Holy
Rosary Month - Day 9: Joyful Mysteries 2
The
Visitation: In
the second joyful mystery we meditate on the
visitation of Mary.
Angel Gabriel’s salutation was, “Rejoice, highly favored one! The Lord is with
you.” (Lk 1:28) This mystery indeed manifests clearly Mary’s joy of having
Jesus; she really experiences that the Lord is with her. In her magnificat she
shouts for joy and sings, “My spirit rejoices in God my savior.” (Lk 1:47) Let
us also join in her great happiness. Even the child John in Elizabeth’s womb
takes part in this joy; “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant
leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with Holy Spirit.” (Lk 1:41) This joy
becomes double in gratitude if we remember the sufferings and lamentations of
the Israelites of Assyrian (721BC) and Babylonian (587 BC) exiles and their
prayerful expectation for a Messiah. What the Psalter hoped centuries ago;
“Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy,” (Ps 126:5) has been fulfilled
now.
The
expression of Mary’s joy is climaxed in her journey to Elizabeth’s house;
“During those days Mary set out and travelled to the hill country in haste to a
town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zachariah and greeted Elizabeth.”
(Lk 1:39, 40) The inner joy of Mary is expressed obviously in her hurried
journey. Whom is she going to visit? She is going to visit her kinswoman
Elizabeth who is now rejoicing in her old age with the beautiful thanksgiving prayer,
“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my
disgrace before others.” (Lk 1:25) The moment of their meet imparts to us
indeed a heavenly joy. Both of them filled with the Holy Spirit greet each
other with inner joy. In rendering timely service to Elizabeth, Mary was doing
justice to her accompanied by genuine peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. St.
Paul says, “The kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17)
Prayer:
Oh Mary, mother
of Jesus! We come to you for your maternal help and protection. Mary our mother
and guide, help us to understand the meaning of being joyful and service-minded
in our daily life. In this holy mystery we specially pray for those who render
their selfless service to the society in Jesus name that they continue to do it
with the joy of the Gospel. Let them be filled with the real spirit of Christian
fraternity through the intercession of holy Mary. Amen!
Greetings:
Wish you all a nice and blissful Marian Thursday!
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