Listening for the Holy Spirit

The Blessed Mother, newly expecting Baby Jesus, arrives at her cousin Elizabeth’s home. And St. John the Baptist recognizes Jesus’ presence and leaps within Elizabeth’s womb.

What a wonderful sense of connection between two women and their babies. Without seeing his cousin, John the Baptist knows that the Son of God is present and responds with joy. But just as magnificent is how his mother realizes what is happening and responds aloud to Mary in words we can still hear today.

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
‘Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.’”

The idea that an expectant mother and child could have an intuitive and spiritual connection is a little mysterious to me since I’ve never experienced that myself. But I do understand that special connection between a mother and her child—how you see and feel their sadness and happiness, their frustrations and achievements, their grief and their joy. I know that those feelings can even be more real and present to you than your own.

I also understand how the Holy Spirit can stir within you and bring thoughts to your mind and words to your lips that you know aren’t fully your own. How many times have I sat down to a blank page and whispered, “Come, Holy Spirit,” and found that words turn into phrases and sentences and pages full of what God must be wanting me to say. It’s humbling and empowering to realize we are God’s instruments, able to serve Him merely by being open to fulfilling His will.

As Elizabeth responded to Mary and Jesus and her own baby boy, she must have been so filled with awe and joy to recognize God’s hand in their lives—and in their world. How incredible to realize just how important you are to God’s plan. Elizabeth has not just a front-row seat but even a starring role.

When I read the passage from Luke on the Feast of the Visitation, though, I also think of how important the Holy Spirit is to this encounter. During the pandemic, when I haven’t been able to count on receiving the Eucharist every Sunday, I have leaned hard on the Holy Spirit. I really believe the Holy Spirit has helped me navigate the uncertainty of this time, a time when the domestic church has played such a critical role.

As we visit with people in person and by phone and virtually, how wonderful to think that we can be guided by the Holy Spirit in those interactions, bringing God’s love to others and receiving that same love in return.

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