Luke 1:39-45 – Mary Visits Elizabeth

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Blessings flow in abundance through this passage: from the display of God’s love in the form of two unexpected babies, through to the Holy Spirit at work in the world. Elizabeth then blesses Mary by affirming Mary’s faith and anticipating the day when she will become the mother of our Lord. These are unique circumstances, yet the intangible blessings of this passage – faith and the power of the Holy Spirit – are there for each one of us. And they are gifts for us! They are given to us from God, and we are blessed with the ability and openness to receive them. It’s easy to take it for granted, but faith is a powerful blessing, especially in these uncertain times, and the Holy Spirit is an awe-inspiring gift, blessing our lives with its power and presence. Amen! We are blessed, living with God’s word.