Joyful Service

May 31, 2025 Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Daily Readings: Zephaniah 3: 14-18; Luke 1: 39-56

Mary’s immediate journey of 80 miles from Nazareth to Judea after the Annunciation exemplifies selflessness and urgency in serving others. Her haste to serve inspires acts of kindness, the sharing of joy, and the proclamation of God’s work. Genuine love of God proves itself in genuine love of neighbor.

Mary conceives Jesus at the Annunciation and brings Him to us at the Visitation. Her journey from Nazareth to the town of Judea becomes the first secret, sacred, and quiet Corpus Christi procession. Mary carries the Most Holy One into the house of Zechariah. There, John is sanctified in the womb of his mother and filled with the Holy Spirit. It is Jesus, dwelling below the heart of Mary, who works this miracle. The Gospel explicitly tells us, “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb.”

The mystery of the Visitation is more than merely the joyful meeting of Mary and Elizabeth. As they embrace one another, Jesus and John also embrace spiritually from within the womb.

Elizabeth goes a step further and says, “Blessed are you among women.” Her humility allows her to recognize and rejoice in God’s marvelous works in others. This teaches us to celebrate life and the countless blessings we receive.

Finally, the Magnificat is a bold proclamation of God’s justice and mercy. Mary does not stop at praising God for the graces bestowed on her alone; she remembers all that the Lord has done — bringing down the powerful from their thrones and lifting up the lowly, filling the hungry with good things and sending the rich away empty.

Call to Action for Catholic Living:

• Respond to the needs of others, like Mary, with joy.
• Let the spirit of the Magnificat compel you to engage with issues of poverty, inequality, and the dignity of the oppressed and marginalized.