The Mighty One Has Done Great Things For Me
May 31, 2012
Feast of the Visitation of the blessed
Virgin Mary
The Lord your God is in your midst a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you as one sings at festivals. Zephaniah 3:17-18
He
has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the
strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has
cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. Luke 160:-52
Piety
A Modern-Day Magnificat By Kristen
Wisen
I cannot
keep silent any longer. From deep within, my soul is bursting with praise and
awe for my Lord and Savior. For He has taken notice of His humble servant and
because of Him, I shall be remembered as a blessed woman!
Why? you
ask. Because He has done incredible things for me. Yes, for simple, lowly,
humble me. And all I can do is lift high His holy name.
It’s not
just for me either. For generations He has provided mercy for those who fear
Him. Oh, yes, He has done mighty deeds through the ages – do you remember
Babel? He scattered those people who were so very proud of their
accomplishments. And do you remember the time He caused Nebuchadnezzar to crawl
on all fours and eat grass? Yes, He takes rulers off their thrones and replaces
them with the humble.
He fills
the hungry with good things, and sends the rich away with nothing – just like
His provision for young David and His discipline of King Saul.
And
today, He has answered the prayers of the fathers through the ages. He has
remembered His people and He has granted us mercy. And just as He promised
Abraham that all the nations of the world would be blessed through Him, today
He has kept that promise.
And for
some reason, He decided to include me in the plan…All glory be to God.
Study
Today we mark Mary's visit to her cousin and Jesus' in-the-womb's first
encounter with John. This is one
of the precious and few episodes for Mary's life with which we have an
historical account. It also is one we celebrate weekly in the Joyful
Mysteries of the Rosary.
Luke notes that Mary traveled "in
haste" but then stayed for three months, not in any hurry to go home.
She might have been right at home in today's society filled with rush
hours, delayed departures, TSA screenings, and everything that makes us rush
around only to be told to wait.
Makes you wonder how one traveled in
haste from Nazareth to the hill country of Judah? On a swift-footed steed
of a mule?
Mary was quite the trekker. The few
stories we have of her life involved traveling. After this trip, we know she
went home eventually and then traveled for the census from Nazareth to
Bethlehem. Then, on to Egypt. Then, back to Palestine. She was
there again at Cana for the wedding feast prompting Jesus to get busy.
Ultimately she was by the side of Jesus from the manager to the cross
while He was busy taking our sins onto his back.
Action
To where have you traveled recently?
Have your adventures taken you down the hallway or as close as the neighbor
next door or as far away as another state or country? We just got back from New
Orleans for a visitation to our daughter Sarah.
New Orleans puts you on sensory overload. The city is most known for its music and food. But your sense of hearing and tastes are not the only senses that get a workout. The heat, the smells, the street sounds, the grit and the grime press on you from every direction. Sometimes there are crowds. Sometimes there are no people just potholes. The Monsignor preaching from the clamshell pulpit at St. Louis Cathedral. The lines of people waiting for an overpriced and cup of cafe au lair at CDM. The barefoot airport gate-seekers wandering aimlessly while aiming for C19 or D4 by way of the snaking lines of TSA.
Do you travel with a purpose like Mary?
As you prepare for summer, how can you practice the holy hospitality that Elizabeth
and Zechariah shared with Mary? How can you in the present moment help
your host and hostess prepare for the blessings of their future?
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