The Visitation
From "Mysteries of the Rosary" by Msgr. Edward I. Hession
“Now in those days, Mary arose and went with hast into the hill country, to a town of Juda. And she entered the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.” Lk. 1:39
As Mary joins the caravan,
Enroute to cities to the south,
An Angel escort guides her step
And guards her from ungodly eyes,
As Cherubim and Seraphim
Sing praises to their Lord and God.
ANGEL CHOIR:
“Rejoice ye, house of Zachary,
And open wide your door;
The king of Glory enters in;
Salute Him and adore.
“Within His purest Mother’s womb
He comes to sanctify
The Baptist, son of Elizabeth
With graces from on high.
“Prepare ye for His Mother fair,
The Mother of all grace;
She is the Queen of Heaven’s throne,
Give her a royal place.
“This maid along of womankind
Preserves virginity
And at the same time bears a Son
In true maternity.
“Rejoice ye, house of Zachary,
In hymns raise high your voice;
The King of Glory enters in,
Be glad - rejoice, rejoice.”
* * *
As Mary nears the journey’s end,
She leaves the dusty caravan
With which she’s traveled these past days.
And walking o’er the last green hill,
She sees the house of Zachary,
Elizabeth’s within the yard.
And with a joyful word of love,
She greets the holy woman there.
Elizabeth perceives the maid,
Her salutation ringing clear.
And as she hears the virgin’s words,
The infant leaps within her womb.
Lo, even now, before his birth,
The Baptist John is sanctified:
His mother is replenished with
The graces of the Holy Ghost.
The prophet points out, yet unborn,
The unborn Savior of the world!
The holy woman cries aloud,
“And whence is this to me that thou,
The Mother of my Lord, should come
To one so lowly - e’en to me?”
The Virgin-Mother, praising God,
Breaks forth with her Magnificat:
“My soul does magnify the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior
Because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations
Shall call me blessed.
Because He who is mighty
Has done great things for me,
And holy is his name.
For from generation to generation in His mercy,
To those who fear Him.
He has shown might with his arm,
He has scattered the proud
In the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
And the rich he has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant,
Mindful of his mercy-
Even as he spoke to our fathers-
To Abraham and to his posterity forever.
* * *
For three short months the Virgin pure
Abides within Judea’s hills
And helps her cousin Elizabeth,
How swiftly pass those happy months
Which seem to them so many days.
How holy are the hours spent
With Jesus Christ within their midst.
* * *
But soon, too soon, the time has come,
And Mary parts the company
Of Zachary and Elizabeth.
And with the last embrace of love
The Virgin bids a fond farewell,
And then returns to Nazareth.
Reprinted for Council 13307 with the permission of Abbey Press, Inc.