Praise be Jesus and Mary, now and forever. 
At the close of the month of May, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation, in which we see Our Lady acting as Mediatrix of Grace. For when she enters, Elizabeth sows and greets her, John the Baptist and her cousin are filled with the Holy Spirit. But let us first recall the context in which this happened. Elizabeth, though barren, conceived a Baptist by a miracle, but kept herself hidden. Six months later, the same Archangel Gabriel, who had announced to Zachariah that his wife would conceive, announces to the Blessed Virgin that she will conceive the Messiah. He also informs her that her cousin Elizabeth, who everyone said was barren, had already conceived. Shortly after the angel's departure, Mary hurries to see her cousin. We know that it's not more than a few days, because Mary stays with Elizabeth for three months to help her until she gives birth. Three plus six is nine.
Nine months of pregnancy. Why did she go there? Certainly not because she had doubts about the angel's message and hoped to resolve them with a sign. For Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Spirit, says, Blessed is she who believed. She already believed. She goes rather to fulfill a duty of charity, and not only that of material help to her cousin, who is pregnant for the first time late in life, but also to bring God's grace. Mary traveled in haste. She was in a hurry to fulfill her mission, to bring the grace of Christ to John and Elizabeth, and she still makes haste to bring grace today. From this we see the significance of the first reading in the passage of Isaiah we used as a psalm. Mary is the daughter of Zion. In her midst is the Lord, in the midst of her body, and specifically in her womb.
She brings him to her cousin and to Christ's forerunner, and both are filled with the Holy Spirit at Mary's greeting. The Holy Spirit does not abide in a soul in sin, so Mary's greeting, almost like a sacrament, delivered John of original sin. He was born again before he was born. We might see in the fact that Saint Elizabeth greets her with words that will be part of the Hail Mary a hint of the efficacy of this prayer for obtaining graces.
When we greet Mary, she returns our greeting, and her greeting communicates the graces of the Holy Spirit. Let us then say the Hail Mary with attention, knowing that we are greeting Our Lady, and it will become fruitful with graces for us.
Turning our attention to that passage of Isaiah we used as a psalm, we see that it too speaks of God being in the midst of Zion. In fact, this is a phrase that is used as a response, although the translator has taken some liberty with it so that it no longer matches the corresponding part of the passage. It should simply say, Great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel, just as the last stroke ends. And these could be the words of Saint Elizabeth to Mary. How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. How is it that the great and indeed infinite Lord is in the midst of your body? How can the finite contain the infinite? Great indeed is the mother of the Lord, who says in reply, The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. The explanation is his power. The explanation of this wonder is his omnipotence.
And how does the passage of Isaiah begin? With joy you will draw water at the fountain of salvation. What water will we draw? Not material water, for the springs or the fountain is that of salvation or of the Savior. In either case, it's speaking about a spiritual benefit. Saint Jerome says that Isaiah prophesies that the waters must be drawn out of his fountains, not out of the waters of the rivers of Egypt, which were struck, nor out of the waters of the rivers of Resin, but out of the water fountains of Jesus, for this is what Savior expresses in the Hebrew language. He's referring to the fact that in Hebrew, the words for Jesus and Savior sound the same or almost the same. So, they appeared to him to be the same word, and he probably wasn't the only one who thought this. So, we could understand him or even our lady, imagine him or even our lady understanding the stroke like this.
God indeed is my Jesus. I am confident and not afraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my Jesus or my Savior. That is, he has lived up to his name in the Immaculate Conception. With joy, you too will draw water at the fountain of Jesus. This is the water of which Christ spoke on the day on which he cried out in the temple. Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from within him. The evangelist explains that he said this in reference to the spirit, that those who come to believe in him were to receive. But the water would only flow from the rock after it was struck, as happened during the exodus.
Christ is the rock. He was struck, and blood and water flowed from his heart. So, this reading at the end of the month of May leads us into the month of the Sacred Heart. Mary leads us to Jesus. She brings us Jesus. And what should we do now that we can draw the water of the Holy Spirit with joy at the fountain of Jesus? Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name. Among the nations make known his deeds. Proclaim how exalted is his name, Jesus.
Sing praise to the Lord for his good, glorious achievement. Let this be known throughout all the earth. So, this is what Mary leads us in doing with her canticle of praise, which the Church sings throughout the earth. Of old, Miriam, sister of Moses, led the choir of women praising God for deliverance. Now, our Miriam, Mary, leads us in praising God throughout the world. And Mary said, My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, my Jesus. Praise be Jesus and Mary, now and forever.

If you would like to grow in love and knowledge of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, consider a subscription to the Missio Immacalatae magazine.
The Missio is a bi-monthly magazine published by the Franciscans of the Immaculate for over 15 years.
Every issue of the Missio features articles about Our Lady's privileges and her mission in the Church and world for the sanctification and conversion of souls.
The Missio takes to heart the ancient saying of the Church, De Maria Numquam Satis, of Mary you can never say enough.
You can subscribe online at missiomagazine.com, that's m-i-s-s-i-o-magazine.com, or go to the homepage of airmaria.com.
Back issues of the Missio are also available upon request.
The Missio is a practical way to behold your mother and take her into your home.
Ave Maria.