DAILY HOMILIES #Visitation

Indeed, life is not balanced. No one has it all rosy. Virtually everyone alive today is going through something. However, we can learn from Mary’s visit to look beyond our challenges and difficulties. Let us know to place ourselves in the shoes of others. If you hear something good about others, go and visit them. If you hear something terrible, still visit them; talk to them before you start spreading the news (damaging their names).

As soon as Mary heard, she immediately put herself in Elizabeth’s shoes, she knew the old woman needed help and she ran as fast as she could to volunteer. She forgot herself, she didn’t consider that she had just become the Mother of God and was carrying the King of Kings in her womb, she ran to become a servant, a slave, an errand girl to Elizabeth. Mary was with Elizabeth for three months meaning she remained till Elizabeth delivered her baby before returning back home. If not for the fact that Mary herself was also pregnant, I am sure she would have stayed longer. Let us not be bothered with our own problems that we become blind and deaf to the cries of people around us. Learn to put yourself in other people’s shoes. Learn from Mary to humble yourself and come to the aid of people. Begin to visit people today.

Mary is that Virgin Isaiah spoke of as a sign to the people of Israel that God has finally sent them the Saviour they have been expecting. Mary’s Yes to God earned her the exalted title of “Ark of the covenant.” The first Ark contained the two stone tablets God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai while the second is Mary who carried Jesus in her womb for nine months. Just as no one could accuse the Israelites of idolatry in their treatment of the Ark, no one can accuse Christians today of idolatry for honouring the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Elizabeth was not a priest nor was she a scholar but by the Holy Spirit, she became a Dogmatic Theologian; she defined the doctrine of Mary as the Mother of God, and she began active devotion to Mary. This is why we must constantly pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

t was from Elizabeth’s mouth that we get to hear about Mary’s pregnancy. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth introduces Mary to the world as the woman who is blessed among all women. Elizabeth and Angel Gabriel gave us the prayer, “Hail Mary”.