Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)
1:39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
1:40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
1:42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
1:43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
1:44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.
1:45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
1:46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
1:47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
1:48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
1:49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
1:50 His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
1:51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
1:52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
1:53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
1:55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
Image: Fra Angelico's The Visitation, 1432 (tempera on panel). For those unfamiliar with these terms, "the visitation" refers to Mary's visiting her cousin Elizabeth following the annunciation (see section from Luke Ch 1, on continuation page below). Only Luke presents the speculation, or myth, of Christ's cousin relationship to John the Baptist.
26Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"
29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name Jesus.
32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.
34Mary said to the angel, How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?
35The angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37For everything spoken by God is possible.
38Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word. The angel departed from her.
