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Gospel Reading for May 31, 2025 – Luke 1: 39-56
IN HASTE
Feast of the Visitation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
And Mary said:
“My soul proclaims the greatness
of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in
God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor
on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations
will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done
great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
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.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.”
Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
————
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. She went IN HASTE to a hill country (travel would not have been easy) after she learned from the angel Gabriel at the Anunciation that Elizabeth was six months on the family way. Why did she go IN HASTE? Probably because Elizabeth was in her old age and was known to be barren, therefore, it was a great manifestion of the power and love of God, and Elizabeth would be in need of a lot of help having to give birth at an old age and for the first time.
Mary was probably so overwhelmed that she proclaimed her Magnificat.
The Church calls Mary the first disciple of Jesus not only because her “yes” to be the mother of Jesus made her first, but because she had the attributes of a TRUE CHRISTIAN even before Jesus was born. No wonder, God chose her to be the mother of his Son.
To be IN HASTE when someone is in need is TRULY VERY CHRISTIAN. Did Elizabeth ask her to come and help? No. When we see someone in need, should the person ask us for help before we give it?
Mary, O Mary! Teach us to be like you in your Christian ways!
