The
Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is one of my favorite feasts. On so many
levels, it speaks to my life as a cloistered
heart.
Mary
visited Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56) because she had BEEN Visited by God. She
didn't go to Elizabeth alone - she went with the Presence of Christ inside her.
As one living "cloistered for Jesus" in the midst of the world, I
carry Christ inside me as well. Not in the same unique way,
certainly. But according to Scripture and Church teaching, I indeed carry
Him within.
Mary went on a simple visit to Elizabeth.
It was an occasion that I'm sure went unnoticed by many. A woman went to
visit her kinswoman; something that happened all the time. No one would
have cried out: "look, there goes Mary on mission!" or "how
about that! This visit will be written of in the Bible!" From
the merely human perspective, it was simply a time of normal interaction
between two women, two relatives.
And so it is with us. You and I have
opportunities every single day to visit people with the presence of Christ.
In the everyday activities of life, we visit family members, neighbors, store
clerks, callers on the phone.
I find it extremely helpful when I make a
conscious effort to visit these persons with the love of Our Lord.
That is - with an awareness of Christ within me. I have found that it
makes quite a difference in my attitude when I think of things this way.
I ask myself: What might happen if I
make a conscious effort to go through today "on visitation?"
What if I first visit the
Lord in prayer, and then specifically visit every person I encounter with the
love of Christ? This does not mean I have to say or do anything that will
draw attention. It can mean that I pray a silent aspiration for the
mailman, smile at a harried store clerk, relate to family members with
patience. I might write a note to a friend, send an e-mail of
encouragement, call a lonely relative.
My visitations can be
simple and unnoticed. But as I carry the love of Christ to those
around me, it just might be that Heaven will rejoice.
This is a repost from the archives of 5/31/17.
