Feast of Visitation May 31
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Our heavenly Mother Mary is the woman who was always there where she should have been: in Bethlehem, when the shepherds or magi came to adore the new born child (Lk 2, 16; Mt 2, 11), in Cana (Jn 2, 3) and on Calvary (Jn 19, 25). She would also be in the cenacle, beside the community being born (Lk 1, 14). She who said Yes to the Lord at one time maintains this Yes at all times: in happy and difficult times.
She is the woman of service. Her cousin was more in need than she and she didn’t hesitate in placing herself at her service (Lk 1, 39. 56).
we are shown, side by side, the two women, one seemingly too old to have a child, but destined to bear the last prophet of the Old Covenant; and the other woman, seemingly not ready to have a child, but destined to bear the One Who was Himself the beginning of the New Covenant. The Visitation is an anticipation of the final happiness of the encounter. Elizabeth was pregnant with two thousand years of waiting; Mary bore the hoped-for Eternity in her womb. The Old and New Testaments embraced in the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth.
It is this meeting that we celebrate today.
Mary visiting with Elizabeth. What gift did Mary bring to Elizabeth? We are not told that she brought foodstuff, although she might as well have brought some. We are told she brought just one thing: herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. And, dear friends, this is the best and the hardest gift of all. It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive.
Another point we can make out of Mary's gift to Elizabeth is that one should give not according to one's convenience but according to the needs of the receiver. It was not convenient for Mary to travel the lonely, dangerous road from Galilee to the hills of Judea. It was certainly for her an uphill task. But Elizabeth needed a helping hand. She was six months pregnant and would no longer be able to go and draw water from the village well, to look after the crops in her garden and the animals in her farm; she would no longer be able to go to the market to do her shopping. So Mary, as soon as she learned that Elizabeth was six months pregnant went with haste and stayed with her for about three months, meaning, until she gave birth. Mary gave to Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it. That is the perfect gift.
Do you know one thing everybody needs today? Everybody needs encouragement. Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary's visit did for Elizabeth.
This is what we are asked to impart to one another as Christians, as the Temples of Holy Spirit. That is what we need to pray today through the intercession of Mother Mary, to impart joy and peace in our places.
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Our heavenly Mother Mary is the woman who was always there where she should have been: in Bethlehem, when the shepherds or magi came to adore the new born child (Lk 2, 16; Mt 2, 11), in Cana (Jn 2, 3) and on Calvary (Jn 19, 25). She would also be in the cenacle, beside the community being born (Lk 1, 14). She who said Yes to the Lord at one time maintains this Yes at all times: in happy and difficult times.
She is the woman of service. Her cousin was more in need than she and she didn’t hesitate in placing herself at her service (Lk 1, 39. 56).
we are shown, side by side, the two women, one seemingly too old to have a child, but destined to bear the last prophet of the Old Covenant; and the other woman, seemingly not ready to have a child, but destined to bear the One Who was Himself the beginning of the New Covenant. The Visitation is an anticipation of the final happiness of the encounter. Elizabeth was pregnant with two thousand years of waiting; Mary bore the hoped-for Eternity in her womb. The Old and New Testaments embraced in the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth.
It is this meeting that we celebrate today.
Mary visiting with Elizabeth. What gift did Mary bring to Elizabeth? We are not told that she brought foodstuff, although she might as well have brought some. We are told she brought just one thing: herself. She gave Elizabeth the gift of her very presence. And, dear friends, this is the best and the hardest gift of all. It is easy to send flowers, it is easy to send a parcel, but to give the gift of ourselves, to make out the time to be with somebody, that is the gift that many people long for but do not receive.
Another point we can make out of Mary's gift to Elizabeth is that one should give not according to one's convenience but according to the needs of the receiver. It was not convenient for Mary to travel the lonely, dangerous road from Galilee to the hills of Judea. It was certainly for her an uphill task. But Elizabeth needed a helping hand. She was six months pregnant and would no longer be able to go and draw water from the village well, to look after the crops in her garden and the animals in her farm; she would no longer be able to go to the market to do her shopping. So Mary, as soon as she learned that Elizabeth was six months pregnant went with haste and stayed with her for about three months, meaning, until she gave birth. Mary gave to Elizabeth what she needed when she needed it. That is the perfect gift.
Do you know one thing everybody needs today? Everybody needs encouragement. Everybody needs the interior peace and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is what Mary's visit did for Elizabeth.
This is what we are asked to impart to one another as Christians, as the Temples of Holy Spirit. That is what we need to pray today through the intercession of Mother Mary, to impart joy and peace in our places.
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