Luke 1:39-56

Zephaniah 3:14-18a or Romans 12:9-16

Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah,

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,

cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him

in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,

he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,

and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel

for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

the promise he made to our fathers,

to Abraham and his children for ever.”

Mary remained with her about three months

and then returned to her home.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you wonderfully prepared Mary to be the mother of your Son. You preserved her from sin and she collaborated fully with your plan of salvation. Help me to see my role in your plan and collaborate with your grace as I serve others today.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Mary, the Daughter of Zion: Today’s First Reading, taken from the prophet Zephaniah, anticipates many of the words of the Angel Gabriel to Mary. Zephaniah tells the people of Israel – also called “Daughter Zion” – to rejoice, for the Lord, the king, dwells among them. Likewise, the Angel tells Mary, the daughter of Zion, to rejoice for the Lord is with her. The cause for rejoicing is that God has turned away our enemy and the day of our salvation is near. God is a mighty savior who protects us, dwells among us, rejoices over us, and renews us in his love. Zephaniah foresees the day when both God and humanity will sing joyfully of each other. On the one hand, Christ offers perfect praise and thanksgiving to God and we share in that song. On the other, God rejoices that we welcome his salvation through his only Son, who by his passion, death, and resurrection establishes the New Covenant and truly renews us, giving us a new heart and breathing within us a new spirit. The divine and human song of praise is celebrated here on earth in the liturgy, which shares in the heavenly liturgy.

2. Mary, the New Ark: In the Gospel, Mary sets out and travels seven or eight days from Nazareth and up to Jerusalem, up to the hill country of Judea. Tradition holds that the visitation took place in Ein Karem, some four miles west of Jerusalem. Mary’s journey to Judea recalls the journey of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. And this parallel helps us understand her as the New Ark of the Covenant. First, the Ark of the Covenant was the dwelling place of God among his people. It contained three things: the Ten Commandments, manna, and Aaron's staff. Mary, as the New Covenant, is the new dwelling place of God. Jesus, true God and true man. Mary's womb holds not stone tablets, but the living Word of God who will give us the New Commandment of love; she holds not centuries-old manna, but the New Manna, the living bread from heaven; she holds not the wooden staff of Aaron, which signified new life and legitimated his priesthood according to the order of Levi, but the Branch of the House of David, who will resurrect to New Life and bestow Life on those who follow him and who is the new and eternal High-priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Second, the book of Samuel tells us that the Ark was brought to the hill country of Judah and remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months. Mary travels in haste to the hill country of Judah and remained in the house of Zechariah for three months. King David danced and leaped for joy before the Ark as it was brought to Jerusalem. One thousand years later, John the Baptist leaps for joy before the New Ark, Mary, who eventually makes her way to Jerusalem and the Temple of God. Third, David shouted for joy and asked “How is it that the Ark of the Lord comes to me?” (2 Samuel 6:9) These words are repeated by Elizabeth, “How is it that the Mother of my Lord comes to me?” (Luke 1:43). The relation of Mary to the Ark of the Covenant is apparent in the Book of Revelation: John sees the Ark of the Covenant in heaven and immediately after sees the sign of the woman also in heaven (Revelation 11:19-12:1).

3. Mary, the New Hannah: Another connection between today’s Gospel and the Old Testament is found in Mary’s Magnificat. Mary’s song is a hymn of praise similar to that of Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1-10). Hannah praises God who is victorious and who cares for the poor, the hungry, and the barren. She recalls that God guards his faithful and prays that he strengthen his king. Mary praises God in three ways: for what he has done for her, for what he does for the poor and humble, and, finally, for his faithfulness to his covenant. In her canticle, Mary shows that she understands a very deep truth – that salvation will come through the birth, life, and mission of her Son in relation to the covenant God made with Abraham. God spared Abraham’s son, Isaac, but did not spare his only Son so that we could be saved from our sins and enter into communion with him. Today we rejoice with John the Baptist that our Lord has come to visit us. We sing with Mary that God raises the humble and casts down the prideful. We praise God for his faithful and merciful love. We venerate Mary on this day and, with Elizabeth, call her blessed for all generations. She is blessed because she believed in the fulfillment of God’s word (see Luke 1:45).

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your mother was truly wonderful in the way she served others and cared for them. Help me to imitate her example and be attentive to the needs of others. Let me give myself without reserve as a humble servant.

Living the Word of God: Am I willing to dedicate my time to the service of others like Mary? What can I concretely do today to serve my family? Is there an area of the house I could clean? Is there a neighbor who needs help with their yard work? Do I hasten to alleviate the sufferings of other people?