Very soon after Mary gave her consent to God to become the Mother of his Son, Jesus, she begins her missionary life as his first disciple, and visits her cousin, Elizabeth.
Bringing Christ to others is the core of the feast we celebrate today, the Visitation. Elizabeth’s response to the visit ,and the response of the child within her womb is the fruit of credible discipleship. Luke’s Gospel tell us:
“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.'”
Mary was the first to receive Christ, and she spent her life bringing Christ to others, and others to Christ. This continues to be the special ministry of Mary even today. Elizabeth and her child demonstrate the result of receiving Christ, his message, and his disciples; JOY.
On this feast of the Blessed Mother, we recall that through Christ, we have become his adopted brothers and sisters, making Mary our Mother. As Elizabeth, Mary brings Christ to us, and us to Christ that we may experience the true joy of believers.
Now, Mary’s work of discipleship is ours. Let us joyfully bring Christ to others and others to Christ, that they may know the joy of salvation!
+pde
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