Luke 1:39 Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
“For He has had regard for the humble state of His handmaiden;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
“And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
“He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
“He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
“He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
St Luke’s birth narratives are presented in five parts:
The announcement of St John’s birth 1:5-25
The announcement of Jesus’ birth 1:26-38
The Visitation 1:39-56
The birth of St John the Baptist 1:57-80
The birth of Jesus 2:1-21
God gives a sign … John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of Mary, the Ark of the Lord’s presence
God gives a sign … At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce her conception of the Christ Child. Mary responds to the angel’s annunciation with one of the most simple, staggeringly humble, wondrous statements of faith: Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word. … As profound and steadfast as Mary’s faith is, God sends her a sign to confirm His word: “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God” (v 36-37). The text tells us that Mary arose and made haste to visit Elizabeth to see this thing God has done. God gives a sign to confirm His word and to strengthen Mary’s faith, and Mary does not hesitate to seek it out. … God gives us signs to confirm His promises and to strengthen our faith. The great sign God gives is Jesus Christ, in whom all the promises of God’s goodness, mercy, grace, redemption and life are yes. In the Blessed Sacrament of Jesus’ Body and Blood we not only behold this great sign, we partake of it. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, we should make haste to seek it.
John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of Mary, the Ark of the Lord … Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth blesses Mary, blesses Jesus and blesses Mary’s faith:
Blessed are you among women
Blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.
Elizabeth is not the only one inspired by the Holy Spirit – John the Baptist, six months in Elizabeth’s womb, leaps for joy the moment the forerunner sensed his Master’s presence. According to St Luke it was Elizabeth who was excited and influenced by the baby in her womb … “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice … For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.”
St Luke 1:15 says of John the Baptist that “he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.” In his mother’s womb, John, filled with the Holy Spirit, leaped with joy and that Spirit then filled Elizabeth. As David leaped for joy before the Ark of the Lord (II Samuel 6:14) so John leaps for joy in his mother’s womb before the presence of Mary, the Ark of the Lord. David asked, “How is it that the Ark of the Lord comes to me? (2 Sam 6:9); Elizabeth asks,”how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” At the Presence of the Ark of the Lord, John leaps for joy!
It is important to note that the Holy Spirit filled an unborn child with joy at Jesus’ presence! John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. Faith is a gift given by God and it is wholly unwarranted to assume that the work of God’s Spirit can only be wrought in a mind sufficiently developed so as to understand propositional religious truth. We are especially mindful of this this coming Sunday when two newborn babies are brought to be baptized. In Holy Baptism it is Jesus’ faith given as gift to them, and even then the Holy Spirit begins His gracious saving work in their lives. As stated in the BCP:
O MERCIFUL God, grant that like as Christ died and rose again, so this Child may die to sin and rise to newness of life. Amen.
Grant that all sinful affections may die in him, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him. Amen.
Grant that he may have power and strength to have victory, and to triumph, against the devil, the world, and the flesh. Amen.
SEEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child is regenerate, and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits; and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this Child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.
Blessed are they who believe that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken by the Lord!
JSH+