Bringing the God of Mercy to His people
December 20, 2016
by Rev. Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA
by Rev. Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA
Poster by Mac Norhen Bornales and Dominic Dimapawi
Today’s Gospel is the popular second “mystery” of the Most Holy Rosary which is the visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. The visitation of Mary was a product of her obedience to the angel’s words to her. Maybe, on the part of Mary, her haste to confirm from a hundred miles the will of God being unfolded in the life of Elizabeth could reinforce also her faith she had just given by taking the responsibility of being the mother of the Savior.
In the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, we can confirm a very beautiful picture fulfilled from the Old Testament. Mary journeying to the hilly country of Judea evoked the story of the journey of the Ark of the Covenant.
In a sense, Mary is a new figure of the Ark of the Covenant. Again, if we happen to pray the rosary, we recite the Litany of the Loreto, we associate Mary into the “Ark of the Covenant”. Yes, Mary symbolizes that revered Judaic greatest religious and spiritual connection to God because she is the receptacle of God’s presence! The Old Testament ark contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments, the Manna and the staff of Moses. All these symbolized God’s presence, might and great wonders to his people in the olden times.
Now, Mary, as the new Ark of the Covenant contains Jesus, the embodiment of God’s will to his people. That is why, in her arrival to Elizabeth’s house, John in her mother’s womb leapt for joy! That was not just an ordinary leaping of a living human inside the womb. It was John’s first prophecy! John proclaims to her mother that God comes to their midst. Elizabeth was the first to hear from her own son’s prophesying that the Messiah has come yet unborn.
The words of Elizabeth were a set of prophecies to Mary also. Moved by the spirit of God, Elizabeth acknowledges Mary to be the Mother of the Lord coming to her. The unworthiness but equally the joy of the lowly servant of God is unstoppable when God in his mercy visits them. Mary’s presence in front of Elizabeth is the bringing of God’s mercy to her; she is God’s face of mercy to his people. Mary, fecund with Jesus and as an Ark of the Covenant of God is – as Pope Benedict XVI used this theological word – the hilasterion or the mercy seat of God. And only do we feel the unworthiness of Elizabeth to tell her “but who I am that the mother of the Lord should come to me?” Words full of meaning and tender praise to the receptacle of God’s mercy. The Jubilee of Mercy has been inaugurated and symbolically during the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. It was not just an arbitrary choice of date.
It was full of meaning that God’s mercy and Mary’s personal connection to that is undeniable. She is God’s vehicle of mercy to the world and until now, as we keep on praying the Hail, Mary uttered first by Elizabeth, we asked this woman to bring God's mercy to us! Mary is indeed the “Mother of Mercy” who can “show to us the blessed fruit of her womb”
In the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, we can confirm a very beautiful picture fulfilled from the Old Testament. Mary journeying to the hilly country of Judea evoked the story of the journey of the Ark of the Covenant.
In a sense, Mary is a new figure of the Ark of the Covenant. Again, if we happen to pray the rosary, we recite the Litany of the Loreto, we associate Mary into the “Ark of the Covenant”. Yes, Mary symbolizes that revered Judaic greatest religious and spiritual connection to God because she is the receptacle of God’s presence! The Old Testament ark contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments, the Manna and the staff of Moses. All these symbolized God’s presence, might and great wonders to his people in the olden times.
Now, Mary, as the new Ark of the Covenant contains Jesus, the embodiment of God’s will to his people. That is why, in her arrival to Elizabeth’s house, John in her mother’s womb leapt for joy! That was not just an ordinary leaping of a living human inside the womb. It was John’s first prophecy! John proclaims to her mother that God comes to their midst. Elizabeth was the first to hear from her own son’s prophesying that the Messiah has come yet unborn.
The words of Elizabeth were a set of prophecies to Mary also. Moved by the spirit of God, Elizabeth acknowledges Mary to be the Mother of the Lord coming to her. The unworthiness but equally the joy of the lowly servant of God is unstoppable when God in his mercy visits them. Mary’s presence in front of Elizabeth is the bringing of God’s mercy to her; she is God’s face of mercy to his people. Mary, fecund with Jesus and as an Ark of the Covenant of God is – as Pope Benedict XVI used this theological word – the hilasterion or the mercy seat of God. And only do we feel the unworthiness of Elizabeth to tell her “but who I am that the mother of the Lord should come to me?” Words full of meaning and tender praise to the receptacle of God’s mercy. The Jubilee of Mercy has been inaugurated and symbolically during the feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. It was not just an arbitrary choice of date.
It was full of meaning that God’s mercy and Mary’s personal connection to that is undeniable. She is God’s vehicle of mercy to the world and until now, as we keep on praying the Hail, Mary uttered first by Elizabeth, we asked this woman to bring God's mercy to us! Mary is indeed the “Mother of Mercy” who can “show to us the blessed fruit of her womb”