He lifts up the lowly

Gospel of the Day (Luke 1:39-56)

During those days 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 upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.

He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.

***

Reflections:

"He lifts up the lowly"

It was right that the Virgin should be associated with her Son in all that regards our salvation. Just as she gave him a share in her flesh and blood... so she shared all his suffering and pain... She was the first to be conformed to the death of the Saviour in a death like his (Rom 6,5) and that is why, before all others, she shared his resurrection. Indeed, when the Son had shattered the tyranny of hell, hers was the happiness of seeing him risen and hearing his greeting, and she accompanied him, insofar as she was able, until his departure into heaven. After his ascension, she occupied the place among the apostles and his other disciples left empty by the Saviour... Was not this position more fitting for his mother than for any other?

Yet it was necessary that this most holy soul should be separated from its most sacred body. Having left it, she was united to the soul of her Son: created light united to light without beginning. And after her body had remained some time on earth, it, too, was carried up to heaven. For indeed it was right that it should follow the same path the Saviour had traversed, that it should shine out before the living and the dead, sanctify nature in all things and then receive the place that belonged to it. And so, for a short while, the tomb gave her shelter, then heaven received this new earth, this spiritual body, our life's treasure, more worthy than the angels, more holy than the archangels. The throne was restored to the king, paradise to the tree of life, the world to the light, the tree to its fruit, the Mother to the Son: she was wholly worthy of all this since it was she who bore him.

O blessed one! Who could find words to express the benefits you received from the Lord or those you poured out on all humankind?... Only on high can your wonders shine out, in that «new heaven» and «new earth» (Rev 21,1) where shines that Sun of justice (Mal 3,20) the darkness neither follows nor precedes. The Lord himself proclaims your wonders while the angels sing your praise.

Source: Daily Gospel