 |
| Statue of the Visitation in the Church of the Visitation. located at Ein Karim, Israel Source: Deror Avi, Head of the Elef Milim Project Wikimedia Commons |
The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
Here is a meeting made of hidden joys
Of lightenings cloistered in a narrow place
From quiet hearts the sudden flame of praise
And in the womb the quickening kick of grace.
Two women on the very edge of things
Unnoticed and unknown to men of power
But in their flesh the hidden Spirit sings
And in their lives the buds of blessing flower.
And Mary stands with all we call ‘too young’,
Elizabeth with all called ‘past their prime’
They sing today for all the great unsung
Women who turned eternity to time
Favoured of heaven, outcast on the earth
Prophets who bring the best in us to birth.
-- Malcolm Guite, from Sounding the Seasons, Canterbury Press 2012
NOTE: to hear the poet reading the sonnet aloud, click HERE.
Blessed is she who believed that the Lord's promise would be fulfilled.
-- Luke 1: 45
Collect for the Visitation
Almighty God,
who looked with favour on your servant Mary,
and called her to be the mother of your Son,
nurture in us the humility and gentleness
that found favour in your sight,
that with her we may proclaim the greatness of you name
and find the mercy you show to those who fear you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and th Holy Spirit,
on God, for ever and ever.
AMEN.
May this bless your day. 😊
No comments:
Post a Comment