How encouraging the greeting of Elizabeth must have been to Mary. 24After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. ', 46 And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. The naming of the child John and Zechariahs recovery from his loss of speech should be understood as fulfilling the angels announcement to Zechariah in Lk 1:13, 20. Both of the women in our Gospel today had extraordinary stories to share about God's action in their conceiving, about their faith in God's promise to them, and also about becoming mothers for the first time. His most widely known book is called: The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer. Our praise, like that of Elizabeth and Mary, should not only seek to exalt God, but also to edify those who may hear it. DAILY-HOMILY is a Catholic-based Scripture and Homily Reflections. Luke . 15for he will be great in the sight of [the] Lord. 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 62So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. The point I wish to make here is that the restrictions which the New Testament makes on women and their role in public worship are not detrimental to the spiritual life and development of women. He acted far beyond all expectation - he has sent his own 'beloved Son'.- 523 (in 'The Preparations')- 717 (in 'John, precursor, prophet and baptist')- 2676-2677 (in 'Communion with the Holy Mother of God')- 448 (in 'LORD')- 495 (in 'Mary's Divine Motherhood')- 148 (in 'Blessed is she who believed')- 722 (in 'Rejoice, you who are full of grace')- 2675 (in 'In Communion with the Holy Mother of God')- 2807 (in 'Hallowed be thy name')Got a Bible question? John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. In other words, Marys praise does not focus on the immediate blessedness of her having this child, but on the ultimate outcome of the coming of Messiah. 39-56) by informing us that Mary returned home after three months (v. 56). Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were both descendants of Aaron (v. 5), and were righteous in the sight of God (v. 6). There are many nominal Christians who are tying to live an impossible (miraculous) life, yet who have not been miraculously born again. I fear some of you may be trying to live a miraculous life, but who have not had the prerequisite new birth. May I exhort you to experience this new birth through faith in Christ this very hour. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed. Mary is a model disciple. * [1:19] I am Gabriel: the angel of the Lord is identified as Gabriel, the angel who in Dn 9:2025 announces the seventy weeks of years and the coming of an anointed one, a prince. 77 to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying, 25 'The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.'. Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. After years of infertility, God has seen fit to make her the mother of John the Baptist, the Messiahs herald, whom she is still carrying in her womb. BibleGateway+ less than $5/mo. She is a woman who grasps the Word of God, who meditates upon it, and who is obedient to it, both in its imperatives and in its inferences. Six months later, Gabriel appeared to Mary, indicating to her that she would be the mother of Israels Messiah. 60but his mother said in reply, No.
And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and He continued in to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart (Luke 2:51, emphasis mine).
Luke 1:39-56 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition Mary Visits Elizabeth Modern society, as we know, has been liberated from the archaic, chauvinism of the ancient world. We need by read the final chapter of the book of Proverbs to see that women, at least biblically, were given great privileges and responsibilities. Catholic Online School - Free education with 1,000,000 student enrollments. Elizabeths proclamation does not focus on the blessing of the child which she will bear (John), but on the blessing of God in the arrival of Mary, who is to be the mother of the Messiah. 46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Thus Mary quickly prepared and left to visit her relative living in an unnamed village17 in the hill country of Judah (v. 39). 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!, My soul glorifies the Lord(F)47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(G)48for he has been mindfulof the humble state of his servant. While this is certainly true, Mary chose to focus on what the child would be and accomplish as an adult, and not what her child would be as a child. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. 44 Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. . 42 She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
(O)53He has filled the hungry with good things(P)but has sent the rich away empty.54He has helped his servant Israel,remembering to be merciful(Q)55to Abraham and his descendants(R) forever,just as he promised our ancestors.. Chapter 8 . (7) Mary is a model disciple in that her praise was not only a personal expression of worship, but also was edifying to Elizabeth. And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Saviour. There were now two witnesses. The Virgin Mary is the supreme model of this faith, for she believed that "nothing will be impossible with God", and was able to magnify the Lord: "For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." There is no provincialism to be found in her praise. (8) Marys theology, as reflected in her Magnificat is vastly superior to that of the scribes and Pharisees, who would become the arch enemies of our Lord. Probably he did this because Mary has already been presented in Lk 1:38 as the obedient handmaid of the Lord who fulfills the requirement for belonging to the . In discovering and living out that plan we find our true and lasting joy. You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 32-33).
Our salvation comes about in the same way that Marys baby was conceivedtotally by the sovereign work of God, apart from any effort which Mary might make. Saint of the Day for Saturday, June 3rd, 2023, 7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God. The Magnificat is based on the Song of Hannah (1 Sam 2.1-10), and other Old Testament passages that describe Gods favor toward Israel and especially toward the poor and lowly.
The scribes and Pharisees, however, seemed only to grasp a few of the particulars, but missed the plan. (1) Mary is a model disciple in her faith in the word of God, and in her submission to the will of God. From now on all generations will call me blessed. Some thoughts on today's scripture.
