Daily Mass Gospel Reflection- In God's Story

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 05.31.22 | Aux. Bishop R. Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Luke 1:39-56

Friends, today’s Gospel tells of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth.
I’ve always been fascinated by Mary’s “haste” in this story of the Visitation.
Upon hearing the message of Gabriel concerning her own pregnancy and that of her cousin,
Mary “set out and traveled to the hill country in haste” to see Elizabeth.

Why did she go with such speed and purpose?
Because she had found her mission,
her role in the theo-drama.
We are dominated today by the ego-drama in all of its ramifications and implications.
The ego-drama is the play that I’m writing, I’m producing, I’m directing, and I’m starring in.
We see this absolutely everywhere in our culture.
Freedom of choice reigns supreme:
I become the person that I choose to be.

The theo-drama is the great story being told by God,
the great play being directed by God.
What makes life thrilling is to discover your role in it.
This is precisely what has happened to Mary. She has found her role—
indeed a climactic role—in the theo-drama, and she wants to conspire with Elizabeth,
who has also discovered her role in the same drama.
Like Mary,
we have to find our place in God’s story.

[MurphsLaw]

+++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.+++

[FatherofFive]

I make it a point not to read the writings of heretics.