Readings: Zephaniah 3: 14-18; Psalm 12; Luke 1: 39-56
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary The beautiful feast we celebrate today portrays two miraculous pregnancies, that is, the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and the miraculous conception in the womb of a woman who was advanced in years. In the Gospel passage we find: “Mary set out and went with haste to 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’.”
Mary had traveled a long distance to be with her cousin for the last months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy In greeting Elizabeth, another miraculous event occurred. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb, Saint John the Baptist, “leaped for joy.” Thus, even prior to his birth, John began to fulfill his unique mission of preparing the way for the Lord. He did so at that moment by inspiring his own mother, Elizabeth, with a knowledge of the divine presence of the Savior within the womb of Mary.
Consider, especially, the conversations that these two holy women would have shared during these months together. Though the Scriptures give us only a small insight into their conversation, we can be sure this was but a small sampling of what was discussed in prayerful detail. Their conversations would have contained a mutual sharing of the spiritual gift of joy.
Joy is much more than an emotion. It is spiritual in nature. It is not only an experience of something fun, it’s an experience of realizing the action of God in our life. Seeing God at work in wonderful ways leads to gratitude and rejoicing; it produces strength and energy and is contagious and uplifting.
We must all strive to see the hand of God at work in our own lives so that our focus upon His divine actions will produce joy. We need joy. We need to be strengthened by this gift so that we will be encouraged and strengthened as we daily strive to fulfill His will.
May the Spirit filled encounters of Mary and Elizabeth, bring us joy and enable us to recognize the many gifts we received from the Lord and share it with our sisters and brothers in need. Remember me in your prayers on this 40th Anniversary of my priesthood. Fr. Mussie