The Second Joyful Mystery
Mary’s Visit to St. Elizabeth
1. When the Angel told Mary that she had been chosen to be the Mother
of God, he proceeded to reveal also the imminent birth of the Precursor
of Jesus Christ. Her cousin, Elizabeth, he told her, who had been
sterile for such a long time, would soon have the joy of bearing a son.
When the Blessed Virgin heard this good news, she set out for a long and
difficult journey to congratulate her cousin.
The devout soul is
always motivated by charity and pays no attention to difficulties or
obstacles because the grace of God possesses it completely. We also have
received, and continue to receive, many graces from our Creator. We
were nothing, and God gave us being. We were in darkness, and He gave us
the light of faith. We were slaves of sin, and Jesus Christ broke the
bonds in which the devil held us and gave us the freedom of the children
of God. We were exiles on this earth and God became our companion and
our guide. We hungered for the supernatural, and He nourished us with
the divine Bread in which He gave Himself to us completely.
2.
But are we as grateful to God as we ought to be! Do we correspond with
His graces? Are we prepared to make any sacrifice in order to share with
others the gift with which He has enriched us?
Let us remember that gratitude is a virtue which is very pleasing to God and draws down on us other graces and gifts.
In his panegyric on Trajan the younger Pliny observes that the best
means of soliciting new favours is to show gratitude for those which we
have already received. On the other hand, as St. Bernard points out,
ingratitude is like a scorching wind which dries up the dew of divine
mercy. (Sermon 52 in Cant.) Let us be grateful to God, therefore, and do
our best to share with others the gifts which we have received.
3. As soon as Mary entered her cousin’s house, Elizabeth was inspired by
the Holy Spirit and felt the infant in her womb leaping with joy in the
presence of Jesus and His Mother. “Blessed are thou among women,” she
cried out, “and blessed is the fruit of thy womb! And how have I
deserved that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:42-43)
Then the Blessed Virgin in her joy and gratitude gave utterance to the
Magnificat. This expression of her happiness was interwoven, however,
with sentiments of deep humility.
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; Because he has regarded the
humility of his handmaid; for, behold, henceforth all generations shall
call me blessed; Because he who is mighty has done great things to me,
and holy is his name; And his mercy is from generation to generation on
those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, he has scattered
the proud in the conceit of their heart. He has put down the mighty from
their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with
good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has given help to
Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy – Even as he spoke to our
fathers – to Abraham and to his posterity forever.” (Luke 1:46-55)
If at that moment they could have heard the words of this poor and
unknown girl, what would the mighty Emperor Caesar Augustus, or the
petty king, Herod, have said? Yet history is there to demonstrate the
astounding truth of these prophetic words. Generations of yesterday and
of today have bowed in reverence before this simple maiden, while one
after another rulers have been tumbling from their thrones. Let us
honour the Blessed Virgin also and learn from her to love humility and
holiness.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to deletion if they are not germane. I have no problem with a bit of colourful language, but blasphemy or depraved profanity will not be allowed. Attacks on the Catholic Faith will not be tolerated. Comments will be deleted that are republican (Yanks! Note the lower case 'r'!), attacks on the legitimacy of Pope Francis as the Vicar of Christ (I know he's a material heretic and a Protector of Perverts, and I definitely want him gone yesterday! However, he is Pope, and I pray for him every day.), the legitimacy of the House of Windsor or of the claims of the Elder Line of the House of France, or attacks on the legitimacy of any of the currently ruling Houses of Europe.