In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
     Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
     and holy is his name.
 His mercy is for those who fear him
     from generation to generation.
 He has shown strength with his arm;
     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
     and lifted up the lowly;
 he has filled the hungry with good things,
     and sent the rich away empty.
 He has helped his servant Israel,
     in remembrance of his mercy,
 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
     to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 

As I reflect on this passage and the beautiful relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, I am struck by the deep connection between the two. I am reminded of the importance of care that we need in our lives. Mary was certainly faced with a challenge. She needed to be cared for. She needed someone who understood her reality. We all need this in our lives. 

We are currently facing an epidemic in our culture…an epidemic of loneliness. Statistically, 30% of adults report experiencing some feeling of loneliness in their lives. As a society, we are less connected. Even the mother of Jesus needed companionship. When we spend time with others, we learn about ourselves and we deepen our understanding of others and gain a greater sense of empathy. In turn, we can reach out to others who may need companionship and serve those who God puts in our path. 

Let us take care of each other and strengthen our communities and our connections, especially those rooted in Christ. Amen. 

—Ed DeVenney is the Director of Campus Ministry at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his wife, Colleen are very proud of their two sons, Brendan and Daniel, who both work in Catholic education. Ed and Colleen live in northeast Ohio with their dog, Spencer. 

Lord, help me to recognize those around me who are in need of connection, so that I may be the hand that reaches out to build community. Amen.

—Jesuit Prayer team