Friday, May 31, 2019

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings for Today

Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:41b-43

What an honor it would be to have our Blessed Mother, the mother of Jesus, come to us for a visit. Elizabeth was keenly aware of this honor and, as a result, she cried out in an inspired way acknowledging that fact.

Though this was a unique gift given to Elizabeth, to have the mother of her Lord come to her, we must understand that we are all equally blessed by the opportunity to daily invite the presence of the Mother of God into our lives.

Mother Mary is the Queen of all Saints, but she is also the Queen of all sinners and Queen of those striving for holiness. She is the Mother of All the Living and the Mother of the Church. In God’s providence, she continues to carry out her unique role of visiting those in need on a daily basis. She does so in a way that is far more profound and transformative than in the case of Elizabeth. Mother Mary’s visits to us, her children, now takes place in the order of grace.

What does it mean when we say that our Blessed Mother visits us in the order of grace? It means that our relationship with her is based on the divine will and plan of God. It means we are able to have a relationship with her by which she communicates to us countless mercies from her Son. It means that she becomes the most powerful mediatrix of grace for us that the world has ever known. It means that the effect she has in our lives is deep, profound, transformative and intimately personal.

The difficult part about a relationship with our Blessed Mother is that it must take place on a spiritual and interior level rather than on a physical and exterior one. However, even though this is the case, we should not think that this means we are less capable of knowing her and loving her. In fact, the relationship we are now able to have with our Blessed Mother by grace is far deeper and more profound than the relationship Elizabeth was able to have with her on account of the Visitation.

Reflect, today, upon your relationship with the Mother of God. She visited Elizabeth long ago and now desires to visit your soul so as to bring you the grace and mercy of her Son. Seek to establish this beautiful relationship with her in the order of grace. Invite her in, listen to her, be open to the grace she brings to you and rejoice with Elizabeth that the mother of your Lord would come to you.

Dearest Mother Mary, I love you and consecrate my life to You, trusting in your motherly care and mediation. Help me, dear Mother, to be open to all that you desire to bring to me from your Son, Jesus. I am honored and humbled that you would care for me and desire to bring to me the mercy of the Heart of your Son Jesus. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

More Gospel Reflections

Divine Mercy Reflections

Further Reading – Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Prayers to our Blessed Mother