The Visitation
PASTOR’S CORNER, Rev. Jason Toombs, Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, Liberal
The Church is not the world. The world is fickle. The world is flaky. The world is lit up with fireworks. We have quickly kindled a love of celebration for freedom by lighting off fireworks, or at least hearing them, but the Church is more somber in Her celebration. While the world set aglow and is filled with “LOUD NOISES!”, the Church quietly celebrated the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her relative, Elizabeth, to see the glad tidings that God bestowed upon Zechariah and Elizabeth, as well as the gladder tidings which the angel Gabriel brought to that lowly maiden, Mary. All this is found in Luke 1:39-56.
After they shared greetings with one another, just as we might, the baby, John who would be baptizing people in the Jordan in the years to come, leapt in the womb of Elizabeth at the greeting of Mary as his Lord, Jesus, was upon the scene.
