Today’s Gospel Text: In
those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of
Judah, 40 and she entered the house
of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And
when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and
she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed
is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted
me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For
behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb
leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the
Lord." 46 And Mary said, "My soul
magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in
God my Savior,
48 for he has regarded the
low estate of his handmaiden. For
behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has
done great things for me, and
holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on those
who fear him from
generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with
his arm, he
has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, 52 he has put down the mighty
from their thrones, and
exalted those of low degree;
53 he has filled the hungry
with good things, and
the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped his servant
Israel, in
remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our
fathers, to
Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
56 And
Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. Luke 1:39-56
Reflection: Sometimes
it happens in families; you hear a voice and lo you do not understand why you
are irritated.
When
I say voices, I do not mean of a ghost or animal but of a beloved person of the
family and after you have let out your anger against the beloved person you
begin to brood:
“Why
do I get irritated with my mother or father or brother or sister” and in spite
of your awareness you are still at it again.
In
the same way, certain persons can make us feel guilty or ashamed or sick or
remind us of our pain.
It
is not always a negative situation with voices, likewise we could have situations when a
person could make us feel positive or at peace or more blessed or could deceive
us in our spirit as being a saintly man.
Many
a time the voice is enough to communicate the state in which a person is or bring
about a change or effect in a person.
Hence
we could have a voice that could make us feel obedient or submissive or a voice
that can put us off or a voice that can make us want to listen more and
more. I am not referring to singing,
where things are more prominent in comparison to speech.
Mary’s
voice likewise is a special voice that has been graced in the crucible of God’s
power and might and its effect is for all to see and for all generations:
For
behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb
leaped for joy. (vs. 44)
The
statement not only shows the connectivity of the child in the womb with the
mother, as proved with modern scientific research but also shows the deep union
the mother has with the child and how an external stimuli can effect a child.
The
mother can indeed become a healing instrument when she is open to the voice of
the divine, even speaking through human instruments.
The
scripture too assures us that faith which is the beginning of all healing comes
through hearing and hearing of the word of God (cfr. Rom. 10:17) and Mary is no
less God’s instrument bringing about a faith response and healing in the life of the first herald
of the gospel, John the Baptist.
Mary
pre-empts John the Baptist to be the herald of the gospel and thus even proves her faithfulness.
Prayer: Whether it is good or evil, help us to obey your voice O Lord our God. (cfr. Jer. 42:6)
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