Do You Reflect Joy?

~~~ Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary ~~~
~~~ Zephaniah 3:14-18A ~~~
~~~ Psalm Isiah 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6 ~~~ Luke 1:39-56 ~~~ 

Be glad and exult with all your heart, 
O daughter Jerusalem!

Today we commemorate the Visitation.
Mary joyfully makes the journey to visit
 her senior cousin, Elizabeth.

Mary was so filled with joy
 after learning she was to be the mother of her Lord,
she could not resist sharing it with Elizabeth.
She could only imagine how much joy Elizabeth
 was experiencing with her own pregnancy.

Under normal circumstances Elizabeth
 would have been to old to conceive a child.
God had everything under control.
He needed John the Baptist to be born before Jesus.
John was chosen to be the last prophet.

Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

The spirit of God was residing within
 the womb of Elizabeth, in her son.

Mary went out to embrace Elizabeth.
Sometimes a hug speaks volumes to the other person.

Elizabeth eagerly greeted Mary with words
 of honor and praise.

Today when we use the word visitation
we are usually referring to the rights
 of divorced parents to see their children.

Sometimes the visitations are even supervised.

Prisoners get visitation rights.
It is a part of the rehabilitation process.

You have most likely visited a funeral home
during the visitation to express your sympathy
 to the family members.

The first definition of visitation is
an official, formal visit...
the appearance of a divine or
supernatural being.

The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
might not have been a 'formal' visit,
but it was a visit of a divine being...Jesus...
being carried in the womb of Mary.

Elizabeth received a visit
from the young mother, Mary,
 carrying Jesus...
a visitation from God.

Mary models for us the true meaning of joy.
She also teaches us to how to express and celebrate joy.

Blessed to have the Blessed Mother Mary
to teach us true joy.

Let your mind, body, heart, and soul
reflect the joy of the Lord.

~~~Peace~~~