The Eucharistic Gospel Reading for The Visitation
“And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1: 46 to 48)
Today our Church remembers the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth in Chapter 1 of the Gospel according to Luke. Mary humbles herself as did Hannah in chapter 2 of 1st Samuel: “Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God;” (1st Samuel 2:1).
These women set for us an example of getting out of God’s way and instead making one’s self useful for God. Half of our population can’t conceive and bear children (we are men). Not even all women can. But that does not stop us from devoting ourselves to God’s will.
Perhaps it is the lowliness of his servant that creates the space for God to enter our souls and move our spirits. We can learn from this. We need to have more down-time in order to sit and just ponder about God, God who brought us into being with love and then rested.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Palestine and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, through whom all life is made and maintained, please be evermore present in our souls and spirits making us both aware, and eternally thankful, for your promises and guidance in our lives. Amen.
onewhoponders 