Just a few days ago as a fellow sister in Christ and I went over to the home of a dear sister who is migrating to another country in a month or so. When she saw us at her doorstep her face lit up and greeted us with joy, then we briefly embraced in a warm hug. In that moment I recalled the visitation of our Blessed Mother to her cousin’s Elisabeth’s home; how when Elisabeth heard our Blessed Mother’s greeting St John the Baptist leapt for joy in his mother’s womb. We were there visiting after all to do the 7th Sunday of Easter reflections and so in a sense we too brought Jesus with us. Our intention was to magnify Him in our reflections, to deepen our relationship with Him and one another; And to go on thereafter glorifying Him by our lives!
How many of us would have looked upon this as an opportunity to bring Christ Jesus our Lord with us? Wherever we go? Are we willing to sacrifice our time? To bring Jesus with us when we journey to a Church meeting, community prayer meeting, Ministry meeting, when we visit our aged parents, a home for the aged and sick, Children’s home, Hospice even to a wake. If we are not willing to do so then how are magnifying the Lord by our lives?
When was the last time you brought the joy of our risen Lord with you to someone’s home?
Come dwell in me Lord Jesus Christ as I live my life for You. Amen Alleluia!
First reading
Zephaniah 3:14-18 ·
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst
Shout for joy, daughter of Zion,
Israel, shout aloud!
Rejoice, exult with all your heart,
daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has repealed your sentence;
he has driven your enemies away.
The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;
you have no more evil to fear.
When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:
Zion, have no fear,
do not let your hands fall limp.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a victorious warrior.
He will exult with joy over you,
he will renew you by his love;
he will dance with shouts of joy for you
as on a day of festival.
Gospel
Luke 1:39-56
The Almighty has done great things for me
Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
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