The Festival of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Posted on July 2, 2026 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 1:39-56 (NKJV)
1:39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 “and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 “For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
50 “And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
51 “He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.
53 “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.
54 “He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,
55 “as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Devotion
We notice how aware the Virgin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth were of their own unworthiness. Mary referred to her lowly state, and Elizabeth expressed astonishment that she should be visited by the Lord and His mother. Both were filled with profound gratitude for the mercy which God had shown them. We, likewise, should always keep in mind how merciful God has been to us. And this, in turn, should cause us to be merciful toward others.
Pride, on the other hand, leads us to judge others or to hold grudges. Mary sings in the Magnificat about what God does to the proud, “He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.” In their hearts they imagine themselves to be righteous and qualified to remove specks from the eyes of everyone else, but in reality, they are blinded by planks in their own eyes. God says that He will judge them as they have judged others.
But God does not judge those who fear Him and recognize their own sinful lowliness. Instead, His mercy is upon them. As the Magnificat states, He forgives them their sins, exalts them, blesses them, and does great things for them.
Collect: Almighty God, Who hast dealt wonderfully with Thy handmaiden, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and hast chosen her to be the mother of Thy Son, and hast graciously made known that Thou regardest the poor and the lowly and the despised: Grant us grace in all humility and meekness to receive Thy Word with hearty faith, and so to be made one with Thy dear Son; Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Thy governance, that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
