On this final day of May, the month dedicated to our Blessed
Mother, we honor her in celebrating this joyful feast of her visitation to her
kinswoman Elizabeth.
Luke recounts in the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth that
when Mary’s greeting rang out, John “leaped for joy in his mother’s womb”.
This phrase "leap for joy" also appears in the Greek Translation of the Old
Testament to describe David’s dance before the Ark of the Covenant after it had
returned home. “As the ark of the Lord
was entering the city of David, there was King David leaping for joy, jumping
dancing before the Lord”.
Pope Benedict commented on the parallel of these two
biblical scenes. He said, the leaping of the child John parallels David’s
ecstatic joy at the nearness of God. Something
is expressed here that, he says, has been almost entirely lost in our century,
but nonetheless belongs to the heart of faith: the self-forgetful happiness in
recognizing the nearness of God.
True happiness is always self-forgetful: it loses itself in
the object of its joy. To the extent that we lose ourselves in God, we will
discover joy.
We have the great blessing of being able to encounter the
Lord every time we enter a Catholic Church, in the tabernacle. He is just as real in the Eucharist, as he
was in the womb of Mary. Now, we don’t
leap for joy when we walk into the Church, but we do genuflect, don’t we? To show our reverence, to show our love. I don’t get tired of genuflecting. And it is sometimes sad to see young children
not knowing how to genuflect because their parents and grandparents do not
genuflect when they enter the Church.
Mary herself, shows us another face of self-forgetfulness:
of true charity towards our neighbor. Remember, upon hearing that her elderly
cousin had conceived in her old age, Mary left “in haste” to help. Even though Mary
was undergoing her own trials, unwed, pregnant, chosen by God, she left the
comfort of her home in Nazareth, in haste. She detected a need, and she acted
without fearful hesitation.
Elizabeth and Zechariah weren’t just a drive across
town. They lived in the hill country of
Judea—about 60 miles from Nazareth—through bandit infested hill country. A difficult journey for anyone, especially
for a teenage mother traveling by herself.
But anxiety did not hinder the blessed Mother from making
the charitable visitation. Mary was concerned that Elizabeth’s pregnancy would
be difficult for she was advanced in years.
So, prompted by love and charity, she put Elizabeth’s needs ahead of her
own.
Pope Francis, in inaugurating this year of mercy, calls us
to this same self-forgetful service of our neighbor and the needs of the poor
in the works of mercy.
We honor the blessed Mother today, knowing that she will
help us discover true joy, when we, like her, give ourselves away to God and visit
our neighbor in need with self-forgetful charity for the glory of God and
salvation of souls.
Petitions:
During this Year of Mercy, May the sweetness of countenance of
the Mother of Mercy watch over us in this Holy Year, so that all of us may
rediscover the joy of God’s tenderness, and bring God’s mercy to all those in
need.
Mary was chosen as the uncorrupted ark of the Christ’s
dwelling place, may we live always free from the corruption of sin.
Mary stood courageously at the foot of the Savior’s cross,
may we through her intercession, rejoice to share in Christ’s passion.
In thanksgiving for all those who share in the work of the Marian
Movement of Priests—for an increase in priestly vocations and for the spiritual
health of all troubled priests.
Mary is the help of all Christians and comforter of the
afflicted, may she bring God’s gifts of healing, strength, and peace, to all of
the sick and the suffering.
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