Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red

Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament

Province of Saint Ann

St Ann Crown red
Eymard stained glass window

Daily Eucharistic Reflections

May 31, 2023

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in Nazareth, she was told her elderly cousin, Elizabeth was already six months pregnant. Mary “traveled to the hill country in haste” to Ein Karem, near Jerusalem and approximately 90 miles from Mary’s hometown – not an easy journey for young Mary, who realized her cousin needed help during the last trimester of her pregnancy.

Upon the arrival of Mary at the home of Zachariah and Elizabeth, Mary greets her cousin, and Jesus causes John the Baptist to leap with joy while both are hidden in the wombs of their mothers! What a beautiful image of 2 infants developing in separate wombs, yet connecting by the strength of the Holy Spirit. Let’s take a moment and ponder the simplicity and power of this as it is the first encounter of Jesus with John the Baptist.

Old Testament prophecy and New Testament fulfillment came together at that point in history. Therefore, Mary is united in the Old and the New Covenant, as she is hailed as the “Ark of the Covenant.”

Filled with grace, Mary served her older cousin, possibly preparing meals, keeping the home tidy, and helping organize for the arrival of the new baby, John the Baptist. Although there are no official records of how these first-time mothers spent their time, we might assume they shared a special bond as expectant moms with conversations of hopes and prayers for their unborn babies. These months together show Mary as a faithful handmaid of the Lord, a model of genuine spiritual service.

Saint Peter Julian Eymard wrote, “Mary lived in the divine Eucharist, the center of her love. All her thoughts, words, and actions sprang from It like the rays from the sun. The Eucharist was the oracle which she consulted, the grace which she followed.”

Prayer:

Almighty ever-living God, who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb, inspired her to visit Elizabeth, grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit, we may magnify your greatness with the Virgin Mary at all times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen. (Collect)

 

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We are a Catholic religious congregation of priests, deacons and brothers whose mission is to share the riches of God’s love manifested in the Eucharist.

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