(1) Elizabeth seems to praise Mary before Mary has had any opportunity to explain anything to her. It is my personal opinion, however, that she is no just a mere mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit, who has had no knowledge of what God was doing. Mary also understood the purposes of God as a plan which He had been carrying out throughout Israels history. Even the church has made its concessions to the womens liberation movement.
* [1:69] A horn for our salvation: the horn is a common Old Testament figure for strength (Ps 18:3; 75:56; 89:18; 112:9; 148:14). Since Hannahs circumstances more closely parallel those of Elizabeth, some have drawn the hasty conclusion that it was she, rather than Mary, who composed this hymn of praise. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.f Even this is a manifestation of Gods grace, for at this early point in time such knowledge would only have caused Mary unnecessary and premature pain. This is not the way men are saved, however. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. (K)50His mercy extends to those who fear him,from generation to generation. Nevertheless she assumes throughout that He has indeed been promised her. 38 Mary said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.' This would even be true in the Jewish world of those days when our Lord added humanity to His deity and manifested Himself to men. Why was she able to believe so firmly and to fulfill her vocation so magnificently? * [1:45] Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Lk 1:20). Luke is well-known for his high regard for women and for the prominence which he gives them in his two accounts. 32o He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,* and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 80 Meanwhile the child grew up and his spirit grew strong. 14 A few Latin MSS read Elizabeth said instead of Mary said, and some commentators (e.g. 33 Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Granted, the worship of these two women is not public, but private. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. I want to discover and fulfill your will for me. 'Catechism of the Catholic Church Paragraphs:- 2619 (in 'The Prayer of the Virgin Mary') - That is why the Canticle of Mary, The Magnificat (Latin) or Megalynei (byzantine) is the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church; the song of the Daughter of Zion and of the new People of God; the song of thanksgiving for the fullness of graces poured out in the economy of salvation and the song of the "poor" whose hope is met by the fulfillment of the promises made to our ancestors, "to Abraham and to his posterity for ever. He will be called John.i Indeed, I believe that Luke is telling us that wives are not restricted to the level of spirituality of their mate. 13-17). Just as Marys response surpasses that of Zachariah, so the greatness of the miracle of the virgin birth of Messiah will exceed the miracle which produces a son for the elderly priest and his wife. We arent told that the angel informed Mary that the child which was to be born to Elizabeth was to be the forerunner of Messiah. With him went the Twelve, 2 as well as certain women who had been cured of evil spirits and ailments: Mary surnamed the Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Marys pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v. 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. * [1:4655] Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 79 to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Overview Of The Gospels. There are a number of ways in which the worship of these two women relate to contemporary Christians. 52 He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. Lk 1:76 where John is described as prophet of the Most High. Most High is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17). 43 Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? There are many today who seem to think that they can live according to the standards and principles of the Bible by setting their minds to it. (2) Mary is a model disciple in the depth of her familiarity with the word of God. We are led to the conclusion that Marys praise was spoken in the hearing of Elizabeth, just as Elizabeths praise was spoken to God, but for Marys benefit. 8 Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God. 36 And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month. First, it should be noted that there are several things which Luke has not told us, which we might like to know, but will not find in this inspired account.
As Christs first and most faithful disciple, the first one to welcome him into the world, she shows all of us how to live every Advent and Christmas season indeed, every season of our Christian life with faith. (5) Mary is a model disciple in her grasp of the purposes and promises of God. Luke 1:39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. 56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. The Wonder Of Christmas. Cancel. Subscribe to this list and you will receive a free, informed, down to earth and illustrated homilies focusing on the readings on Weekday & Sunday Masses .
They strained the gnats but they swallowed the camels. 1 The whole assembly then rose, and they brought him before Pilate. Finally, there are those who would accept the rendering of some obscure manuscripts14 and conclude that it was Elizabeth and not Mary, who was the composer of the magnificat,15 the praise hymn of verses 46-55. 18 In our study of the book of Jonah, we concluded that Jonah typified the sin of Israel by his lack of compassion, his disobedience, his self-righteousness, and his refusal to repent. 5 In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. 29 She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean. Bible. 13:9). (4) Mary is a model disciple in grasp of the social implications of the gospel. In verse 48 her blessedness is viewed as the result of Gods grace. We will begin by focusing on Elizabeth, as Luke does, and on her response to the arrival of Mary, the mother-to-be of Messiah. Anonymous (Middel-Rijn), Anonymous (Keulen), Anonymous (Westfalen), The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer, Seeking First the Kingdom: 30 Meditations on How to Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength, Answers: Catholic Advice for Your Spiritual Questions. My concept of my vocation may not be in perfect sync with yours. Not only does she think biblically, she also expresses herself in biblical terms. The same principle applies on a different level. Mary: The Expecting Momma. Mary, my Mother, teach me your secret. 30Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. What is your spiritual relationship to God? While Christs coming meant more than saving men from their sins, this was the beginning, the prerequisite for all that He would accomplish. The bore the added social stigma of having no children. I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.'. 18Then Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this? Marys age, then, is not a significant issue to Luke. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation.
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