{"id":5340,"date":"2019-11-16T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2019-11-16T00:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5340"},"modified":"2021-10-15T15:37:27","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T07:37:27","slug":"237-ein-karim-marys-song-of-praise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5340","title":{"rendered":"236. Ein Karim: Mary\u2019s Song of Praise"},"content":{"rendered":"

46\u00a0<\/sup>And Mary said,<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMy soul magnifies the Lord,<\/span><\/strong>
\n 47\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,<\/span><\/strong>
\n 48\u00a0<\/sup>for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;<\/span><\/strong>
\n 49\u00a0<\/sup>for the Mighty One has done great things for me,<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and holy is his name.<\/span><\/strong>
\n 50\u00a0<\/sup>His mercy is for those who fear him<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0from generation to generation.<\/span><\/strong>
\n 51\u00a0<\/sup>He has shown strength with his arm;<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.<\/span><\/strong>
\n 52\u00a0<\/sup>He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and lifted up the lowly;<\/span><\/strong>
\n 53\u00a0<\/sup>he has filled the hungry with good things,<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0and sent the rich away empty.<\/span><\/strong>
\n 54\u00a0<\/sup>He has helped his servant Israel,<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0in remembrance of his mercy,<\/span><\/strong>
\n 55\u00a0<\/sup>according to the promise he made to our ancestors,<\/span><\/strong>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0to Abraham and to his descendants forever.\u201d<\/span><\/strong> [Luke 1:46-55<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"\u00a0<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Church of the Visitation, Ein Karim, exterior view.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Mosaic fa\u00e7ade on Mary hastening from Nazareth.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Visitation, by Sebastiano del Piombo, 1518-19.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ein Karim enjoys special prominence on the itinerary of Christian Pilgrimage to the Holy Land as the home to the Church of the Visitation, which honours the visit paid by\u00a0the Virgin Mary<\/a>, the mother of Jesus, to\u00a0Elizabeth<\/a>, the mother of\u00a0John the Baptist<\/a> (Luke 1:39\u201356<\/a>). This is thus the site where tradition says that Mary recited her song of praise, the\u00a0Magnificat<\/a>. This is also where the\u00a0Church of St. John the Baptist, commemorating St. John\u2019s birth, is located.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In most pilgrim groups there are members who, no longer agile with their feet, will at first find the long slope leading up to the Church of the Visitation rather daunting to climb. So far, with some help, everyone we know eventually managed the climb.<\/span><\/p>\n

    At the foot of the slope is the famous Mary\u2019s Well, where it is believed that Mary drank from its spring waters while sitting with Elizabeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Half way up the slope is the Convent of the Sisters of the Rosary whose religious articles shop\u00a0our guide urged us to patronize. It is well stocked with their handmade rosaries.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Only 20 minutes drive from the city of Jerusalem, it is a respite from the bustle of the busy city and its crowded tourist centres. Adding to the respite is the lush greenery dotted by beautiful bright flowers announcing the name Ein Karim \u2013 \u201cspring of the vineyard\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Reflection<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

    The Gospel of Luke gives us a beautiful Infancy narrative in which, as the angel Gabriel announced to Mary about God\u2019s plan for her virgin birth of the Son of God, he also informed her that her kinswoman Elizabeth, even though barren and advanced in years, was already pregnant with child for six months. With God, the angel affirmed, \u201cnothing will be impossible\u201d. And Luke says Mary at once arose and \u201cwent with haste\u201d to see Elizabeth (Luke 1:39) in what the Catholic tradition calls the \u201cVisitation\u201d. During the visit, Mary sang her famous \u201cMagnificat\u201d which has since become staple diet in Christian corporate and individual prayer life.<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. Mary the Person<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    In relation to the Visitation, it is well, we think, to clarify three things about Mary.<\/span><\/p>\n