|
|
The visit of Mary to Elizabeth
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1,39-45.
39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
Reflection 1
Mary became a temple of God
As a first-century historian, Luke investigated every aspect of Jesus's life, aiming to convey the truth about Jesus to the community by drawing on both oral and written sources.
Mary embarks on a journey to visit her relative Elizabeth, who resides in a hill town in Judea—an area extending from Emmaus in the West to the Jordan River in the East, enveloping the surroundings of Jerusalem.
The Visitation not only completes and confirms the angel's message but also testifies to the dynamic power of the Spirit. God’s Word takes on flesh in response to Mary's yes; Mary then hastens to share the Word with her cousin and her family. In this way, Mary becomes the messenger of God’s salvation.
In his message for World Youth Day 2022-2023, Pope Francis emphasized, “Mary became a temple of God, an image of the pilgrim Church, a Church that goes forth for service, a Church that brings the good news to all!”
Humility
In a world that often dismisses humility as a sign of weakness, our desires are often centered around power, wealth, and attention—anything that can elevate us to the top.
Yet, as we embark on the Christmas journey to Bethlehem, we are reminded that our Lord was born in humility. This humility served as the very foundation for saving us from our own arrogance.
Let us strive to imitate Mary, approaching others with humility and genuine care. May we become instruments of authentic love and peace, recognising the transformative power of humility in our interactions with the world.
Message of his holiness Pope Francis for the world youth day 2022-2023
My message for you, dear young people, the great message entrusted to the Church, is Jesus! Yes, Jesus himself, in his infinite love for each of us, his salvation and the new life he has bestowed upon us. Mary is our model; she shows us how to welcome this immense gift into our lives, to share it with others, and thus to bring Christ, his compassionate love and his generous service to our deeply wounded humanity.
Challenge for this week: Are we attentive in our conversations?
Mary and Elizabeth invite us to embrace a spirit of spiritual dialogue. Let us commit, not just for this week but every week, to be mindful of our conversations. Let us engage in discussions about God and share the transformative work He is doing in our lives.
Reflection 2
Mary, the First Evangelizer
It is the Gospel of Saint Luke that recounts for us so many details of Mary’s life that otherwise remain untold. The Visitation is the first time that Mary publicly exercises her role as Mediator of the Son of God.
Mary generously accepted to mediate the Incarnation, placing her body at God’s disposition. She, the Mother of the Church, carries the entire Church in her womb.
The Visitation completes and confirms the angel's message and bears witness to the dynamic power of the Spirit. God’s Word becomes flesh in response to her “Yes”; Mary then hastens to take the Word to her cousin and her family. Mary becomes the messenger of God’s salvation.
The Holy Spirit is active here and in a moment of inspiration, Elizabeth acknowledges Mary’s role as mother of the Messiah and John leapt for joy in the presence of the Lord.
Mary teaches us what it means to live by faith and how to trust God despite fear and confusion.
Humility
We do not live in a world that values humility. To most of us, humility means weakness. We hunger for power, for money, for attention--anything to keep us on top.
Christmas is our journey to Bethlehem where we remember that our Lord was born in humility so that he might save us from our arrogance.
May we imitate Mary and touch the lives of people we encounter with humility and care and may we become instruments of true love and peace.
Key Points
-In Mary, the New Testament reaches out to the Old, transforms it, and gives it its ultimate significance.
-Mary brings salvation and joy to Elizabeth's house.
-With her admiring exclamation, Elizabeth invites us to appreciate all that the Virgin's presence brings as a gift to the life of every believer.
-Christians should reach out to others like Mary; otherwise, they are not fully Christians.
-Mary was so humble because she was all for God. Mary always praised God for what he had done for her.
Thought of the week
The mysteries of the rosary are based on important events in the life of Christ, including the Visitation. Through this Gospel, we are offered the opportunity to reflect on the account every time we pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Challenge for the week - Do we pay attention to our conversations?
Mary and Elizabeth call us to be people of spiritual conversation.
Let us try this week and every week to pay attention to our conversions and talk about God and what He doing in our lives.
Lord, make me aware of the needs of others – I am so often preoccupied with my own. Teach me to look for You as you pass my way, and to recognize You in my neighbour. In all appearances, may I see You. Help me open my doors wide, and stand aside to allow a burdened passer-by to rest a while, and perhaps leave his or her sorrows and burdens there. Grant Lord, that in the depth of my soul he or she will find You, as Elizabeth found You in Mary’s womb. Amen. Gwen Simon
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 1,39-45.
