There is a philosophical maxim which states that goodness is diffusive of itself, that is, goodness always wants to spread itself, to communicate itself to others. The very same can be said of that particular form of goodness which we call joy.

No scene from the Bible better illustrates this than the Visitation. Mary, having conceived the joy of the world, cannot stay at home; she must go in all haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth. And so palpable is Mary’s joy, expressed in her greeting to Elizabeth – the greeting we may presume was none other than chaire, ‘rejoice’ – that even the child in Elizabeth’s womb could sense it, and leapt for joy.

Deep within her own womb Mary bore the Son of God; but in her voice, and on her face, she radiated the joy he brought her.