Dare to Move, Respond and Care

May 31, 2025 – Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/053125.cfm)

We find Mary, a person who is filled with so much love, because in her womb, is love itself. Love in human form. The surprise from God moved Mary. She carried in her womb God’s concrete manifestation of love. She became fully aware of that and it filled her with joy.

That love that she carried completely transformed Mary, her presence, actions and her words and so her way of loving. On this Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are three responses of Mary that I want to bring out. This is how Mary responded in loving and in being loved.

The first response of Mary was, “she set out in haste.” Mary realized the need and assistance of her old cousin Elizabeth. This response of Mary tells us that she is a person who loves and arises for the sake of others. She is a person who loves and moves out of the self. This is evident at how she traveled a long way from Nazareth to a town in the hill country of Judah. At that time, Mary possibly walked for about 130 kilometers to reach the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

Mary responded because she was fully aware of the urgency of the need of her cousin. She was fully conscious of her capacity as a person. Indeed, she can be of help even though she was not asked to do it. She set out in haste not because she was expected or obliged. It was natural for her to help and express such love and concern.

The late Pope Francis said in his message to the youth of the world, he said, “Mary did not hold back or remain indifferent. She thought more of others than of herself.”

And so in our way of loving, “Do we also move in haste in order to respond to the needs around us? Do we take the risk to go out of our own comfort and concerns for the sake of others? Or do we remain unmoved, more focused on ourselves, on our pains and personal issues but indifferent towards others?”

The second response of Mary was, “she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” Mary cared to enter into the life of others, bringing love. This is how we realize that the very presence of Mary in that house, brought life! At the greetings of Mary, the infant in the womb of Elizabeth leaped. It was a joyful reaction of the infant. Even at that early moment, the infant John already recognized the fullness of life and love present in the womb of Mary.

This reminds us of our own homes and of the homes that we visit. We know for a fact that there are many homes that are troubled and problematic. There are broken-homes because of abuses and irresponsibility. However, there are also homes that nurture and give space for growth and maturity of persons. As we go home and visit other homes, let us be conscious of what we bring and of the kind of presence that we share.

And so in our way of loving, “Do our words bring comfort and assurance of love? Or do our words rather become forms of insults, harassment and bitterness or expression of anger and hatred? Does our presence gives confidence and love, warmth and joy to others or rather brings fear, trauma and pain?”

The third response of Mary was, “Mary believed!” As to the words of Elizabeth, she said, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” This tells us that Mary’s faith brings forth life, concern and intimacy, care and gentleness. These become natural for Mary because first and foremost, her faith is motivated and inspired by love. Mary is filled with love. She is confident that the Lord loves her. Indeed, she believed! Love has been fulfilled in her and that love is slowly taking a human form in her womb.

This also reminds us of our own faith, in the way we practice and express our faith in God. Being a Christian is not an affiliation to an organization. Faith is not just about doing religious practices and traditions in some occasions or events. Faith is a way of life, as our devotion to Mary is also a way of life.

And so in our way of loving, “Has our faith been inspired and motivated by our love, of being loving and being loved? Does our faith also bring life, concern, care and gentleness? Or rather motivated by fear, guilt, fanaticism or superstition?”

As we bring to mind all these points for reflections, we may all be filled with love and be assured of that love so that like Mary, we too shall dare to move, respond and care for others. Hinaut pa.