39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
Reflection 1
Mary became a temple of God
As a first-century historian, Luke investigated every aspect of Jesus's life, aiming to convey the truth about Jesus to the community by drawing on both oral and written sources.
Mary embarks on a journey to visit her relative Elizabeth, who resides in a hill town in Judea—an area extending from Emmaus in the West to the Jordan River in the East, enveloping the surroundings of Jerusalem.
The Visitation not only completes and confirms the angel's message but also testifies to the dynamic power of the Spirit. God’s Word takes on flesh in response to Mary's yes; Mary then hastens to share the Word with her cousin and her family. In this way, Mary becomes the messenger of God’s salvation.
In his message for World Youth Day 2022-2023, Pope Francis emphasized, “Mary became a temple of God, an image of the pilgrim Church, a Church that goes forth for service, a Church that brings the good news to all!”
Humility
In a world that often dismisses humility as a sign of weakness, our desires are often centered around power, wealth, and attention—anything that can elevate us to the top.
Yet, as we embark on the Christmas journey to Bethlehem, we are reminded that our Lord was born in humility. This humility served as the very foundation for saving us from our own arrogance.
Let us strive to imitate Mary, approaching others with humility and genuine care. May we become instruments of authentic love and peace, recognising the transformative power of humility in our interactions with the world.
Message of his holiness Pope Francis for the world youth day 2022-2023
My message for you, dear young people, the great message entrusted to the Church, is Jesus! Yes, Jesus himself, in his infinite love for each of us, his salvation and the new life he has bestowed upon us. Mary is our model; she shows us how to welcome this immense gift into our lives, to share it with others, and thus to bring Christ, his compassionate love and his generous service to our deeply wounded humanity.
Challenge for this week: Are we attentive in our conversations?
Mary and Elizabeth invite us to embrace a spirit of spiritual dialogue. Let us commit, not just for this week but every week, to be mindful of our conversations. Let us engage in discussions about God and share the transformative work He is doing in our lives.
Reflection 2
Mary, the First Evangelizer
It is the Gospel of Saint Luke that recounts for us so many details of Mary’s life that otherwise remain untold. The Visitation is the first time that Mary publicly exercises her role as Mediator of the Son of God.
Mary generously accepted to mediate the Incarnation, placing her body at God’s disposition. She, the Mother of the Church, carries the entire Church in her womb.
The Visitation completes and confirms the angel's message and bears witness to the dynamic power of the Spirit. God’s Word becomes flesh in response to her “Yes”; Mary then hastens to take the Word to her cousin and her family. Mary becomes the messenger of God’s salvation.
The Holy Spirit is active here and in a moment of inspiration, Elizabeth acknowledges Mary’s role as mother of the Messiah and John leapt for joy in the presence of the Lord.
Mary teaches us what it means to live by faith and how to trust God despite fear and confusion.
Humility
We do not live in a world that values humility. To most of us, humility means weakness. We hunger for power, for money, for attention--anything to keep us on top.
Christmas is our journey to Bethlehem where we remember that our Lord was born in humility so that he might save us from our arrogance.
May we imitate Mary and touch the lives of people we encounter with humility and care and may we become instruments of true love and peace.
Key Points
-In Mary, the New Testament reaches out to the Old, transforms it, and gives it its ultimate significance.
-Mary brings salvation and joy to Elizabeth's house.
-With her admiring exclamation, Elizabeth invites us to appreciate all that the Virgin's presence brings as a gift to the life of every believer.
-Christians should reach out to others like Mary; otherwise, they are not fully Christians.
-Mary was so humble because she was all for God. Mary always praised God for what he had done for her.
Thought of the week
The mysteries of the rosary are based on important events in the life of Christ, including the Visitation. Through this Gospel, we are offered the opportunity to reflect on the account every time we pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
Challenge for the week - Do we pay attention to our conversations?
Mary and Elizabeth call us to be people of spiritual conversation.
Let us try this week and every week to pay attention to our conversions and talk about God and what He doing in our lives.
Lord, make me aware of the needs of others – I am so often preoccupied with my own. Teach me to look for You as you pass my way, and to recognize You in my neighbour. In all appearances, may I see You. Help me open my doors wide, and stand aside to allow a burdened passer-by to rest a while, and perhaps leave his or her sorrows and burdens there. Grant Lord, that in the depth of my soul he or she will find You, as Elizabeth found You in Mary’s womb. Amen. Gwen Simon