12. And holy Scripture points out how modest
she was towards her neighbours. For she became more humble when
she knew herself to be chosen of God, and went forthwith to her
kinswoman in the hill country, not in order to gain belief by anything
external, for she had believed the word of God.
“Blessed,” she said, “art thou who didst
believe.” S. Luke i. 56. And she
abode with her three months. Now in such an interval of time it
is not that faith is being sought for, but kindness which is being
shown. And this was after that the child, leaping in his
mother’s womb, had saluted the mother of the Lord, attaining to
reason before birth.