THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MART.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 26, 27 June 1901, Page 7

THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MART.

The angel Gabriel, in the mystery of the Annunciation, informed the Mother of God that her cousin Elizabeth had miraoulounly conceived. The Blessed Virgin, out of humility, conoealed the favor she had received and the wonderful dignity to which she was raised by the Incarnation of the Son of God in her womb ; bat in the transport of her holy joy and gratitude, she would go to congratulate the mother of the Baptist ; with whioh resolution the Holy Ghost inspired her for His great designs in favor of her Son's precursor not yet born. Mary therefore arose, saith St. Luke, and with haste went into a hilly country into the city of Juda, and entering into the house of Zachary saluted Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost ; and by His infused light she understood the great mystery of the Incarnation whioh God had wrought in Mary, whom humility prevented from disclosing it even to a saint, and an intimate friend. In raptures of astonishment, Elizabeth pronounoed her blessed above all other women, she being made by God the instrument of His blessing to the world, and of removing the malediction which through Eve had been entailed on mankind. Elizabeth then turning her eyes upon herself, cried out : ' Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me ?' The Baptist, her Bon, used the like exclamation to express his confusion and humility when Christ came to be baptised by his hands. Elizabeth styles Mary Mother of her Lord, that is Mother of God ; and she foretells that all things would befall her and her Son which had been by the prophets spoken.

Mary hearing her own praise, sank the lower in the abyss of her nothingness, and converting all good gifts to the glory of God, who->e gratuitous mercy had bestowed them, in the transport of her humility, burst into that admirable canticle called the Magnificat. It is the first recorded in the New Testament, and both in the noble sentiments which compose it, and in the majesty of the style, surpasses all those of the ancient prophets. In it she glorifies God with all the powers of her boul for His boundless mercies, and gives to Him alone all the glory. Though all nations will call her blessed, ehe declares that nothing is her due but abjection, and that this mystery is the effect of the pure power and meroy of God ; and that He Who had dethroned tyrants, fed the hungry in the wilderness, and wrought so many wonders in the favor of His people, had now vouchsafed Himself to visit them to die fur them, and to fulfil all things which He bad promised by His prophets from the beginning. Mary stayed with her oouuin almost three months, after which she returned to Nazareth.