2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation

By Ivonne Hernandez

St Peter Julian Eymard's Words:

(Mary) eagerly sacrificed her privacy and the sweetness of contemplation, in order to go to her cousin Elizabeth, to felicitate her and to serve her. ...Mary did not receive the Word for herself alone. She rejoiced that we should be able participate in her happiness. Let us, then, unite ourselves with her when we receive Jesus. Let us sing her Magnificat. The Lord, in this mystery, has done great things in Mary; and He has also done great things in coming to us. Let us strive to imitate her virtues so that Jesus Christ may find in us, as in His holy Mother, a dwelling worthy of Him, [1]

“The Eucharist is a burning coal, which sets us on fire." Fire is active by nature and tends to spread. When the soul is under the action of the Eucharist, it is forced to cry out: "O my God, what shall I do in return for so much love?" And Jesus answers: "Thou hast to resemble Me, to live for Me, and to live of Me." The transformation will be easy; when it is a matter of love, says the Imitation of Christ, one does not walk; one runs and flies. [2]

​MEDITATION:

The mystery of the Visitation speaks to us of love of neighbor or charity. Why did Mary haste to visit her cousin? She had just had the most amazing encounter with the Holy Spirit and she had Jesus dwelling in her. Why didn’t she take some time to enjoy the moment, to take it all in? Precisely because she had Jesus dwelling in her. They became one. His wishes became her wishes. His love became her love. Her joy was such that it had to be shared. Mary did not have to choose between contemplating the mystery of God dwelling within her and loving her neighbor, and neither do we. We do not receive Jesus only for ourselves. He wants us to take Him to all those who can’t or won’t go to Him.
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St Peter Julian tells us that “the Eucharist is a burning coal, which sets us on fire." This is the fire of God’s love, which burns but doesn’t consume and wants to spread like a wildfire. “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49) If we let it, this fire will transform us into Himself. We will become one with Him and will burn with His love. And just like Mary, we will hasten to our neighbor. We will bring Jesus everywhere we go and will sing his praises as we join our Mother singing her Magnificat, for the Lord has indeed done great things for us. When we let the fire of the love of God animate our lives, we grow perfect in charity. It is at this moment where true contemplation lives. Our life becomes a living prayer and we become God’s hands and feet in the world.

SEND:

​As you meditate on the mystery of the Visitation, let the burning coal of the Eucharist set your heart on fire and ask Our Lady for the grace to spread this love to everyone you meet.

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Next - 3rd Joyful Mystery: The Nativity

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[1] Eymard, Our Lady of The Blessed Sacrament, p. 59
[2] Eymard, The Real Presence, p.262