From the Religious Education Coordinator

THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Every 31st of May, members of the Catholic Church celebrate the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It’s a commemoration of the blessed mother’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth.

So, why does an event that took place thousands of years ago merits a celebration today? What is the significance of visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (aside from it being a mystery of the rosary)?

Before we answer that, let’s first refresh our knowledge on what transpired during this visit.

What Happened During Mary’s Visit To Elizabeth?

It all started during the Annunciation – a story most of us are very familiar with. The Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to tell her that she will be carrying the son of God in her womb and she is to call him Jesus. The angel greeted her with the words: 

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women!” (Luke 1:28)

We know what happened after that. Mary humbly accepted God’s will and her fiat is one of the greatest Bible stories of all time. This is why many people tend to forget that the angel also bared another news to her.

The angel also told the Blessed Virgin that her cousin, Elizabeth, who at that time was already well past her childbearing years, is pregnant. This child would grow up to be Christ’s forerunner, Saint John the Baptist. Upon hearing this, Mary hurriedly traveled from Nazareth to Judah to visit her.

Elizabeth was already in her sixth month of pregnancy when Mary visited. She greeted her cousin as soon as she set foot at her house. At the sound of her voice, the baby inside Elizabeth’s womb leaped and she was filled with the Holy Spirit. Mary stayed 3 months and went back to her hometown just before Elizabeth’s son was born.

The Significance of the Visitation of Mary

When the baby inside Elizabeth’s womb leaped upon hearing Mary’s voice, the movement was no ordinary move. From the moment John the Baptist was conceived, the angel already told Zechariah (Elizabeth’s husband) that the Holy Spirit would fill his son even from his mother’s womb.

“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” (Luke 1:15)

This is the significance of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. John’s movement inside his mother’s womb signifies that he recognized the divine presence of the Son of God. It confirms what the angel has told Mary – that the baby in her womb is the savior promised in the old scriptures. John leapt out of joy because, at that moment, God’s divine grace filled him and he was cleansed from the stain of original sin.

When Elizabeth told her cousin that she is the most blessed among women, that’s because she knew Mary was chosen for a special purpose. She is to be the Mother of God – the woman who will make salvation possible. Without her fiat, God’s plans wouldn’t come to fruition. And by accepting God’s will, she has become a Mediatrix between God and men.

If you’re familiar with the Blessed Virgin’s litany, one of the invocations is the ark of the covenant. In the bible, the ark of the covenant is a symbol of faith and God’s presence. Just like the ark, Mary is a reminder of God’s presence. Her complete surrender to God’s will makes her a model of faith among Christians. And just as David danced around the ark, John leapt at the sound of her voice because he knew that God’s promise was finally fulfilled.

WHAT DOES IS MEAN TO BE CATHOLIC?

Anthony Cleary, The Director of Mission and Identity at Sydney Catholic Schools  shares his article in the latest edition of Catholic weekly

Anthony Cleary: ‘What does it mean to be Catholic?’

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YEAR 12 EXCURSION TO THE EMANUEL SYNAGOGUE

On Monday the 29th, Year 12 Studies Of Religion students Studies in Catholic Thought students had the wonderful opportunity to visit The Emanuel Synagogue at Woollahra. Bronte Fisher, Zara Chand and Jaimie Woo from Year 12 have written the following article describing their experience at the excursion:

We spent the morning expanding on the knowledge stemming from our study of Judaism, and within this, synagogue services. Rabbi, Sam Zwarenstein, spoke to us about the significance of the Torah, the different variants of Judaism, and his personal experience of growing up as a conservative Jew. 

When entering the beautiful synagogue we were able to identify the specific symbols and features. Initially, we saw the ‘tzitzit’ which are the fringes or tassels worn on traditional or ceremonial garments by Jewish men as reminders of the commandments. In the center of the room we saw the ‘Sefirot’, the Tree of Life, which represents the manner in which consciousness expresses itself in creation. Moreover, we observed the Torah ark facing the north, towards Jerusalem as they do in all synagogues in the Southern Hemisphere. The progressive stream of Judaism was embodied through the inscriptions on the synagogue walls which had both Hebrew scripture and the English translations. Having these inscriptions on the walls welcomes all individuals, not just adherents of Judaism, therefore showing the progressive nature of Emanuel Synagogue. At the end, we were gifted the opportunity to see and touch the back of the Torah, which inscribes the Hebrew teaching, direction, guidance, and law. 

It was a very informative and sacred experience, to see the Jewish synagogue and deepen our knowledge on our study of Judaism in Studies Of Religion. Visiting Emanuel synagogue was an eye-opening experience which enabled Year 12 to embrace the dynamic Jewish congregation committed to the Hebrew tradition.