to strengthen our faith while we seek understanding. Perhaps there are things we can do to become better prepared for this calling – do them!
