Visitation of Mary
Jacopo da Pontormo, 1529

Dear friends,

Today, I would like to speak about the shared themes of two passages from the Bible, which speak to the power of faith, humility, gratitude, and their deeper resonance when illuminated through the Bodhisattva path.

In Luke 1:39-55, we hear about the meeting between Mary, who has just been visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she will bear the son of God, and her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant with John the Baptist. When Mary greets Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaps for joy, and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, proclaiming that Mary is blessed among women and that her child will be the Savior of the world.

Similarly, in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, we hear the prayer of Hannah, who has been barren but has been blessed with a son, Samuel, through the power of God. Hannah praises God for lifting her up from a place of despair and humiliation and for giving her strength to overcome her struggles.

Both of these passages speak to the transformative power of faith and humility in the face of adversity. Mary, Elizabeth, and Hannah embody the Bodhisattva ideal of joyful perseverance (virya), trusting in a higher wisdom that leads them beyond their personal struggles to benefit others. As Mary and Elizabeth prepare to nurture lives that will bring divine wisdom and compassion into the world, they reflect the Bodhisattva vow to work for the liberation and well-being of all beings.

These passages also highlight gratitude as a cornerstone of spiritual practice, a quality emphasized in both Christian and Buddhist teachings. Mary’s Magnificat (video) (lyrics) and Hannah’s song parallel the Bodhisattva's gratitude for the opportunity to practice loving-kindness (metta) and to serve. Their songs of praise align with the practice of rejoicing in the virtues of others—a lojong (mind-training) principle that encourages us to celebrate the good fortune and spiritual growth of others as if it were our own.

The Magnificat, in particular, speaks of a radical inversion where the humble are lifted up and the powerful brought down, resonating with the Bodhisattva's insight into the interconnectedness and equality of all beings. This echoes the teaching on emptiness: that no being or status inherently exists apart from its relational nature. Through humility, we come to see the divine in every moment and every person, as Mary and Hannah did.

As we reflect on these passages, let us be inspired to cultivate faith, humility, and gratitude as Mary, Elizabeth, and Hannah did, and also as the Bodhisattvas do—dedicating ourselves to awakening not just for our own liberation, but for the benefit of all beings. In even the darkest moments, we can trust that compassion and wisdom flow through us like the Holy Spirit, or bodhicitta, the "Awakened Mind." May we embrace a spirit of generosity and rejoice in the interconnected web of grace that surrounds us all.

May we all be blessed with the faith, humility, and gratitude of Mary, Elizabeth, and Hannah, and may we aspire to embody the compassionate resolve of the Bodhisattva path.