Message of Abbot Paul - Wednesday 31st May 2023
Abbot Paul • May 31, 2023
Today we keep the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth, one of the most loved of the feasts of Mary. I particularly love Biblical feasts, when you can read all about it in the Scriptures. As I have to leave for the airport at 2.30am on my way for a short stay with close friends in Thessaloniki, Greece, I regret that I don’t have the time available to write about this beautiful feast, but I will reproduce the Gospel passage for today, from Luke, (Lk 1: 39-56). You know the story well. It concludes with the Magnificat, which could have been proclaimed by Elizabeth as well as by Mary. From the earliest times it became the Church’s song of praise and thanksgiving, as we join Mary in thanking the Lord for all the wonderful things, that he has done for each one of us and for us all, his beloved children.
“Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’
And Mary said:
‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.”
I have been asked to remind Belmont parishioners that Church Cleaning Day is this coming Thursday, 1st June. If you are able to give a helping hand, please come along from 8.30 onwards, i.e. following the 8.00am Daily Conventual Mass.
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