Part of the beauty of sacred Scripture is its integrity. All of Scripture is connected, and one event or passage can shed light on the significance and meaning of another. We see this with prophecies in the Old Testament that provide clear details about the coming of the Messiah. However, Scripture and various passages are connected by more than mere explicit prophecy or prediction. Prophecy and foreshadowing also often occur implicitly through similarities between characters and events. And when we tease out these similarities, we are able to grasp deeper truths and principles of our Faith. Let me give you an example by looking at today’s Gospel passage when Mary visits Elizabeth.
Mary is often called an icon or an image of the Church. This means that if we want to understand the nature of the Church and how she relates to God, we should look to Mary. There are many parallels between Mary and the Church. For example, consider the striking similarities between Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and the beginning of the Church at Pentecost. Let’s explore these connections.
First, Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel, who tells her that she will be the Mother of God. She conceives Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Through her “yes,” God becomes man and establishes His presence in the world in a new way. She immediately goes to visit Elizabeth. Upon meeting her, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and John the Baptist leaps in her womb. Mary then praises God for all He has done for her, sharing His message with Elizabeth.
Now let’s consider the event of Pentecost. After Jesus’ Ascension, the apostles gather together in prayer. After nine days, the Holy Spirit descends upon them and animates them. They immediately go out and proclaim Jesus. About three thousand people are baptized that day, and the Church begins to flourish. The early Christians devote themselves to prayer, praise, and the daily breaking of the bread.
Do you see the parallels between Mary and the Church at Pentecost? The Holy Spirit descends, a gift is given, the recipient of the gift is sent out, the Holy Spirit moves the hearts of those encountered, and the Gospel—the good news of Jesus—spreads. Mary models how to live out the mission of the Church.
An essential part of the Church’s mission is to bring the presence of God into the world. Through the Incarnation, God has become one of us and made His home among us. The Church’s mission, which began at Pentecost, is to continue bringing Jesus into the world. This mission has not ceased. It remains the mission for you and me as members of the Church. Pentecost is ongoing. Though it began nine days after Jesus’ Ascension, it hasn’t concluded. At every Mass, we relive, in a way, the life of Mary and the beginning of Pentecost.
At every Mass, the Holy Spirit descends, especially during the priest’s invocation over the bread and wine, imploring the Holy Spirit to make these gifts holy. At Communion, we receive the Eucharist, an extraordinary gift that makes us new and living tabernacles. Like Mary, you and I become bearers of Jesus. At the end of Mass, we are sent out to carry Jesus into the world. In fact, the word “Mass” comes from the Latin word “missa,” used in the dismissal: “Ite, missa est” which essentially means “go, be sent out.” “Missa” means “sent.” When Mass concludes, we don’t simply leave; we are sent out with a mission.
To be faithful members of the Church, we must imitate Mary to the best of our ability. It’s tempting to confine our religion to the four walls of our parish church. But at every Mass, like Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth, we are given the mission to bring what we receive here out to others, allowing it to impact every part of our lives. We are sent out, like Mary, to proclaim Jesus. If we don’t take this mission seriously, we fall short. Just as Mary was receptive to the Holy Spirit and allowed His presence to move her outward, we should be receptive to the Holy Spirit at each Mass, letting Him drive us to do His will and share the good news beyond these walls.
Here’s my challenge for the week: invite someone to Christmas Mass. Invite someone who may not be deeply connected to their faith or who doesn’t regularly attend Mass. People are often more receptive to attending Mass during Christmas. Imitate Mary by visiting Elizabeth and bring Jesus to others; bring others to Jesus.
Saint John Paul II says “When, at the Visitation, she bore in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way a ‘tabernacle’ – the first ‘tabernacle’ in history – in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, allowed himself to be adored by Elizabeth, radiating his light as it were through the eyes and voice of Mary” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 55). At every Mass, we become new tabernacles. Let’s pray for the courage to let Jesus radiate through our eyes and voices as we are sent out.