Ah, the Visitation.  Such an important event, and so overlooked.  The Visitation was the event wherein The Blessed Virgin Mary, carrying Our Lord in her womb, went on a road trip to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, who was six months farther along than Mary, carrying John the Baptist – see Luke 1:39-56.

1.  The Visitation is the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, and the fruit of this mystery is LOVE OF NEIGHBOR, or CHARITY, which is, of course the highest of the Theological Virtues.  Our Lady, and all those who are truly charitable, are happy helpers.  HAPPY. HELPERS.  In fact… “The Blessed Virgin Mary is far more eager now than then to promote the happiness and console the sorrows of those who fly to her for succor.”

2.   As we know, The Blessed Virgin was Immaculately Conceived without the stain of Original Sin as Our Lord reached back through time from the Cross of Calvary and specially saved her, His mother, from being stained by Original Sin from the moment of her conception.  But did you know that John the Baptist was cleansed of his Original Sin at the Visitation?  Look at the image above.  On the left is The Blessed Virgin with Our Lord in her tummy, and Elizabeth and John the Baptist are on the right.  Our Lord is blessing John the Baptist and thus cleansing him of Original Sin as a third trimester baby.  See how Baby John the Baptist is bowing to Our Lord?  Isn’t that sweet?  Aw.

3.  Our Lord said of John the Baptist, “…there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist”.  Let me remind one and all that John the Baptist was considered to be crazypants, and completely “immoderate” in his rhetoric.  Let me remind one and all that John the Baptist’s earthly life ended in a dank, nasty prison cell, face-in-the-dirt, hands bound behind him, as he was held by his scruff like an animal having his head sawed off for “speaking truth to power”, specifically about the sanctity of marriage.

It is a near-universal opinion today that “moderation” in rhetoric, in action and even in belief is the one and only acceptable path forward.  If the enemies of Christ say that 2+2=8, then we MUST be prepared to tolerate and even re-order ourselves and our engagement with the world to the position that 2+2=6, because that is MODERATE – splitting the difference between the Truth and the lie.  And what happens when the enemies of Christ declare that 2+2=1,000,000?  Well, then WE must be prepared to MODERATE our rhetoric, actions and beliefs relative to THAT lie, and take up the thoroughly “moderate” position that 2+2=500,000. Staunchly, and even INTRANSIGENTLY insisting that 2+2=4 will only cause people to hate you, think that you are a loon, and eventually get you killed.

Oh, and “moderation” will also hand satan the victory on a silver platter, but hey, at least people will “like” you.

So which would you prefer: handing satan victory on a silver platter, or handing Christ victory in the form of your severed head on a silver platter?  John the Baptist, the greatest man born of women, cleansed of Original Sin by Our Lord at the Visitation, chose to put his severed head on the silver platter rather than “moderate”.

St. John the Baptist, pray for us that we may be saved from argumentum ad temperantiam.