There is joy in Mary’s heart in being chosen to become the mother of the world’s Redeemer. She wishes by her visit to communicate that joy to her cousin. The Sun of Justice is shining within her. She desires to diffuse His rays through Elizabeth’s household. She is laden with spiritual treasures. She must share them with her kinswoman, especially as she is none the poorer in making others richer. The usual order of salutation is here reversed. Age pays reverence to youth. A lady who is revered by the whole community honors a lowly maiden. An inspired matron expresses her astonishment that her young kinswoman should deign to visit her. She extols Mary’s faith and calls her blessed. She blends the praise of Mary with the praise of Mary’s Son, and even the infant John testifies his reverential joy by leaping in his mother’s womb. And we are informed that during this interview Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, to remind us that the veneration she paid to her cousin was not prompted by her own feelings, but was dictated by the Spirit of God. Then Mary breaks out into that sublime canticle, the Magnificat: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, because He hath regarded the humility of his handmaid, for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”(247) On these words I shall pause to make one reflection. The Holy Ghost, through the organ of Mary’s chaste lips, prophesies that all generations shall call her blessed, with evident approval of the praise she should receive. What a daring prophecy is this! Among the wonderful predictions recorded in Holy Scripture, I can recall none that more strongly commands my admiration. Here is a modest, retiring maiden, living in an obscure village in a remote quarter of the civilized world, openly announcing that every age till the end of time, should pronounce her hallowed. We have no reason to question this prophecy, for it is recorded in the inspired pages of the Gospel. And we know also without the shadow of a doubt that the prophecy has been literally fulfilled. For, in every epoch, and in every Christian land from the rising to the setting sun, her _Magnificat_ has daily resounded. Now the Catholic is the only Church whose children, generation after generation, from the first to the present century, have pronounced her blessed; of all Christians in this land, they alone contribute to the fulfilment of the prophecy. Therefore, it is only Catholics that earn the approval of Heaven by fulfilling the prediction of the Holy Ghost. Protestants not only concede that we bless the name of Mary, but they even reproach us with being too lavish in our praises of her.