The Second Mystery: The Visitation
The Fruit: Love of Neighbor

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1. "And Mary rising up in those days went into the hill country with haste into  a city of Jude." [St. Luke 1:39] Arising at the bidding of the Lord She lovingly hastened to accomplish His Most Holy Will, in procuring without delay the sanctification of the Precursor of the Incarnate Word, who was yet held prisoner in the womb of Elizabeth by the bonds of Original Sin.
 
2. Most Holy Mary and St. Joseph made good use of each single moment of the journey. They proceeded alone, without accompaniment of any human creatures; yet with the thousand Angels, which were set to guard the couch of Solomon, the Most Holy Mary, attended upon them [Cant. 3:7]. In the company of the Angels and of St. Joseph, the Mother of Grace journeyed along, filling the fields and the mountains with the sweetest fragrance of Her presence and with the Divine Praises, in which She unceasingly occupied Herself. Sometimes She conversed with the Angels and, alternately with them, sang Divine canticles concerning the different mysteries of the Divinity and the works of Creation and of the Incarnation. In all this Her spouse St. Joseph contributed his share by maintaining a discreet silence, and by allowing his Beloved Spouse to pursue the flights of Her spirit; for, lost in highest contemplation, he was favored with some understanding of what was passing within Her Soul.

3.  St. Elizabeth had been informed in a vision that Mary of Nazareth had departed to visit her. She had also in this vision been made aware that the Heavenly Lady was most pleasing in the eyes of the Most High; while the mystery of Her being the Mother of God was not revealed to her until the moment, when They both saluted each other in private.

4. When the most holy Mother Mary arrived at the house of Zacharias, the Precursor of Christ had completed the sixth month of his conception in the womb of St. Elisabeth. The body of the child John had already attained a state of great natural perfection; much greater than that of other children, on account of the miracle of his conception by a sterile mother and on account of the intention of the Most High to make him the depository of greater sanctity than other men [St. Matth. 11:11]. Yet at that time his soul was yet filled with the darkness of sin---after Original Sin contracted by our nature, the womb of the mother must serve as a dungeon or prison for all of us, who have laden upon ourselves this guilt of our father and head, Adam. Christ our Lord resolved to anticipate a great blessing in His Prophet and Precursor by conferring the light of His grace and justification upon him six months after his conception by St. Elizabeth . . .

5. At the sound of Most Holy Mary's voice, St. Elizabeth was filled by the Holy Ghost and so enlightened interiorly, that in one instant she perceived the most exalted mysteries and sacraments. These emotions, and those that at the same time were felt by the Child John in the womb of his mother, were caused by the presence of the Lord Made Flesh in the bridal chamber of Mary's womb, for, making use of the voice of Mary as His instrument, He, as Redeemer, began from that place to use the power given to Him by the eternal Father for the Salvation and Justification of the Souls. And since He now operated as man, though as yet of the diminutive size of one conceived eight days before, He assumed, in admirable humility, the form and posture of one praying and beseeching the Father. He asked in earnest prayer for the justification of His future Precursor and obtained it at the hands of the Blessed Trinity.

6. St. Elizabeth was wrapt in the joy of the Holy Ghost; and, looking upon the Queen of the world and what was contained in Her, she burst forth in loud voice of praise, pronouncing the words reported to us by St. Luke: "Blessed are Thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb, and whence is this to me, that the Mother of My Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of Thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy, and blessed art Thou, that has believed, because those things shall be accomplished, that were spoken to Thee by the Lord."

7. These words of praise, pronounced by St. Elizabeth were referred by the Mother of wisdom and humility to the Creator; and in the sweetest and softest voice She intoned the Magnificat as recorded by St. Luke [1:46-55]:

My soul doth magnify the Lord; And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because He hath regarded the humility of His Handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call Me Blessed.

Because He that is mighty hath done great things to Me; and holy is His Name. And His mercy is from generation unto generation to them that fear Him.

He hath showed might in His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble.

He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.

He hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy; as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever."

8. St. Elizabeth offered herself and her whole family and all her house for the service of the Queen of Heaven. She asked Her to accept, as a quiet retreat, the room which she herself Was accustomed to use for her prayers, and which was much retired and accommodated to that purpose. The Heavenly Princess accepted the chamber with humble thanks, and made use of it for recollecting Herself and sleeping therein, and no one ever entered it, except the two cousins. As for the rest She offered to serve and assist Elisabeth as a handmaid, for She said, that this was the purpose of visiting her and assisting her in her time.

9. Mary retired and placed Herself in the presence of the Most High, asking Him as usual to guide Her and direct Her in that which She was to do during Her stay in the house of His servants Elizabeth and Zacharias; so that She might in an things be pleasing to Him and fulfill entirely His pleasure.

10. The Lord heard Her petition and answered by saying: "My Spouse and My Dove, I will direct all Thy actions and I will direct thy footsteps in the fulfillment of My service and pleasure, and I will make known to Thee the day on which I wish Thee to return to Thy home. In the meanwhile remain in the house of My servant Elizabeth and converse with her.

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