Word to the Wise
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Zephaniah 3:14-18A or Romans 12:9-16 and Luke 1:39-56]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.
The compassionate journey of Mary to the hill country to visit her elderly pregnant cousin, Elizabeth, is an action that alone preaches eloquently about Mary as a person. However, the occasion gives rise to what tradition knows as The Magnificat. This canticle of praise really is about the fact that Jesus' birth to an insignificant woman in a small town represents God's promise to care for the poor. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visits her cousin and serves as a means of preaching much of the message of the Gospel of Luke! It is important not to overpoliticize this hymn because God's agenda is not necessarily a political one even if it is revolutionary! At the same time, we are challenged throughout the Gospel of Luke to understand the danger that wealth and prosperity bring. The Magnificat is a glorious way of assuring us that God's promises are firm and sure. Amidst the powerful revelation that this event contains is the meeting of the two expectant women, neither of whom expected to be pregnant. God is a God of surprises and the birth of the two sons of these women would change the course of history. God has visited God's people and continues through the Holy Spirit to visit. Like Elizabeth, we can recognize this visitation with joy and hope! AMEN