The promise in Micah today is magnificent but how is it to become a reality? In the Gospel we come down with a bump into the real world. From the grand prophetic language of Micah we are brought to a small remote corner of Israel. Two unknown women, Mary and Elizabeth, seem to be the principal actors. Yet, the really important characters are the unseen children, Jesus and John. And it is through their mothers that they are first brought together. And, though both women are with child, it is Mary who takes the initiative to visit her cousin. In a sense, that is right and proper because Mary is the younger of the two. On the other hand, we know that the status of Mary is higher because she bears within her the Son of God. Already, before his birth, John is touched with the Spirit of Jesus. At the sound of Mary's voice, John experiences the presence of Jesus and is filled with the Spirit. This is, we might say, his baptism. Already we can see a major theme of Luke's gospel being unfolded here. For we are presented with the humility of the Mother and her Son. It is they who go to visit and not they who are visited. Even before he is born, Jesus already comes to serve and not to be served. We, too, have been touched by the service and love of Jesus for us but, in turn, we are called on, like John the Baptist, to prepare the way for Jesus to come into other people's lives.