Luke 1:39-42
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
The Rosary is definitely my favorite prayer, hands down. Part of the allure it holds for me is that there are so many parts. Any day of the week, you’ll find a different set of mysteries.
My most treasured mysteries are the Joyous. That’s where I really feel like I can get in touch with Mary as a mother; from the joy of discovering a pregnancy,then all the way to taking the first steps toward letting her Son go.
On Wednesday, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation. Luke’s Gospel tells the beautiful story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, where Mary and Elizabeth’s conversation provides some of the basis of the Hail Mary, as well as the Magnificat.
I think of Mary’s kindness and charity, where she put her own comfort on a back burner, to go and help her cousin Elizabeth, who was also pregnant. Thinking back to the early days of all my pregnancies, I certainly wouldn’t have felt up to making a trip to stay with another mother to be.
Mary stayed with her for three months, helping Elizabeth prepare for the birth of her son John. Think about your last trimester. What greater gift could someone have done for you than to come and stay with you, helping you to get the nursery in order, making sure the laundry was caught up, preparing food and simply sharing in the joy of a new life to come? I can’t imagine anything more thoughtful.
In meditating about this mystery, I’m reminded of Mary’s genuine charity, and how I need to reset my priorities. It’s been a week full of grump around here ….. I’ve been snapping at my husband, my children, and random strangers at the grocery store.
This week, I’m going to try to focus on how I can be a little nicer to others around me, and help others out as much as I can.
What about you? Do you find it easy to be charitable? Or are you in my camp, where being charitable is a real challenge?
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