Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'
                                                                                                    (Luke 1:39-45)

Reflection

An encounter between - at first sight - two ordinary women. Yet the words of Elizabeth's greeting  have echoed and echoed through time and space to our own day. They have been prayed by prisoners clutching rough prayer rosaries; chanted by pilgrims in a multiplicity of languages at shrines throughout the world; recited as part of the farewell to a one who has died. Elizabeth acknowledges the unique blessing of Mary - and hints at the blessing God offers to all who believe that God's promise to them will be fulfilled. 

Write down - or copy and paste - a verse - a phrase - or a hope based on your reflection to refer to during the day. What does it promise you as the festival of Christmas and the commemoration of the Incarnation approach?

Prayer

"Blessed art thou among women - and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!"
Blessed is she/ he who believes that the promise made her/ him by the Lord will be fulfilled.

Today, it would be appropriate to pray the Magnificat in honour of this meeting of two holy women for whom the Almighty had done great things... the Lord whose promises are fulfilled in human history.