GOSPEL, Luke (1: 39-56)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 And Mary[b] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
At the Feast of Visitation, introduced in the Church’s calendar by Boniface IX, in the 14th century, the Church proposes a reflection of the Gospel of Luke (1: 39-56).
After the Annunciation, Mary visits her cousin Isabel, about to become a mother, sharing with her the joy of the wonders at work within her.
Elizabeth, a woman of advanced age, humbly utters the well-known words: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Being filled with the Holy Spirit and the joy of God’s presence.
Responding to her cousin’s greeting and rejoicing in the joy of the Holy Spirit, Mary gave glory to the Lord with a song of praise, the “Magnificat”.
With the words “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour, because he has set his eyes on the humility of his servant” Mary recognizes, in the first place, the unique gifts that have been granted to Her and then lists the universal benefits with which God continually favours mankind.
God in his infinite mercy transforms the small and the weak, into the strong and the great. In her humility Mary exclaims “The Almighty has done wonders for me, Holy is his name.”
The Holy Spirit is the way God reigns in each one of us; Lord, teach us to serve You and all our brethren in complete humility, as shown by our Blessed Mother’s magnificent paradigm.
Following Mary’s example, let us humbly acknowledge how God works in our lives and express with sincerity: You have done wonders for me. Holy is your name!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, give us the joy of looking for you more fervently. Make us docile to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that we can always sing like Mary, your wonders. Amen.