The Feast of the Visitation of Our Lady | Wednesday 31 May 2023

Today is Wednesday the 31st of May, the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady.

Nóirín Ní Riain sings the Magnificat, the song of Mary: “My soul glorifies the Lord. My Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. He looks on his servant in her lowliness. Henceforth, all ages will call me blessed.” As I listen, can I sense the Lord looking on me in my lowliness, and can I rejoice in him and in all that he does for me?

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Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 1:39-45

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.

This story is set just after the time when Mary has been told that she is to bear a son. Can you imagine her going “with haste” to see Elizabeth? What is going on in Mary’s heart?

We hear Elizabeth calling Mary “the mother of my Lord”. What significance does this have to you?

“Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit”. Take a moment to savour the effect of the Holy Spirit in this passage… what stands out to you?

Now listen as the passage is read again and ask if the phrase “blessed is she who believed” speaks to you today.

Finally, close this time of prayer by savouring anything that stays with you from today’s reflection time. What would you like to say to the Lord about it?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.