As
we celebrate the feast of Mama Mary's visitation to Elizabeth today, the WORD (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/053118.cfm) reminds
me that we should bring God to others.
When
we have problems, we usually don't have the will And desire to help others. We focus on ourselves and our
situation. Helping others is the least of our concerns. In fact, it is the
opposite. We want others to help us. However, we see today Mama Mary doing the
opposite.
After
being told by the angel Gabriel that she would be the earthly mother of Jesus,
the Son of God, Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant in her
old age. Imagine how simple, humble and selfless Mama Mary is! Instead of
taking care of her own needs or asking others to take care of her because she’s
carrying inside her the Son of God, she herself travelled to visit her cousin
Elizabeth.
Our
concerns should not be our excuses for not bringing God to others.
Elizabeth
recognized how blessed Mama Mary is. John, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb,
recognized it too! They recognized God visiting them, not as a glorious and
powerful king, but as a simple and humble woman in Mary.
We
should bring God to others!
Just
as Mama Mary's visitation brought God to Elizabeth and her baby John, our
presence and visitation to others should bring God to them as well. I believe
it is not that hard to do it. Like Mama Mary, she did not come prepared with an
exhortation or a preaching about God. She just came as she was with
the intent of serving others. Simple as that. I believe this is what we should
do as well. We can bring God to others by doing simple things out of
love. Genuinely serve others. Being willing to step out of our comfort zone
and reach out to others. Treat others right. Simple things, but these could be
used by God to reach out to others.
Do
I believe that God visits me everyday? In what ways? Am I ready and willing to
be used by God to visit other people as well? Does my presence bring God to
others? What concrete actions can I do to bring God to others?
May
we be sensitive of God’s visitation to us today, and allow him to use us to
visit others as well.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
Thank you for the beautiful reminder. I thank you for choosing Mama Mary to be
the mother of Jesus. Thank you that you chose a simple and humble woman from a
simple place to be the earthly mother of your Son. Thank you because I know
that just as you chose and used her, you can also choose me, a simple servant
of yours, to accomplish your work and use me in a great way to proclaim your
kingdom. Sorry for the times I don't act like her. Sorry for focusing on my
concerns and problems, instead of focusing on you and on serving you. sorry for
having lots of excuses. I ask that I be more aware of your presence as
you visit me today through other people and the circumstances surrounding me.
And as I become sensitive to you visiting me, may I also be sensitive and
cooperative to allow you to use me to visit others as well. Fill me with your
love and presence, so I may bring you to others through the things that I do.
Use me and my life to bring and proclaim you to others. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
May
31, 2018
Feast of the Visitation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 572
Lectionary: 572
Reading 1 ZEP
3:14-18A
Shout
for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
or
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
or
Brothers and sisters:
Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones,
exercise hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
Have the same regard for one another;
do not be haughty but associate with the lowly;
do not be wise in your own estimation.
Responsorial Psalm ISAIAH
12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6
R.
(6) Among you is the great and Holy
One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Alleluia SEE LK 1:45
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed
That what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed
That what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 1:39-56
Mary
set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.
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