The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast) ~ 31 May, 2014

In this feast, we celebrate the visitation of the Mother of God, with the child Jesus in her womb, to her cousin Elizabeth, who was herself six months' pregnant with the forerunner of Christ, Saint John the Baptist which is the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. Thus, we celebrate the Annunciation on 25 March and the birth of Saint John the Baptist on 24 June, which is three months apart as the liturgical calendar revision authorized by Pope Paul VI.

This feast centres on Mary responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to set out on a mission of charity where we recall the Blessed Virgin carrying her Son within her and visiting Elizabeth to offer charitable assistance and to proclaim the mercy of God.”. In its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) , #57, the Second Vatican Council states: “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.” (cf. Lk 1:41-45)

And during the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, where John leaps in his mother’s womb recognizing joyfully the presence of Christ, is already anticipating his role as precursor of the Messiah. 

Pope John Paul II in Redemptoris Mater, #14, offers and inspiring account of Mary’s faith. “To believe means to abandon oneself to the truth of the word of the living God, knowing and humbly recognizing ‘how unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways’ (Romans 11:33). Mary, who by the eternal will of the Most High stands, one may say, at the very centre of those inscrutable judgements of God, conforms herself to them in the dim light of faith, accepting fully and with a ready heart everything that is decreed in the divine plan.” 

Faith means to say “amen” (so be it) to the word, the command, and the promises of God.

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, 

Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. 

And when she saw King David leaping and dancing 

before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

~ * ~ 2 Samuel 6:16 ~ * ~

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, 

the baby leaped in her womb, 

and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

~ * ~ Luke 1:41 ~ * ~

Saturday, 31 May, 2014
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast)

Reading

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
39	In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,
40	and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth.
41	And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
42	and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43	And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44	For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.
45	And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
46	And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47	and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48	for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
49	for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50	And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
51	He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
52	he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;
53	he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
54	He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55	as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
56	And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.