During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
Mary hurriedly set out for the hill country where Elizabeth lived. Zechariah and Elizabeth were from priestly lineages (Luke 1:5–7) and some of the Levitical or priestly towns were located in the Judean hill country close to Jerusalem. It was important for priests with regular temple duties to live close to Jerusalem. When Mary entered Zechariah’s house, John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb signifying his recognition of Christ's presence, even before birth, fulfilling Gabriel’s prophecy that John would be "filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb" (Luke 1:15). John’s leaping signifies spiritual joy and the arrival of salvation in Christ.
Filled with divine inspiration, Elizabeth praised Mary and joyfully acknowledged the blessedness of the Lord in Mary’s womb. The phrase "blessed are you among women" draws on the language of the Old Testament (Judges 5:24; Judith 13:18), where heroines like Jael and Judith were praised for their roles in delivering Israel. Mary, too, is praised as the new heroine of salvation history, cooperating fully with God’s plan. The "fruit of your womb" encapsulates the mystery of the Incarnation and Mary’s unique role in salvation history. It affirms Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises to David (2 Sam. 7:12-13) and Abraham (Gen. 22:18). Furthermore, the phrase "fruit of your womb" prefigures the Eucharistic dimension of Christ’s life, as He later offers Himself as the "bread of life" (John 6:51), nourishing humanity through His body and blood.
Elizabeth, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, acknowledges Jesus’ divinity by calling him “my Lord.” This title recalls Psalm 110:1: "The Lord said to my Lord," a key Messianic text used throughout the New Testament to affirm Jesus as both Messiah and divine Son of God. Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled declaration foreshadows the Church’s recognition of Jesus’ lordship. Elizabeth also recognizes Mary's unique dignity as the Mother of the Redeemer. This title, later formally defined in the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) as Theotokos (Mother of God), underscores Mary’s critical role in bearing the divine Savior and mediating His presence to the world.
John the Baptist’s leaping for joy signifies the joy of all humanity at the arrival of the Savior and fulfills the messianic hope of salvation. Elizabeth then declares Mary "blessed" because of her belief in the angel Gabriel's message (Luke 1:26-38) and her trust in God which contrasts with Zechariah's initial doubt of Gabriel’s announcement regarding the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:18-20). Mary’s faith is an example of Jesus’ teaching, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it" (Luke 11:28). Mary’s faith also mirrors the faith of Abraham, who trusted in God’s promises even when they seemed impossible (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:20-22). Like Abraham, Mary demonstrates unwavering belief in God’s word, making her a model of discipleship for all believers.
Almighty God, we thank You for the example of Mary, whose faith and trust in Your promises brought the Savior into the world. Like Elizabeth and John the Baptist, may we rejoice in Christ's presence and recognize His work in our lives. Fill us with the Holy Spirit, that we may proclaim Your greatness and respond to Your call with humble obedience. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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