May 31 | The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is closely connected with the mystery of the Incarnation. It is recorded in the Gospel of Luke when Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant with John the Baptist.

In this event, the unborn John recognizes Jesus, who has just been conceived and, ever the herald, John leaps in his mother’s womb to announce the Savior’s arrival. It is the joy of an unborn child that first announces the good news to another person. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary, who immediately proclaims the greatness of God, the giver of every good gift. 

Evidence for the celebration of the feast of the Visitation dates back to sometime in the 13th or the 14th century. It seems to have been most likely established by the Franciscans in 1263 at the advice of St. Bonaventure.

The passage in Luke holds part of the Hail Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” and the Magnificat, which has been treasured by the Church as the prayer of the mother of God, and is prayed daily in the Liturgy of the hours.

“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “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? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” 

- Luke 1:39-47