March 7th — The Visitation.

7th Day.— The Visitation.

1.  The visit of Mary to her cousin St. Elizabeth took place a short time after the Annunciation.  It had been suggested to her by the angel’s message, telling her that Elizabeth was to bear a son.  St. Joseph knew nothing of this, yet he raised no objection to the journey.  He had already conceived such a reverence for his spotless spouse that it was enough for him that she entertained a wish.  He knew that she never asked on impulse, or without a due cause; and so when Mary asked his leave to visit her cousin, he at once consented.  So we should consult, as far as possible, the wishes of others, seeking to conform our will to others in the spirit of charity.

2.  St. Joseph would not allow his young wife to take the journey alone.  He went with her as her escort.  What a happiness for him to wait upon her!  How tenderly he watches over her!  How thoughtfully he sees to all her wants!  We often idealize those they love, but there was no need to idealize Mary.  She was an ideal in herself.  And when he approached her, Joseph somehow felt that he was drawing near to God, and that God dwelt in her in some other way than by His graces and gifts.

3.  Arrived at their journey’s end, St. Joseph in his humility saw to their material needs, and did not hear the words of Elizabeth saluting Mary as Mother of God, and announcing the joy of her unborn babe at His presence.  St. Joseph was ignorant and remained in ignorance of the mystery of the Incarnation.  He had to wait; that was to be the law of his life, as it is of the lives of all who are very dear to God.

 

 


This article, March 7th — The Visitation. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/devotional/the-catholic-daily/march-month-st-joseph/march-7th-visitation/
Do not repost the entire article without written permission. Reasonable excerpts may be reposted so long as it is linked to this page.

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