Does the baby Jesus leap in our own ‘wombs’?

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

Focusing just on the Gospel: Mary proclaims the greatness of the Lord. And she then tells five times that —

“He has.”

She saw God’s goodness. She knew God’s goodness. She was saturated with God’s goodness.

And this visitation with her cousin was grace-filled from the first moments Mary entered her house.

In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

Only Luke tells this story, and it is a grand recognition story.

The moment Mary entered the house, the baby in Elizabeth, the future John the Baptist, “leaped” for joy in recognition of the baby Jesus in Mary’s womb.

Literal? I think not. But significant? To the tenth degree.

Do we recognize Jesus in our lives? Do we leap for joy simply knowing him, in our lives?

This story, I think, is meant to provoke awareness, recognition, knowledge, and love. Does it?

If babies in the wombs of their mothers recognize him, shouldn’t we all the more so?