Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“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.

When we follow our Father’s commandments, we are blessed. When we listen to what Jesus teaches us through his life, we are blessed. When we believe what God tells us through the Holy Spirit, we become blessed. We are surrounded by opportunities for blessing every day of our lives and the more we are open to these opportunities, the more we grow in faith, hope, and love. Mary is a great model of how to live a blessed life, a life that proclaims the greatness of the Lord and rejoices in God, our Savior. She shows us through her words and works what it truly means to humbly trust in God and to know, love, and serve Him with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths. This is why we call Mary blessed and if we wish to be blessed too, then we ought to surrender ourselves to the Lord, recognize the great things He has done for us, and always keep holy His Name.

Do we believe in the commandments of the Father and the teachings of Christ? Do we keep ourselves open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the opportunities God presents us? How can our lives better proclaim the greatness of the Lord and rejoice in our Savior?

O Lord, we believe in you and want only to be your lowly servant.

Amen.