Besties, Cousin, and The Visitation

Label me what you want. I don’t remember insignificant details—like which town Elizabeth lived in or how many miles Mary had to take to travel there from Nazareth. I do remember the feeling I had of pure joy and familiarity in the place where the Visitation took place. I am purposely not researching it now so that you, the reader, can do more digging and find out about the Blessed Mother’s life.

Back to the feelings of joy, familiarity, and comfort…although it was eight years ago, I remember sitting on a hill listening to a meditation, but I was not listening at all. My eyes had wandered to the beautiful flowers surrounding the area, and I felt nostalgic for the comforts of home and the motherly figures I had in my life, including my own mother and spiritual mothers.

I guess that’s natural, since I was praying at the spot where my ultimate spiritual mother, Our Blessed Lady, celebrated the joy of motherhood with her cousin. To me, it is the most natural thing in the world for Mary to have gone to visit Elizabeth after finding out she was pregnant. If you know anything about girls, you know that we love to share news, especially life-changing news. Our own joy is not complete until we find another who can experience the moment with us—especially for some moment as big as expecting a baby! Right at this very moment, my mom is at her baby sister’s house decorating for my cousin’s baby shower.

Today, ironically, also happens to be my best friend and cousin’s second wedding anniversary. I’m so excited for her, you’d think I was the one married. I digress. The point is that there is something unique about the bond of cousins. My bestie cousin is one of my best friends and biggest fans. So I can relate to some extent to the words of Elizabeth, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Lk 1:42). You’d better believe that if I were in Elizabeth’s place and was visited by my cousin Mary, the Mother of God, I would hope to say the same words to revel in her joy and beatitude.

I also would hope to follow up my exaltation with a humble, “What are you doing here? I should be serving you! You are way too good to me! You are truly an example of a best friend.” Instead, Elizabeth says something much more succinct and eloquent: “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43).

I remember nothing about a church or building there on the site. I do remember a statue of Mary and Elizabeth, both pregnant, sharing in each other’s joy, not competing, just marveling in the wonders of the Lord. The Magnificat was translated in all kinds of different languages along the walls of the outer garden/courtyard (if my memory serves me correctly). I can imagine the beautiful, angelic voice of the Mother of God singing, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit exalts in God my savior” (Lk1: 46-47). She seems to be obediently echoing or voicing Zephaniah’s command in the first reading of today’s mass: “Be glad and exalt with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!” (Zep 3:14).

The prophet Zephaniah urges Israel to rejoice, Elizabeth gives Mary reason to rejoice, and Mary herself rejoices. What could possibly be missing? Is there anyone who is rejoicing but is missing from this picture? My heart expands, and I want to cry when I read the last words of the first reading: “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior…” (Zep 3:17). Of course! Our Blessed Lord, as Archbishop Sheen used to call him, is missing from the picture. The words of Zephaniah to the daughter Zion are exactly the words I picture the Holy Spirit whispering into Our Lady’s heart:

“He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love. He will sing
joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals” (Zep 3:17-18). The Holy Spirit,
the spouse of the Virgin Mary, would, of course, revel in her beauty, her humility,
and her simplicity.

The transforming part of meditating on these scripture passages happens for me when I take the place of Elizabeth (just as a cousin—the resemblance ends there). I share in Our Lady’s joy first and tell her how happy I am for her and how honored I am that she became my spiritual mother and that she reaches out to me in my life when I am most in need of help.

Then I put myself in Our Lady’s shoes (as a daughter favored by God with sanctifying grace—again, the resemblance ends there) and rejoice in God’s delight and love for me. I picture Our Blessed Lord telling me through scripture that “He will rejoice over ME with gladness, and renew ME in his love. He will sing joyfully because of me, as one sings at festivals” (Zep 3:17-18). I could try to be holy with the motivation of those lines alone. For the God of the universe to delight in me and love me not only now but in eternity—what wouldn’t I do on earth or suffer on earth for him to hear him say those words to me in Heaven?

Our Blessed Lady and St. Elizabeth, pray for me and these readers to get to Heaven and resemble your virtues of inner beauty, humility, and simplicity, so that we may one day hear the Holy Spirit whispering those words of love to us forever and ever. Amen.

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/053116.cfm