Lk 1:39-56
39During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;/ 47my spirit rejoices in God my savior./ 48For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;/ behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed./ 49The Mighty One has done great things for me,/ and holy is his name./ 50His mercy is from age to age/ to those who fear him./ 51He has shown might with his arm,/ dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart./ 52He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones/ but lifted up the lowly./ 53The hungry he has filled with good things;/ the rich he has sent away empty./ 54He has helped Israel his servant,/ remembering his mercy,/ 55according to his promise to our fathers,/ to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”/ 56Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
HILL COUNTRY: About 71/2 kilometers west of Jerusalem is the hilly town of Ein Karem, which tradition points to as the “hill country” of the Gospel reading. It is the locus of two events in Luke’s infancy narratives: the visitation (Lk 1:39-56) and the birth of John the Baptist (Lk 1:57-64).
Ein Karem is now marked by the Sanctuary of the Visitation, a kind of “retreat house” belonging to Zechariah and Elizabeth, where the latter goes into seclusion for five months after she conceived, and where Mary finds and greets her. One very interesting feature of the sanctuary is the series of panels featuring the Magnificat, Mary’s song, translated into the major languages of the world.
Mary’s journey is pictured by Luke not simply as a visit, but a visit that reflects the joy God brought at the moment when the Ark of the Covenant was transferred from Baalah to Jerusalem (2 Sm 6:16). With Mary’s cooperation, God renews his covenant. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant bringing the Divine Presence, who is Jesus, to all.