Today we celebrate the feast of the Visitation, when Mary travelled to visit her cousin Elizabeth after receiving the message of the angel Gabriel and sang her Magnificat in praise of God’s saving power. During this week we have seen how that message of salvation was carried across the Gentile world by Paul on his missionary journey and have stood with the disciples of Jesus as he finally left them to return to his Father before the sending of the Holy Spirit. This has been a lot to contemplate in one short week, but all of it has been a reminder of how God’s power shines through our human weakness and fulfils our deepest longings, beyond every hope or fear.

Mary sings of her soul glorifying God and her spirit rejoicing in her Saviour. What gifts or graces are you aware of having received this week for which you want to thank and praise God?

Mary is aware of her own limitations yet experiences the power of God working in her. In his missionary journeys, Paul also experienced God as working in him despite his own shortcomings and struggles. How have you experienced this balance between your own capacities and God’s power within your own experience? Do you find yourself able to trust God or are you inclined to focus more on the experience of inability or failure?

At his Ascension Jesus promises his disciples that their pain at his loss from the physical world will be turned into joy. Have you been able to experience joy and assurance in your faith, or is it a struggle to believe in the promises of Christ?

Jesus encourages his disciples to persevere in asking God for the gifts and graces that they need and Mary sings of a God who feeds us in our hunger. What do you feel you stand in need of at this time? What are the needs of our world? Take time to give voice to those needs and desires to the God who promises to be with us until the end of time.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen