Posted on 05/30/2016 8:19:41 PM PDT by Salvation
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
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The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Amen. "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28) "Blessed are you among women, |
Visitation
Mariotto Albertinelli
1503 - Oil on wood, 232 x 146 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior..."
HISTORY:
Assuming that the Annunciation and the Incarnation took place about the vernal equinox, Mary left Nazareth at the end of March and went over the mountains to Hebron, south of Jerusalem, to visit her cousin Elizabeth, because her presence and much more the presence of the Divine Child in her womb, according to the will of God, was to be the source of very great graces to John, Christ's Forerunner.The event is related in Luke 1:39-57. Feeling the presence of his Divine Savior, John, upon the arrival of Mary, leaped within the womb of his mother Elizabeth; he was then filled with the grace of God.
St. Joseph may have accompanied Mary, returned to Nazareth, and when, after three months, he came again to Hebron to take his wife home, the apparition of the angel, mentioned in Matthew 1:19-25, may have taken place to end the tormenting doubts of Joseph regarding Mary's maternity.
(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)
PRAYERS and READINGS
Collect:
Almighty ever-living God,
who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb,
inspired her to visit Elizabeth,
grant us, we pray,
that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit,
we may magnify your greatness
with the Virgin Mary at all times.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jersalem! The Lord has taken away the judgements against you, He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love; He will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it."Or Romans 12:9-16
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:39-56
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is he fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, He has put down the mighty from their thorns, and exalted those of low degree; He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity for ever".
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.
Feast Day: May 31
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The Magnificat is a Bold Prayer! [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
The Magnificat
Marys Song of Praise: The Magnificat (Ecumenical)
Magnificat: The Hymn of the Blessed Virgin Mary [Catholic Caucus]
"The Visitation and the Song of Mary, the Magnificat" (Sermon for the Fourth Sunday in Advent)
The Prayer of the Virgin Mary, The Magnificat - The Canticle of Mary
MARY SINGS THE PRAISES OF GODS MERCY [Magnificat, Canticle of Mary]
The Magnificat: Marys Own Prayer
Prayer and Meditation: Magnificat anima mea Dominum
Story of the Little Prayer Book That Could (George Weigel on the Magnificat [magazine])
Luke | |||
English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
Luke 1 |
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39. | And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. | Exsurgens autem Maria in diebus illis, abiit in montana cum festinatione, in civitatem Juda : | αναστασα δε μαριαμ εν ταις ημεραις ταυταις επορευθη εις την ορεινην μετα σπουδης εις πολιν ιουδα |
40. | And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. | et intravit in domum Zachariæ, et salutavit Elisabeth. | και εισηλθεν εις τον οικον ζαχαριου και ησπασατο την ελισαβετ |
41. | And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: | Et factum est, ut audivit salutationem Mariæ Elisabeth, exsultavit infans in utero ejus : et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth : | και εγενετο ως ηκουσεν η ελισαβετ τον ασπασμον της μαριας εσκιρτησεν το βρεφος εν τη κοιλια αυτης και επλησθη πνευματος αγιου η ελισαβετ |
42. | And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. | et exclamavit voce magna, et dixit : Benedicta tu inter mulieres, et benedictus fructus ventris tui. | και ανεφωνησεν φωνη μεγαλη και ειπεν ευλογημενη συ εν γυναιξιν και ευλογημενος ο καρπος της κοιλιας σου |
43. | And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? | Et unde hoc mihi, ut veniat mater Domini mei ad me ? | και ποθεν μοι τουτο ινα ελθη η μητηρ του κυριου μου προς με |
44. | For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. | Ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis tuæ in auribus meis, exsultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo. | ιδου γαρ ως εγενετο η φωνη του ασπασμου σου εις τα ωτα μου εσκιρτησεν το βρεφος εν αγαλλιασει εν τη κοιλια μου |
45. | And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. | Et beata, quæ credidisti, quoniam perficientur ea, quæ dicta sunt tibi a Domino. | και μακαρια η πιστευσασα οτι εσται τελειωσις τοις λελαλημενοις αυτη παρα κυριου |
46. | And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. | Et ait Maria : Magnificat anima mea Dominum : | και ειπεν μαριαμ μεγαλυνει η ψυχη μου τον κυριον |
47. | And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. | et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo. | και ηγαλλιασεν το πνευμα μου επι τω θεω τω σωτηρι μου |
48. | Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. | Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ : ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes, | οτι επεβλεψεν επι την ταπεινωσιν της δουλης αυτου ιδου γαρ απο του νυν μακαριουσιν με πασαι αι γενεαι |
49. | Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. | quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est : et sanctum nomen ejus, | οτι εποιησεν μοι μεγαλεια ο δυνατος και αγιον το ονομα αυτου |
50. | And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. | et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. | και το ελεος αυτου εις γενεας γενεων τοις φοβουμενοις αυτον |
51. | He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. | Fecit potentiam in brachio suo : dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. | εποιησεν κρατος εν βραχιονι αυτου διεσκορπισεν υπερηφανους διανοια καρδιας αυτων |
52. | He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. | Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. | καθειλεν δυναστας απο θρονων και υψωσεν ταπεινους |
53. | He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. | Esurientes implevit bonis : et divites dimisit inanes. | πεινωντας ενεπλησεν αγαθων και πλουτουντας εξαπεστειλεν κενους |
54. | He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: | Suscepit Israël puerum suum, recordatus misericordiæ suæ : | αντελαβετο ισραηλ παιδος αυτου μνησθηναι ελεους |
55. | As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever. | sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in sæcula. | καθως ελαλησεν προς τους πατερας ημων τω αβρααμ και τω σπερματι αυτου εις τον αιωνα |
56. | And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. | Mansit autem Maria cum illa quasi mensibus tribus : et reversa est in domum suam. | εμεινεν δε μαριαμ συν αυτη ωσει μηνας τρεις και υπεστρεψεν εις τον οικον αυτης |
Tuesday
May 31, 2016
Going to Communion
’Going to communion’ is not a private ‘receiving’ but a sharing, an eating together of the one Bread and the shared drinking of the one Cup. This one Bread and one Cup represent Jesus in his Risen Body; it includes not only Jesus but the whole community present. We recognize in the sharing not just the individual Jesus coming to me but Jesus in his Body, of which we are all part.”
An excerpt from a commentary on the Feast of Corpus Christi on Living Space at the Sacred Space website run by Irish Jesuits. Visit www.sacredspace.ie
Year of Mercy Calendar for Today: “Volunteer at a hospital of an upcoming blood drive.”
Tuesday, May 31
Liturgical Color: White
Today is the Feast of the Visitation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The
Gospel of Luke tells us that John the
Baptist leapt for joy in Elizabeths
womb in the presence of Mary
carrying Jesus within her womb.
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast)
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. (Luke 1:45)
To confirm something is to verify it as being true or accurate. It means putting to rest any doubts you may have about a particular matter. Looked at in this way, todays feast of the Visitation shows three different ways that God confirmed Marys calling to her.
First, the Visitation tells us how Mary and Elizabeth—both made pregnant miraculously—offered an emotional confirmation to each other. You can imagine these two women talking excitedly about all that has happened to them: one who conceived despite her old age and the other who conceived without human intervention. You can see them sharing their joys, their concerns, and their hopes for their children.
Second, the Visitation describes a physical confirmation, when the baby John leaped in his mothers womb. Luke called this a leap of joy, indicating that it went far beyond a babys normal kicking (Luke 1:44). That leap confirmed for Mary how special her baby was.
Third, the Visitation gave Mary a prophetic confirmation. Elizabeth called Mary the mother of my Lord, confirming that Marys child was more than just an ordinary baby (Luke 1:43). Luke also tells us that Elizabeth said these words because she was filled with the Holy Spirit (1:41).
Today, Jesus wants to confirm his promises in your heart. He wants to bless you just as he blessed Elizabeth, Mary, and John at the Visitation. Perhaps his blessing will spark you to leap toward him in faith. Maybe it will confirm his presence in you. Or maybe it will move you with excitement and a desire to share your blessing with the people around you.
Most of all, Jesus wants to confirm that he is working wonders in you, even if it doesnt feel like it. He wants to let you know that he is pleased with you, and he is happy to keep working in you, doing whatever it takes to build up your faith. So relax today, and listen for his voice in your heart. Let him tell you, Blessed are you who believed!
Lord, I ask you to come and visit me. Holy Mary, come and confirm Jesus work in my life.
Zephaniah 3:14-18
Isaiah 12:2-6
Daily Marriage Tip for May 31, 2016:
Mary rejoiced with Elizabeth about the new lives within them. Talk with your spouse about openness to new life in your marriage.
Pentecost Anticipated | ||
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May 31, 2016 - Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Father Walter Schu, LCLuke 1:39-56
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe in your supreme goodness and love. I entrust my entire self to you with all of my hopes, fears and joys. Thank you for giving us the gift of yourself in the Eucharist. Thank you, too, for giving us your own mother to be our mother during our exile on this earth and journey home to you in heaven. Here I am, like her, to do your will. Petition: Mary, help me to grow in humility.
Resolution: I will look for occasions to speak about Christ with others and do acts of charity for them with joy and haste, just as Mary did in the Gospel. |
Language: English | Español
All Issues > Volume 32, Issue 3
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