Visitation, Luca della Robbia [Web Gallery of Art]
Readings
(New American Bible:
Philippines, USA)
Readings
(Jerusalem Bible: Australia,
England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan,
Scotland, South Africa)
Gospel Luke 1:39-45 (New Revised Standard
Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)
In those days Mary set out and
went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted
Elizabeth. When
Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was
filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among
women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my
Lord comes to me? For as
soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would
be a
fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
The Visitation, El Greco [Web Gallery of Art]
About eleven years ago I celebrated Mass on the
Feast of the Visitation in a home for girls where most come from a background
of abuse. One girl of 16, whom I'll call 'Gloria', was pregnant. She was from
another part of the Philippines and had been working in a restaurant and said
that one of her co-workers was responsible. I wasn't quite sure to what extent
the cause of the pregnancy had been consensual or whether the young man had
taken advantage of the young woman. Perhaps there was an element of both.
Gloria was very angry and would not accept the baby
she was carrying who was by this time around six months, as I recall. I invited
her at the end of the Mass to come forward for a blessing for herself and her
child. She agreed. I placed my hand gently on her stomach, as Elizabeth and Mary do in the painting below, while I prayed.
Visitation, Rogier van der Weyden [Web Gallery of Art]
Gloria told me afterwards that she could feel the
baby moving as I blessed them both - and she had a smile on her face. She was
able to go home to her own place some time later where she gave birth.
Rogier van der Weyden captures the sacredness of
the lives of the unborn Jesus and John the Baptist. El Greco captures the swirl
of a dance of life, the flowing blue robes suggesting the joy of the two
pregnant mothers, Mary and Elizabeth. Luca della Robbia's sculpture shows the sacred intimacy of the moment that Mary and Elizabeth met, each carrying a precious life, Mary's child the Son of God, God-become-Man.
Today's gospel has particular relevance in the context of ongoing public debates in a number of countries about abortion, including Ireland and the USA.
+++
One of a number of ministries to both women and men
who have been directly affected by abortion is Rachel's Vineyard. I have
connections with Rachel'sVineyard, Ireland, which has brought its healing retreat to such
places as the Faroe Islands, Hungary, South Korea and Lebanon.
Del Verbo
Divino
San Juan de
la Cruz
Del Verbo
divino
la Virgen
preñada
viene de
camino:
¡ si les
dais posada !
Concerning
the Divine Word
St John of
the Cross
With the divinest Word, the
Virgin
Made pregnant, down the road
Comes walking, if you'll grant
her
A room in your abode.
Translation by Roy Campbell
Posada is a
Spanish word meaning 'lodging' or 'accommodation'. In some Spanish-speaking
countries and communities, especially Mexico, Las Posadas is
a nine-day preparation for Christmas.
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