The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
31 May 2019
Gospel Luke 1:39-56
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Reflection
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Reflection
By Pietro S. Albano
I visited two elderly aunts in the Philippines last Christmas, Tita Lilia and Tita Laling. Both were already feeble. Tita Lilia could no longer remember me, while Tita Laling, unable to talk, just stared at me. Back in the day, I was so close to them. Now, it felt as though I was losing them, until I heard Tita Lilia told me that I inherited my receding hairline from my grandfather (her father)!
Mary and Elizabeth were two extraordinary women. One bore a son, being a virgin. The other bore a son, in spite of being barren. When Mary greeted her cousin, Elizabeth's baby leapt for joy and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Full of the Spirit, she exclaimed what is now part of our prayer: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus". Both women were reunited by the Lord. Both were reconnected by Jesus who is coming to save the world.
I may have become a 'stranger' to my two beloved aunts. What really matters though is what brings us together: love. Perhaps Tita Lilia's remarks were an affirmation of that! So be it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You came to bring the Father's mercy to all. As we continue to receive You in Word and Sacrament, may we also bring You to others especially to the sick and other people in need. Amen.
Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us.
I visited two elderly aunts in the Philippines last Christmas, Tita Lilia and Tita Laling. Both were already feeble. Tita Lilia could no longer remember me, while Tita Laling, unable to talk, just stared at me. Back in the day, I was so close to them. Now, it felt as though I was losing them, until I heard Tita Lilia told me that I inherited my receding hairline from my grandfather (her father)!
Mary and Elizabeth were two extraordinary women. One bore a son, being a virgin. The other bore a son, in spite of being barren. When Mary greeted her cousin, Elizabeth's baby leapt for joy and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Full of the Spirit, she exclaimed what is now part of our prayer: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus". Both women were reunited by the Lord. Both were reconnected by Jesus who is coming to save the world.
I may have become a 'stranger' to my two beloved aunts. What really matters though is what brings us together: love. Perhaps Tita Lilia's remarks were an affirmation of that! So be it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You came to bring the Father's mercy to all. As we continue to receive You in Word and Sacrament, may we also bring You to others especially to the sick and other people in need. Amen.
Mary, Health of the Sick, pray for us.
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