“Now Mary arose immediately and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 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.”

- Luke 1:39-41

Reflection: 

Immediately after the event of the Annunciation, why did the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary go  with “haste” to greet Elizabeth? (Nazareth to Judah an 80 mile journey)

She ran towards Elizabeth with eagerness and humility, in other words, she didn’t expect Elizabeth to run to her. When Mary greets her first, giving Elizabeth respect as a superior - even though she is the Mother of God, and Elizabeth was carrying God’s Prophet and Forerunner.(1)

There are two encounters when Mary greets Elizabeth: one between Mary and Elizabeth, and the other between Christ and John the Baptist.(2)

Mary runs to greet Elizabeth, and in essence Christ hastens to greet His forerunner - not simply greet him, but to fill John with the Holy Spirit, as “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit”.(3)

Notice here the humility of both the Theotokos, not expecting others to come to her because of her role as Mother of God, and the extreme humility of Christ our God as an embryo, hastening to greet and bestow His forerunner with the Holy Spirit.(4)

The woman saw woman, the child saw child.  The women exchanged words, the children communicated silently by the Holy Spirit.(5) 

Let us rejoice with the Theotokos at the announcement of our salvation, and follow her example of humility. No matter what role we have in life or when any good thing that happens to us, we do not seek to be praised, but rather, continue to serve others.

Resources:

1) Rev Fr Maximos Constas, “Mary Greeted Elizabeth” Witnessing Christ in the World Today, pg 4.

2) Rev Fr Maximos Constas, “Mary Greeted Elizabeth” Witnessing Christ in the World Today, pg 4.

3) Rev Fr Maximos Constas, “Mary Greeted Elizabeth” Witnessing Christ in the World Today, pg 4.

4) Fulfilling this prophecy of the angel for John the Baptist: “He (i.e., John) will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Lk 1:15).

5) Rev Fr Maximos Constas, “Mary Greeted Elizabeth” Witnessing Christ in the World Today, pg 4.