Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
Elizabeth's words are so familiar
" When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.'”
We pray Elizabeth's words each time we pray the Hail Mary. Have you thought about what those words mean? Elizabeth knows that God has blessed Mary in a very special way. She knows that Mary is pregnant (when she says "fruit of your womb" she means the baby). She knows the baby is also blessed by God.
How does Elizabeth know all this?
Right before Elizabeth speaks these words, what happens to her? We notice that the Holy Spirit fills Elizabeth. What can we say that the Holy Spirit does? The Holy Spirit gives knowledge, a knowing that can only come from God.
What else can we say that the Holy Spirit does?
Before the Holy Spirit acted, where were these two women? Together or apart?
Before the Holy Spirit acted, was Elizabeth's baby jumping for joy?
What can we say about the Holy Spirit?