A Meditation on the Visitation
When does life begin?
The Church teaches that life begins from the very first moment of conception. Scripture, most particularly the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, Verses 39 to 45, supports this teaching.
“Thereupon Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: “Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy. Blest is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.” (New American Bible)
This passage immediately follows the announcement by the angel to Mary that she was to bear a son. Mary did not delay after that announcement, traveling to see Elizabeth, and, although her precise time schedule was not given, it has been estimated that her journey to her cousin’s took about one week, involving a distance of about seventy miles.
The words of Mary’s greeting to Elizabeth are not recorded, but the response to it is significant. There is action. The baby “leapt” in Elizabeth’s womb. The baby is alive; it has movement. It is called “baby”; not “unborn baby,” not “fetus,” just “baby.” The baby performs an independent action and has its own response. There is a complementarity between Elizabeth’s contemplative stance, that of “hearing,” and the baby’s active response, that of “leaping.”
The person of Elizabeth receives another gift at this point. She is filled with the Holy Spirit. Filled implies completely. She is not merely touched, or inspired by, or given a charism from the Holy Spirit, but filled. It is as if she is inundated by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. The Holy Spirit is Truth. There can be no error. Whatever now proceeds from Elizabeth is definitely proceeding from God.
Elizabeth cries out in a loud voice. She proclaims a message that is to be made known loudly, so that all can hear: “Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb.” Elizabeth proclaims the blessedness of Mary, and also that of the One in her womb. Her womb is sanctified; it is made holy, and so is Mary and the One within her. Mary has only recently conceived. Perhaps she is one to three weeks pregnant at this point. Yet, already there is blessed fruit.
The words Elizabeth speaks to Mary are confirming words. Perhaps Mary has not been completely certain that the conception has taken place. There may not be signs yet. Elizabeth, however, with Spirit-filled, truthful statements, confirms the conception and affirms Mary and the One within her. Elizabeth proclaims the blessedness of the entire situation in a loud voice.
Elizabeth then says, “But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, with Truth itself. Her humility shines through as she acknowledges the profound truth of who Mary is and Whom she bears. Elizabeth uses the word mother. She does not say mother-to-be, future mother or potential mother. A mother is only a mother in relationship. To be a mother, there must be a child, and Mary is called mother with a life of perhaps one to three weeks within her womb. Even more powerfully, this One within the womb is already proclaimed to be Lord. Mary is mother of the Lord. The life within, on a human developmental level, is barely detectable. It is still forming, yet He is already there, in His fullness, in His Lordship. This implies the fullness of the soul.
Mother and Lord
Elizabeth proclaims who her visitors are. Both identities are fully realized: mother and Lord. The Holy Spirit, filling Elizabeth, expresses the fullness of truth of this conception, and Elizabeth humbly recognizes mother and Lord.
The identities of Mary and Jesus are already active and effective. They prompt response by their presence and by Mary’s greeting. “The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy.” There is an intensity and immediacy in the response; it is not after reflection or deliberation that they are recognized.
“Blest is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.” Once again, Elizabeth confirms that the promise made to Mary has been fulfilled. The conception has taken place. The Lord’s words, spoken through the angel, were that Mary would conceive and bear a son. The Holy Spirit within Elizabeth affirms the fulfillment of this promise even before actual delivery of the child.
Mary replies to the words of Elizabeth with the glorious Magnificat. St. Luke tells us that she stays with her cousin for three months. Though the gospel does not directly inform us about the rest of Mary’s stay, it does tell us, in very clear words and strong quotes, that there is life in both the wombs of Mary and Elizabeth, motherhood is already engaged, and the identities of mother and Lord are effective and active. The Holy Spirit filling Elizabeth is the source of this truth.
There are no more specific words in Scripture than these verses from Luke on life in the womb, on the truth that life begins at conception. The truth is revealed in the Visitation.