Dec 2 Sat
The Virgin Mary greeted Elizabeth and John the Baptist jumped for joy in his mother's womb.
Elizabeth was astounded when she discovered the great mystery that had taken place in Mary and she exclaimed: "Blessed art thou among women!" The Holy Spirit flooded her with light, for only in this way could she see what was hidden; no one else either learned of it or was able to guess its meaning because it could be understood only by supernatural means.
Almost immediately we see the first result: Elizabeth was filled with admiration and gratitude for the honor which had been accorded her, for the woman who visited her was not simply Mary, but "the Mother of my Lord," a fact manifested to her when she felt how John was sanctified in her womb.
When the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth with this grace, she praised Mary's faith: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
St Augustine resisted his conversion: “Later on!” he would answer. Until one day God sought him, “pushed” him and he surrendered to Him.
But Mary, the humblest of creatures, was full of grace. She did not understand completely: the mystery remained a mystery; but she believed in God and in His power. She believed without hesitation what God communicated to her through Gabriel; she did not ask for visible signs, poor proofs that we so often beg for. She surrendered to God.
This is faith: to answer the Lord with promptness and generosity.
Life is like a game of treasure hunt. One finding gives us a clue to the next site, and to the next…at the end we find the treasure.
Our treasure is Christ. The road to it is the fulfillment of God’s Will.
The clues may be a sickness, suffering, a friend, a sudden light in prayer. Our Lady took seriously the clues, and mediated on them in her heart.
Our resolutions:
- To examine in our prayer, from God’s perspective, whatever happens around us, this is supernatural outlook.
- To greet the Lord in the tabernacle, and “live” the Mass intensely.
- To say aspirations, like “Lord, increase my faith!”
The flower we offer today, a Lady-Slipper ‘Our Lady's Slipper’, is a symbol of Mary's Visitation trip to Elizabeth, thus, of her faith.
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