The feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on 31 May. Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation, whom God had blessed with a son in her old age. She greeted her cousin Elizabeth, and at the sound of her voice, John the Baptist quickened in his mother's womb and leapt for joy. In virtue of Mary's salutation, Saint John received the grace of the Divine Spirit which sanctified him: 'When the Blessed Virgin saluted Elizabeth, the voice of the salutation, entering her ears, descended to the child, and by its virtue he received the Holy Spirit.' Saint John the Baptist was cleansed from sin in his mother's womb. It reminds us of the joy of the Blessed Virgin in bearing our Saviour, Jesus. Mary's charity is not less in the present than at the time of her Visitation. She ever eager now to promote the happiness and console the sorrows of those who come to her for help. Mary’s service for Elizabeth by her visit remains a model for the Christian who wishes to meet Christ in daily life. God speaks to us through others. We come to know God and his saving plan through people in the Christian community. Mary’s faith, which is praised by Elizabeth, draws her to the dignity of being the Mother of Jesus and still greater to being a true disciple of the Lord. Faith was not easier for her than for us.
Mary is the Treasurer of all Divine Graces;
therefore,
whoever desires Graces must have recourse to Mary;
and he who has recourse to Mary
may be certain of obtaining the Graces he desires.
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.
Prayer
Vouchsafe, O Lord, we beseech Thee, unto us Thy servants the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that, as in the childbirth of the Blessed Virgin our salvation began, so from the votive solemnity of her visitation we may obtain an increase of peace. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Luke 1:39-56
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
“This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death; first when Mary, arising in haste to go to visit Elizabeth, is greeted by her as blessed because of her belief in the promise of salvation and the precursor leaped with joy in the womb of his mother.” as stated in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) , #57, of the Second Vatican Council.
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast)
Reading 1
| Zephaniah 3: 14 - 18 | |
| 14 | Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! |
| 15 | The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. |
| 16 | On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. |
| 17 | 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 |
| 18 | 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 | |
| 9 | Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; |
| 10 | love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. |
| 11 | Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. |
| 12 | Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. |
| 13 | Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. |
| 14 | Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. |
| 15 | Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. |
| 16 | Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. |
Psalm
| Isaiah 12: 2 - 6 | |
| 2 | "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." |
| 3 | With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. |
| 4 | And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted. |
| 5 | "Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. |
| 6 | Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel." |
Gospel
Luke 1: 39 - 56 (view above)
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