Basilica of the Visitation!

Today, we went to Ein Karem to visit the Basilica of the Visitation. In front of the Church, there was a wall containing the Magnificat in more than twenty different languages such as Polish and Luganda (Uganda).  One could see the pleasant surprise on the faces of some of our brothers who could identify the Magnificat in their own languages. We gathered in front of this wall for a couple of minutes during which the tour guide gave us a brief explanation of the history of the Visitation Church. Located on a hill, this site is traditionally held to have been the summer residence of Zechariah and Elizabeth which would have been much cooler and accommodating during the hot summers.

Next, we moved into a small chapel containing three great spiritually and religiously inspiring paintings of Zechariah offering incense in the temple; the encounter of Elizabeth and Mary; and one from the apocryphal writings depicting the hiding of John the Baptist during the massacre of the Holy Innocents. Worthy of great admiration and meditation was the painting of the encounter between the youthful Mary and the aged Elizabeth. Their gaze spoke volumes. One can see in their eyes, in that encounter, the reification of true love of neighbor, for Mary went in haste to a neighbor in need and stayed with her for three months. 

After contemplating these great paintings, we then moved up to the Basilica of the Visitation. We were all caught in wondering admiration of the paintings which covered the walls of the Church representing the various titles and events in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary; such as the Council of Ephesus declaring her as the "Mother of God."  We were blessed to have Mass in the Basilica.  The homily called on us to recognize and imitate two ways in which God works with us: He answers our prayers beyond our expectation, and He goes out of His way to come to us; as seen in Mary's 90 miles' journey from Nazareth to Judea with Christ in her womb. At the consecration, there was this feeling of great joy at the realization that it was on this very site that the first adoration took place of John leaping for joy in the presence of Christ. It then powerfully dawned unto me that nothing, but superabundant joy exudes from the soul in the presence of its Creator. Such was a beautiful and memorable day of our visitation to the Basilica of the Visitation.