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2nd Reflection while at the airport in Italy…

We are counting down to Pentecost, and we need to reflect more closely on how hospitable we have been with our family and friends. Church members? Most of all the lovely strangers the Lord sends our way. Have we been pretentious? Have we discarded people in our lives under the guise of evolution? Saying we need to evolve and leave them behind? Can we still call ourselves Christian?

Our Blessed Mother went out of her way to visit and care for her cousin. She brought with her  the peace, love and joy of her son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ with her. Can we not do likewise to all we meet? Then like mother, we can glorify, even magnify the Lord by our lives. Amen Alleluia!


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First reading
Romans 12:9-16 ·

If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care

Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
    Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor.



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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.

I have often dwelled on the 2nd joyful mystery ‘The Visitation’ like a 3rd Party witness to it. How wonderful it is to see the exchange between our Blessed Mother and Elisabeth and to experience the joy that permeates the air. Mary our mother had brought Jesus the light of the world with her!

Can we not share a first party account of it? What do I mean? Well can we not share testimonies of bringing Jesus into the lives of others when we visited them? Can we not share the joy and healing that took place as we brought the love of Jesus with us?

When I was an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion I remember distinctly the joy on the faces of those present as I literally brought Jesus into the midst of the households I visited for homebound communion. That is why I looked forward to each and every visit even though there were trying days in which I had to battle the weather or postpone a personal engagement. On one such occasion of bringing Jesus with me for the first time to a home, the air was filled with gloom as the father lay counting down the days he would return home to our creator. However sick and worn out he felt, his face lit up as he listened to the Gospel message and later received Jesus in Holy Eucharist. Even the somewhat introverted family members, began to slowly open up on the challenges they were facing. Little did they know that our saviour was going to be very much more present this day and everyday in their lives through the community and would see them through the darkness which lay ahead. Then there was another time I responded to the desperate call by a family of church parishioners who requested for me to bring communion to their mother in the hospital, they were touched that I dropped everything to do so but most importantly their mum had an opportunity to receive Jesus physically for the last time! Jesus brought joy and forged new friendships all because we were obedient to His call. I can recall many more fond memories of such encounters during this wonderful journey in serving in this capacity.

When I left the ministry to do more and prayerfully make a difference in another, I was a little sad that I was no longer able to bring the physical presence of Jesus to those in need. It took a while before I came to the resolve that I would bring Jesus into the homes of those I visited even if it had to be in obscure and little ways. In some I would simply take the opportunity to lead in grace before meals even if it was not the norm to do so in that household, say a prayer of thanksgiving in another, an invocation for birthday blessings or prayer for healing in yet another. Otherwise I would seize every opportunity when it presented itself to speak about Jesus, the sacraments He instituted and His loving grace outpoured in my life and in the communities He has guided me to lead. Every ordinary meeting or fellowship is changed by His presence, I have witnessed hope, joy, peace, even healing take place! And now in 2020 the same has taken place even in zoom prayer meetings! Glory to You O Lord Jesus Christ!

So my dear sisters and brothers together with our Dearest Blessed Mother Mary let us bring Jesus with us everywhere we go. Amen

First reading
Song of Songs 2:8-14

See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountains
I hear my Beloved.

See how he comes
leaping on the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
See where he stands
behind our wall.
He looks in at the window,
he peers through the lattice.
My Beloved lifts up his voice,
he says to me,
‘Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
For see, winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth.
The season of glad songs has come,
the cooing of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree is forming its first figs
and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.
Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock,
in the coverts of the cliff,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.’

Gospel
Luke 1:39-45

Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

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.’