Back in the days, when I was in high school, every once in awhile, one of the girls in my school, would go on hiatus. Everyone was told that she was visiting relatives somewhere distant and would be back next year.We all knew what that meant. She was pregnant and was sent away to have her baby. She'll be back after the baby was born.
Nowadays, there's no shame in being an unwed mother. In fact, it's pretty common for girls not to marry their babies' father. But that's neither here nor there; it has nothing to do with my point.
All the readings today are about the Visitation, Luke 1:39-56. Neither Luke, nor the other readings I read in preparation for today (Father Gabriel of Saint Mary Mgdalen, O.C.D, and Heather King)*, nor any other readings, I've ever read, mention the fact that she might have been sent away. After all, it was a shame and scandal to be an unwed mother.
I think it's an excellent possibility that was the underlying reason for going to visit, and staying awhile, with a distant cousin.
Think about it. It was the perfect excuse. Yet it's the very same excuse pregnant and unwed girls, used.
* Readings for the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Magnificat http://www.magnificat.com/
