The Visitation of the Virgin Mary (Feast)
| Zephaniah 3: 14 - 18 |
|
| 14 | Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! |
| 15 | The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. |
| 16 | On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. |
| 17 | The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing |
| 18 | as on a day of festival. “I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. |
| Isaiah 12: 2 - 6 |
|
| 2 | “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” |
| 3 | With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. |
| 4 | And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted. |
| 5 | “Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. |
| 6 | Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” |
| Luke 1: 39 - 56 |
|
| 39 | In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, |
| 40 | and she entered the house of Zechari’ah and greeted Elizabeth. |
| 41 | And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit |
| 42 | and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! |
| 43 | And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? |
| 44 | For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. |
| 45 | And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” |
| 46 | And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, |
| 47 | and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, |
| 48 | for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; |
| 49 | for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. |
| 50 | And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation. |
| 51 | He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, |
| 52 | he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; |
| 53 | he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. |
| 54 | He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, |
| 55 | as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.” |
| 56 | And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. |
Hold firmly that our faith is identical with the ancients. Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church.
— St. Thomas Aquinas
Blogged with the Flock Browser
