Luke 1:39-56
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in
Judea's hill country. There she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, "God has
blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But
why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as
I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a
woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you
will be done!"
Mary said,
"My soul gives glory to the Lord.
My spirit delights in God my
Savior.
He has taken note of me
even though I am not
important.
From now on all people will call me
blessed.
The Mighty One has done great
things for me.
His name is holy.
He shows his mercy to those who have respect
for him,
from parent to child
down through the years.
He has done mighty things with his arm.
He has scattered those
who are proud in their deepest thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones.
But he has lifted up
people who are not important.
He has filled those who are hungry with good
things.
But he has sent those
who are rich away empty.
He has helped the people of Israel, who serve
him.
He has always
remembered to be kind
to Abraham and his children down through the
years.
He has done it just as
he said to our people of long ago."
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months.
Then she returned home.
Food for thought!
Today, we mark a feast known as the Visitation of
Mary, that is, Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Why should we mark and celebrate such
an event? Why mark Mary's visit to Elizabeith? Well, because Mary's visit
marked Elizabeth. The gospel says: «When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the
baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a
loud voice she called out, 'God has blessed you more than other women. And
blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother
of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby
inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed
that what the Lord has said to you will be done!´»
When Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth did not, and
could not, stay the same; she was remarkably marked: «As soon as I heard the
sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy.» Mary made such a
positive impact on Elizabeth that «the baby inside her jumped», that «Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit», that Elizabeth «called out, God has blessed
you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have.»
There are people in life whose presence mark us,
people who have marked us with their presence. There are people whose presence
not only mark us but also make the best, not the worst, come out of us. Just as
there are people whose presence make the worst, not the best, come out of us.
The former make us be the best of us; the latter make us be the worst of us.
There are people in whose company we easily lower our morals, and there are
people in whose company we better our morals; there are people in whose company
we easily sin, just as there are people in whose company we stay good and do
good. I don't know where you belong to others. But I know where Mary belongs;
she is of the good people who help others be good and do good, for as soon as
she showed up, Elizabeth got filled with the Holy Spirit, and Elizabeth began
to say, not bad, but good things. Mary's presence positively impacted on
Elizabeth.
The gospel reading of today is about you and me; it is
about impact. You know from experience, don't you, that if three equally
well-qualified candidates present themselves for a job, the successful one
will, generally, be the one who impacts the interviewers best. You know, don't
you, that good CVs matter, experience matters, but good personal impact not
only matters but matters most, because it allows us to stand out and to rise
above our colleagues.
This personal impact is called many names, such as
rapport, authority, likeability, magnetism, attractiveness, radiance, charisma,
or personal chemistry. I prefer calling it the «Marian effect». It is the kind
of impact that marks and makes the others be their best. Are there people who have
marked and made you be and do your best? These people are your Marys. Are there
people whom you have marked and made be and do their best? These people are
your Elizabeth. Be a person of good impact; be Mary.
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