31 May 2022 - Homily for the Feast of Visitation of the Virgin Mary – Luke 1:39-56

      This year, in between the two joyful Easter season celebrations of the Ascension of the Lord and Pentecost, which both involve the sending of the Holy Spirit, we celebrate the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth today.   In today’s celebration, we look at the way the Angel Gabriel and the Spirit of the Lord were at work in the lives of Mary and Elizabeth.  But, the Visitation is an important event not only in the lives of these two women, but also in the history of salvation.  The Angel Gabriel telling the Virgin Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was with child was a prophetic sign validating all that the Angel communicated to Mary in the annunciation, which we celebrate on March 25 in our liturgical calendar.  In the Visitation, Mary takes off in haste to the mountainous countryside around Jerusalem to visit her Elizabeth, a journey of several days.

     As John the Baptist leaps in Elizabeth’s womb in the presence of Mary, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, announces Mary to be blessed among all women.  Mary responds in a radical song of joy, the Magnificat.  She does not speak out of pride or power or arrogance, but rather out of humility and poverty.  She sees herself as a servant who has been looked upon favorably by God in her humility and lowliness.  Mary’s song of joy foreshadows Jesus’ life and ministry, of Jesus’ love and compassion for the poor, the outcasts, and the marginalized of the world.  The Magnificat show as a way in which we can approach the world and approach our faith. The Magnificat that Mary proclaims reflects the joy that both Mary and Elizabeth felt in their visit.  At its heart, the Visitation is a visit between two women, one young & the other older in years, who both received a treasure from God in a life-altering, miraculous way. By sharing this treasured moment from God with each other, perhaps Mary and Elizabeth are able to break through any feelings of fear or isolation that may have been lingering in their minds. This moment they share together influenced the history of salvation, and in many ways, their act of sharing and their act of community, helps God’s graces work in their lives and in the lives of so many to follow. 

     I would like to close by saying that the feast of the Visitation this year marks the 14th year of my ordination to the priesthood.  This feast brings back a lot of memories. I am thankful for Bishop Latino and Bishop Kopacz for giving the opportunity to serve in the Diocese of Jackson, sharing in their ministry.  I try to do so each day with humility and joy.