Word to the Wise
Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - May 31 - Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
[Zeph 3:14-18a or Rom 12:9-16 and Luke 1:39-56]WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 2017. 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." [Luke] The Visitation scene is one of the most charming in the New Testament. Two women with unexpected (miraculous) pregnancies come together in a scene filled with all kinds of human and divine significance. Purely on a human level, Mary makes a trip to see and assist her cousin Elizabeth who is pregnant in "old age." But as soon as MAry is in sight, the theology "kicks in" (literally) with both Elizabeth's and John the Baptist's (from inside) acknowledgment of Jesus .inside Mary. Thus, from the very beginning of the Gospel According to Luke, Jesus is placed above John the Baptist. Then comes the "Magnificat," (the Canticle of Mary), which is almost a summation of the whole plan of salvation as foretold in the Old Testament. God intervenes in human history through the cooperation of Mary whose soul "proclaims the greatness of the Lord." Mary is presented as a proclaiming disciple. Later Christian reflection will consider her as the "model of the Church." No matter which "level" we use to reflect on this scene, whether it be simply the joy of two new mothers-to-be or the interaction of the offspring inside or the broad salvific character of the Canticle, we come away with gratitude for the event and the evangelist, Luke, who preserved this tradition in his gospel. AMEN
config
view
logs
3840.0 KB
119 ms
4
