Posts

Showing posts with the label The Visitation

Homily for the 4th Sunday in Advent, December 19, 2021, Year C

Image
Fr. Charles Irvin Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) The Gospel account for this 4th Sunday of Advent is about two pregnant women, one of whom, Elizabeth, was already in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Mary had only recently received the news that she was pregnant. It was a life-changing announcement, and she probably needed some time to herself, time to prepare, time to reflect, time to get herself together. But she didn’t think of her own needs. Instead, she set out on an arduous journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was six months pregnant and to care for her. That’s not something most women would do. But these were two remarkable women, remarkable in the sense that under ordinary circumstances they would not be pregnant. One was a virgin; the other was beyond, way beyond, childbearing age. Both were not supposed to be pregnant. But God was at work within them. To add to the unexplainable mystery, they both bore within their wombs mysterious babies. One

Reflection on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image
The Visitation of Our Lady, May 31, 2021  By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45)  In Catholic tradition, May is reserved as a month in which the faithful honor Mary, the Mother of God. As a student at Sacred Heart School in Bennington, each May we took part in the “May Crowning,” a ceremony in which a statue of Mary would be crowned with a wreath of flowers. It was a way to honor her presence and remember our devotion to her. The ceremony was followed by a “Living Rosary,” in which each student would take one prayer of the Rosary. In my sixth-grade year, I was designated by Sister of St. Joseph Mary Ancilla, our teacher, to carry the cross into the Church, and then to start the Rosary in praying the Apostles’ Creed. I was nervous! While the event began with me, thankfully Sister Ancilla was right there directing our efforts. The final day of May is the feast of the Visitation, t

Feast of the Visitation of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

Image
May 31st Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 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." — Luke 1:39-45 Almighty ever-living God, who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb, inspired her to visit Elizabeth, grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit, we may magnify your greatness with the Virgin Mary at all times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and

Homily for the 4th Sunday in Advent, December 23, 2018, Year C

Image
Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) The Gospel account for this 4th Sunday of Advent is about two pregnant women, one of whom, Elizabeth, was already in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Mary had only recently received the news that she was pregnant. It was a life-changing announcement and she probably needed some time to herself, time to prepare, time to reflect, time to get herself together. But she didn’t think of her own needs. Instead she set out on an arduous journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was six months pregnant and to care for her. That’s not something most women would do. But these were two remarkable women, remarkable in the sense that under ordinary circumstances they would not be pregnant. One was a virgin; the other was beyond, way beyond, childbearing age. Both were not supposed to be pregnant. But God was at work within them. To add to the unexplainable mystery, they both bore within their wombs myster

Christmas Novena 2017 | Day 2

Image
December 17, 2017 This novena is dedicated to praying for the abolition of abortion, and for greater respect for the dignity of every human being. When contemplating the birth of our Savior and preparing for Christmas, it is a good time to pray for abortion's end. Remember, Christ came to us as a humble and vulnerable pre-born child. The Christmas Novena - Day 2  – Humility O Lord, infant Jesus, grant us great humility! You gave us the model of perfect humility in your incarnation, life and death. We pray for a greater Humility this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Visitation. O most sweet infant Jesus, who by means of your Virgin Mother, visited St. Elizabeth, and filled your servant, St. John the Baptist, with the Holy Spirit, sanctifying him from his mother’s womb. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord.  Have mercy on us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions here) Hail Mary…

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image
May 31st Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 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." — Luke 1:39-45 Almighty ever-living God, who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb, inspired her to visit Elizabeth, grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit, we may magnify your greatness with the Virgin Mary at all times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and

Reflection on the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image
The Visitation of Our Lady, May 31, 2017  By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:45)  In Catholic tradition, May is reserved as a month in which the faithful honor Mary, the Mother of God. As a student at Sacred Heart School in Bennington, each May we took part in the “May Crowning,” a ceremony in which a statue of Mary would be crowned with a wreath of flowers. It was a way to honor her presence and remember our devotion to her. The ceremony was followed by a “Living Rosary,” in which each student would take one prayer of the Rosary. In my sixth-grade year, I was designated by Sister of St. Joseph Mary Ancilla, our teacher, to carry the cross into the Church, and then to start the Rosary in praying the Apostles’ Creed. I was nervous! While the event began with me, thankfully Sister Ancilla was right there directing our efforts. The final day of May is the feast of the Visitation, t

