Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 05-31-19, FEAST, The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Homily of the Day

May 31, 2019

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Did you know that the Canticle of Mary (or Song of Mary) is more popularly known as the Magnificat? Magnificat is a Latin term meaning “magnifies,” specifically it is also a hymn. Now, a hymn is literally a song of praise; and in this case, it is a song of praise to God as sung by Mary, our Blessed Mother.

What else is there about the Magnificat that is even worth mentioning? A quick overview consists of Mary praising our Lord and rejoicing in the Savior. It is a prayer of a lowly handmaiden who, by the grace of God, has exalted her so that people shall call her blessed thenceforth. It is a prayer where Mary extols the greatness of God’s strength, mercy and great love for, not only his beloved handmaiden but also for all those who fear Him.

So why do people sing the Song of Mary? If you think about it, maybe it has something to do with the sincerity and the elation that Mary felt when she sang these words during her visit with Elizabeth. Maybe we have a need to feel that same elation and utter love for our God, and feel it in the very depths of our soul — or in this case, in our spirit.

Consider the following: Have you ever felt such euphoric joy towards God that made you wanted to sing a praise song or two out loud? Have you ever wondered how you could become more Mary-like in your love and service to the Lord? If not, where or how would you start to get to that point of making you want to break out into song for the Lord? Lastly, have you started?

Daily Gospel Commentary

Origen (c.185-253)
priest and theologian,br> 7th sermon on St Luke's gospel ; PG 13, 1817f.

"How does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

"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?" The words, "How does this happen to me" are not a sign of ignorance, as though Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, did not know that the Lord's Mother had come to her according to the will of God. But the meaning of her words is this: "What good have I ever done? In what way are my works so important that the Mother of my Lord should come to see me? Am I a saint? What kind of perfection or interior fidelity have merited me the favor of a visit from the Mother of the Lord? "For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy." He had been aware that the Lord had come to sanctify his servant even before he was born.

May it fall to my lot to be treated as mad by those without faith for having believed such mysteries!… Because what is held as madness by those people is cause of sanity for me. Indeed, if the birth of the Savior had not been heavenly and blessed, if it had not possessed anything of the divine or superior to human nature, its teaching would never have won the whole earth. If there had only been a male child and not the Son of God in Mary's womb, how could it have come about that, at that time and today, too, all kinds of sicknesses, not only of body but also of soul, could have been healed?… If we collect everything related about Jesus, we can affirm that everything written about him was held to be divine and worthy of admiration. For his birth, education, power, his Passion and resurrection were not simply events that took place at that time: they are still at work among us today.

https://www.regnumchristi.org/en/daily-meditation/

May 31, 2019 – Pentecost Anticipated

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Father Walter Schu, LC

Luke 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 upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

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.

1. Prompt and Joyful Charity: What has impelled Mary to undertake her perilous journey not only alone, but also in haste? An irresistible force was acting within Mary: the presence of the Holy Spirit overshadowed and filled her since the moment of the Annunciation. This same Holy Spirit has filled the heart of Elizabeth at Mary’s greeting and moved the infant within her womb. What is the first fruit of the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Joy. Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI comments on the relationship of joy to the truth who is Christ himself: “Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of truth, attracts to himself the heart of every man, dilates it, and fills it with joy. Only the truth is capable of invading the mind and making it fully joyful. This joy expands the dimensions of the human spirit, raising it from the anxieties of egoism, making it capable of authentic love” (Discourse to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, February 10, 2005).

2. Elizabeth – The Unworthy Host: Elizabeth’s moving question reflects the one virtue necessary for a person to be invaded by the Holy Spirit: humility. Elizabeth is profoundly aware of her own lowliness in the face of a visit from the mother of her Lord. Mary herself echoes these sentiments of deep humility throughout her Magnificat. What is the reason her Creator has done great things for her, so much so that all generations will call her blessed? It is not due to any talent or quality she might possess of herself. There is no magnificent grandeur by which she has captivated the Almighty. God has simply “looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness.” Do I rejoice in my own littleness, knowing that it enables the Holy Spirit to make his dwelling within me and do great things for Christ with my life?

3. The Hymn of God’s Praise: Mary is so filled with the Holy Spirit that her whole being bursts forth in a hymn of joy and praise to the Almighty. Pope-Emeritus Benedict reflects on Mary’s joy at the infant Lord’s presence within her womb: “This is the joy the heart feels when we kneel to adore Jesus in faith” (Discourse to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, February 10, 2005). The joy of Christ, the joy of the Holy Spirit, gratitude to God for the great things he has done in us, impels us to bring Our Lord to others, just as Mary brought him to Elizabeth even before his birth. As she sings her Magnificat, Mary does not remain closed within herself, but reflects on what God has done for her in light of his saving plan for all his people. May the joy of the Holy Spirit bring about a new Pentecost that radiates from our lives.

Conversation with Christ: Thank you, Lord! The great gift of your Holy Spirit fills our lives with the unspeakable joy of your own presence within us. Help me to respond with haste — as Mary did — to the impulses of charity from the Holy Spirit.

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.

http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

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<< Friday, May 31, 2019 >>
Visitation

Pentecost Novena-Day 1

Zephaniah 3:14-18 or
Romans 12:9-16
View Readings
Isaiah 12:2-6
Luke 1:39-56
Similar Reflections

VISITING HOURS

“Be not discouraged!” —Zephaniah 3:16

Recently, I was hospitalized for a short time. No one knew I was in the hospital, as I had no time to call people to pass the word. Naturally, I had no visitors during that brief stay. I could easily relate to Elizabeth’s experience on the day that Mary visited her. Elizabeth had gone into seclusion for five months (Lk 1:24), implying that she had no visitors in that interval. She couldn’t have expected Mary to visit, since to her knowledge Mary was not aware she was pregnant. God directly informed Mary of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and put it in Mary’s heart to visit her (Lk 1:39ff).

This means that the feast of the Visitation of Mary is a great sign of hope. When we need a visitor, let us ask God to send Mary to us, even if no one else is aware that we need encouragement (see Zep 3:16). When we seclude ourselves from others, Mary is not subject to our visiting restrictions. She is favored by God (Lk 1:30) with inside information on our condition. She has a motherly heart for us that loves its way into our life. She can’t stop from being concerned about her discouraged, suffering child.
Is there any way to keep a mother from visiting her beloved child? No, we can’t keep Mary out of our lives. She loves us too much. Our decision is whether or not to welcome her. Mary was rejected by the innkeepers in Bethlehem (Lk 2:7), and is still rejected by some Christians today. “Open wide your hearts” (2 Cor 6:13) to the mother of Jesus. Let Mary visit and love you.

Prayer: Jesus, may I love and welcome Mary as You do.

Promise: “You have no further misfortune to fear.” —Zep 3:15

Praise: The Blessed Virgin Mary did not keep the Good News to herself but shared her Son with her cousin and us. This act of kindness helped release the power of the Holy Spirit into the world.

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