THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, July 2nd

Collect

WE beseech thee, O Lord, pour into our hearts the abundance of thy heavenly grace : that like as the child-bearing of the Blessed Virgin Mary was unto thy servants the beginning of salvation, so the devout observance of her Visitation may avail for the increasing of our peace. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, who livest and reignest with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Hymn. Mundi salus affutura.

PORTAL of the world's salvation,
Mary, Mother high in fame,
Maiden, meek of men and gesture,
Fair in form, and void of blame,
She, o'er the mountain-ways of Judah,
With her heavenly Burthen came.

Goeth thus the fervent Maiden,
To that home the hills among;
There her joyful news disclosing,
Looseth she her silent tongue,
In holy birth rejoicing;
Chanteth she her rapturous song.

Virgin sweet, she ever gloweth
With the fire of charity,
Kinship's pure embrace returning
By a gentle ministry,
Waiting for the Birth mysterious
In her gladness patiently.

Blessed was that priestly dwelling,
Honoured by so great a Guest;
Blessed she whose love abounding
Bade her cousin share her rest;
But of Jesus, John surpassing,
Be the higher grade confessed.

Praise and glory to the Father,
Reigning in his might above;
Praise and glory to the Saviour,
For his condescending love;
Praise and glory to the Spirit,
By whose breath we live and move. Amen.

A Homily by St. Ambrose the Bishop (Lib. 2 Comment. in Luc. cap. 1)

WE must here consider that the greater cometh unto the lesser, in order to help the lesser ; Mary unto Elisabeth, Christ unto John. And again afterwards, that he might sanctify John's baptisms, the Lord came unto him to be baptized. And quickly were these blessings of Mary's coming, and of the divine presence, made manifest. Have regard here to the distinction made, and to the special weight of every word. Elisabeth was the first to hear the voice of Mary's salutation, but John was the first to receive the grace. She heard it by natural means, but he leapt by reason of the mystery. She hailed the coming of Mary, he that of the Lord. Mary and Elisabeth spake words full of grace, but Jesus and John worked unseen within, and did enter upon this mystery of godliness as their mothers met one another. And so by twin miracles the mothers prophesied from the spirit of their unborn offspring. The babe John leaped, and the mother was filled with the Holy Ghost. The mother was not filled before her son, but when the son was filled with the Holy Ghost, he filled his mother also.

AND whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me? That is to say, how cometh it to pass that so great a good should befall me, as that the Mother of my Lord should come unto me? I feel the wonder, I acknowledge the mystery ; the Mother of my Lord, pregnant with the Word, is full of God. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. It is meet to record how Mary shewed this kindness, and abode this mystic number of months.

SHE tarried long, not only for friendship's sake, but also for the good of the great Prophet. For if the first coming of Mary so blessed him, that even as a babe in the womb he leapt for joy, and his mother was filled with the Holy Ghost, what blessedness must we not deem to have flowered upon him from so long neighbourhood of Mary? Thus was the Prophet anointed, and trained by exercize like a strong wrestler, in his mother's womb, for his sinews are being braced for a hard battle.

From the Anglican Breviary