Christmas Novena 2016 | Day 2

Image
December 17, 2016 This novena is dedicated to praying for the abolition of abortion, and for greater respect for the dignity of every human being. When contemplating the birth of our Savior and preparing for Christmas, it is a good time to pray for abortion's end. Remember, Christ came to us as a humble and vulnerable pre-born child. The Christmas Novena - Day 2  – Humility O Lord, infant Jesus, grant us great humility! You gave us the model of perfect humility in your incarnation, life and death. We pray for a greater Humility this Christmas. (There are two versions of the novena prayer) The Visitation. O most sweet infant Jesus, who by means of your Virgin Mother, visited St. Elizabeth, and filled your servant, St. John the Baptist, with the Holy Spirit, sanctifying him from his mother’s womb. Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us, O Lord.  Have mercy on us. We pray also for these intentions… (State your intentions here) Hail Mary…

Respect Life Sunday 2016

Image
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 saying, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb (Luke 1:39-56 ). Respect Life Sunday is October 2, 2016. The American Catholic bishops initiated Respect Life Sunday in 1972, the year before the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States. Since that time, Catholics across the country observe the month of October with devotions and pro-life activities in order to advance the culture of life. Prayer for the Unborn in Danger of Abortion Prayer for an unborn baby in danger of being aborted by Venerable Fulton J. Sheen to our Lady of Guadalupe intercessor for the unborn. Jesus, Mary and Joseph; I love you very much, I beg you to spare the life of the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted; who is in danger of abortion. Amen. Say this prayer each day for one year and a child

June 24th: Feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist

Image
Every person born has been stained with original sin, except for Mary, the Mother of God, and John the Baptist, the cousin and Forerunner of Christ. From the first moment of her existence, Our Lady was free from original sin by virtue of her Immaculate Conception. John was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, at the Visitation as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. The Solemnities of the Immaculate Conception and the birth of John the Baptist are the only occasions in the Church calendar where a saint's feast is his nativity. Usually, the date of a saint's death is observed as his feast since that is the day he is born into eternal life. The justification for today's feast is explained by St. Augustine in the Divine Office: Apart from the most holy solemnity commemorating our Savior's birth, the Church keeps the birthday of no other person except that of John the Baptist. (The feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the Nativity of the Ble

May 31st: Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary [with Homily]

Image
The Visitation, Luke 1:39-56 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 saying, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." The feast of the Visitation recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady's greeting; Elizabeth's proclaiming of Mary — under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost — as Mother of God and "blessed among women"; Mary's singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat ("My soul doth magnify the Lord") which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church. The Visitation is frequently depicted in art, and was the central mystery of St. Francis de Sales' devotions. The Mass of today salu

10 Beautiful Things About the Visitation

Image
Father Ed Broom, OMV, wrote " 10 Beautiful Things About the Visitation " for the Feast of the Visitation, (Catholic Exchange, 2012) in which he makes the following insight: Both of these women in the modern society could be candidates for abortion. Why? One was very young, Mary; whereas, the other was very old, Elizabeth. However, both had an infinite trust in God’s Divine Providence and gave birth to the greatest:  St. John the Baptist and JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! At all times, by our meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, may we be staunch defenders of human life, from the moment of conception until natural death.  God is the author and origin of life and only He has the right to take life to Himself! To read the article in full go here .

Homily for the 4th Sunday in Advent, December 20, 2015, Year C

Image
Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) The Gospel account for this 4th Sunday of Advent is about two pregnant women, one of whom, Elizabeth, was already in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Mary had only recently received the news that she was pregnant. It was a life-changing announcement and she probably needed some time to herself, time to prepare, time to reflect, time to get herself together. But she didn’t think of her own needs. Instead she set out on an arduous journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth who was six months pregnant and to care for her. That’s not something most women would do. But these were two remarkable women, remarkable in the sense that under ordinary circumstances they would not be pregnant. One was a virgin; the other was beyond, way beyond, childbearing age. Both were not supposed to be pregnant. But God was at work within them. To add to the unexplainable mystery, they both bore within their wombs myster

Prayer For the Unborn By Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Image
The Visitation, Luke 1:39-56 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 saying, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Prayer for the Unborn in Danger of Abortion Prayer for the unborn baby by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to our Lady of Guadalupe Intercessor for the Unborn Jesus Mary and Joseph; I love you very much, I beg you to spare the life of the unborn bady that I have spiritually adopted; who is in danger of abortion - Amen Say this prayer each day for one year and a child in danger of abortion will be saved.