Daily Catholic Lectio. Fri, 31 May 2024. Joy and praise

Daily Catholic Lectio

Fri, 31 May 2024

Visitation of the BVM, Feast

Zephaniah 3:14-18. Luke 1:39-56

Joy and praise

“In Mary’s greeting, joy and grace unite,

Praise fills the air, love’s radiant light.

Two hearts meet, and heaven’s joy is stirred,

Songs of praise in every whispered word.”

Today we celebrate the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast was inaugurated in the 13th century. Primarily the feast was celebrated on 2 July. Later it was shifted to 31 May to make it stay between the Feast of the Annunciation (25 March) and the Nativity of John the Baptist (24 June).

When ordinary people meet, it is a visit. When extraordinary people meet, it is visitation. In visitation there is a total transformation of the persons who meet.

No sooner did the Archangel Gabriel leave the house of Mary at Nazareth, she flew off to Ein-Kerim, the house of Zechariah-Elizabeth-John. Luke records that Mary travelled to the hill country in haste. The Holy Spirit moved Mary to action. When Christ is conceived in us we can never be idle and static. We too will get out of our comfort zone, and will move towards others to love and serve them.

Mary’s journey that begins now will continue to Bethlehem, Egypt, Nazareth, Jerusalem, Cana, and Calvary. This journey towards Elisabeth is the foreshadowing of all other journeys.

Mary was focused on her journey. As she entered the house of Elizabeth she greeted them. At that moment, Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Like one candle lights the other, Mary passes the Holy Spirit to Elizabeth. On hearing the greeting of Elizabeth, Mary, instead of reciprocating it, raised her praise to God.

Mary remained with Elizabeth for about three months; then she returned home. Every journey must end; everyone must return home.

In the first reading, the Prophet Zephaniah announces to the people of Judah that God has removed their humiliation and misfortune and has blessed them with joy.” When the face of the Lord shines on us we become radiant; he removes our humiliation and fear. Elizabeth acclaims, “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth had the faith vision to see in a teen of Nazareth the mother of God.

Mary’s joy turns out to be praise. When the heart of God meets human persons, our human hearts rejoice and pass the joy to each other. In the end, our hearts praise God.

Recently, the Supreme Court condemned abortion, saying that even the foetus has life. The gospel reading goes a step further and asserts that the child in the womb has emotions and feelings. John in the womb rejoiced on hearing the words of Mary, because in Mary ‘word was made flesh.’ People here in the narrative – the elderly, the young one, the child – all filled with joy. This is a reminder that we must protect everyone, especially the elderly and children.

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The Mary-Elizabeth encounter is an encounter of joy and praise, joy because of each other’s presence, and praise because of God’s presence.  (Jubilee A. D. 2025, bite 112).

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy

# Be M.er.cy.Fool