The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Collect
Father in heaven, by your grace the virgin mother of your incarnate Son was blessed in bearing him, but still more blessed in keeping your word: Grant us who honor the exaltation of her lowliness to follow the example of her devotion to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
113

The Readings
I Samuel 2:1-10     +     Romans 12:9-16b     +     Luke 1:39-57

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior ..."
~Luke 1:46-47

Mary's visit to her relative Elizabeth, following close after Gabriel's annunciation, is the occasion for this remarkable meeting. These two women, pregnant with God's Messiah and his forerunner, John, are caught up in an exuberant, Holy Spirit-filled outpouring of thanksgiving and praise to God. Elizabeth's astonished and humbled joy confirm Gabriel's message, and Mary responds with one of the greatest hymns of praise in all of Scripture. Mary's song, the Magnificat, has for centuries been taken up by the church, especially at the close of the day, as a hymn to the God who upends the injustices of this world (see Evening Prayer in the BCP, pp. 65 and 119). That God is present and faithful to do this is seen in Mary herself--by the world's standards an obscure, poor, and powerless girl, who becomes ever-blessed, the very bearer of God into the world.

Perhaps that role justifies the remarkable claim with which Mary's song opens: that her "soul  magnifies the Lord"--that Mary herself enlarges God, makes God greater. In one sense, of course, no one can make God greater than God already is. But in another sense she does indeed do this, in that her bringing Jesus to birth makes God more present, more accessible, and, yes, greater, to us in our world.

When the people of God take up Mary's song of praise to God, we honor her and we remember this remarkable meeting of women that confirms God's saving love and faithfulness. But that is not all--we also claim the song as our own. We ourselves proclaim that our souls magnify the Lord. We can do this in confidence, because the power and privilege to make God more present in this world is not confined to the actual birthing of Jesus in time. As today's collect reminds us, drawing on Luke 11:27-28, even Mary's greatest joy was to be a disciple of her Son. As a prayer attributed to St. Augustine also attests:

Thou, O Mary, hast perfectly fulfilled the will of the heavenly Father; thy greatest honor and blessedness is not to have been the mother only, but also the disciple of Christ. Blessed art thou to have heard the Word of God and to have kept it within thy heart. Thou didst harbor the truth of Christ in thine understanding, even more than his human flesh in thy womb. Thou art the beauty and dignity of earth, O Blessed Virgin Mary.* 

And such are we, also. We, the disciples of Jesus, called and empowered by the Spirit to magnify the Lord in all the world.

Closing Prayer
Blessed God, thank you for saving us, in faithfulness to your promise and your great mercy. Help us, like Mary, to be faithful to you. As we seek to follow and obey Jesus our Lord, may the joy of your Spirit overflow into the world. And may all our lives proclaim and make present your greatness, today and always. Amen.

The Visitation, by Janet McKenzie

A setting of the Magnificat, by William Harris.

Sung by the Anglican Chorale of Southeast Florida, at Trinity Cathedral, Miami.

* from Saint Augustine's Prayer Book, p. 391

Ascension Day

The Collect
Almighty God, whose blessed Son our Savior Jesus Christ ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things: Mercifully give us faith to perceive that, according to his promise, he abides with his Church on earth, even to the end of the ages; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

or

Grant, we pray, Almighty God, that as we believe your only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into heaven, so we may also in heart and mind there ascend, and with him continually dwell; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Psalm
93

The Readings
Acts 1:1-11     +     Ephesians 1:15-23     +     Luke 24:44-53

I pray that . . . you may know what is the hope to which he has called you . . . and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places . . .
~Ephesians 1:18-20

I don't pretend to know exactly what to make of this feast. And apparently that's okay, for even the Prayer Book provides two options for the collect of the day, emphasizing differing themes. There is not simply one way of understanding what is meant by that phrase in the creed, "he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father."

But however it is understood, and whatever is meant, there is in this mystery a demonstration of God's power that extends beyond our easy grasp--indeed, the greatness of that power is immeasurable. But it is not intended to be a power we grasp. Rather, it is a power which catches us up in its sweep, carries us along like the mighty waters of the sea. It is the very same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him on high, him who fills all in all. I will gladly accept the prayer, and pray also, that we may be ever more coming to understand and see ourselves as called to, and even now carried in, that glory.

Closing Prayer
God of all that is, thank you for calling us to yourself in Jesus. Help us to come to know you more and more, until all things are restored in him who fills all in all. Amen.

Saint Philip and Saint James, Apostles

The Collect
Almighty God, who gave to your apostles Philip and James grace and strength to bear witness to the truth: Grant that we, being mindful of their victory of faith, may glorify in life and death the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Psalm
119:33-40

The Readings
Isaiah 30:18-21     +     II Corinthians 4:1-6     +     John 14:6-14

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves, for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let the light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
~II Cor. 4:5-6

In today's Gospel, during the last supper, Philip pipes up and says, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." To which Jesus answers, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you do not know me?" John's Gospel asserts that no one has ever seen God (John 1:18)--and yet it also asserts that to see Jesus is to see God. Even the twelve, those who lived and worked with him, his closest companions and friends, were slow to accept this astounding truth. But when that truth had fully shone on them in the resurrection, they gave their lives, even to death, to spreading the good news.

For all who have followed after them, we whose faith is based on the testimony handed down, we have not seen and yet believe (John 20:29). We who have not actually seen the face of Jesus--do we also see God? Jesus says, "If you know me, you will know my Father also; from now on you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:7). We come to know Jesus as we meet him in the loving relationship of those who today are his closest companions and friends; we meet him when we come in faith to read and hear the holy scriptures, and hear a word behind us say, This is the way--walk in it (Isaiah 30:21); we meet him through the gracious and grace-giving Spirit of God, who shines into our inmost being to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 4:6).    

Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming among us in love and revealing the Father to us. Help us this day to know you better, that we might see God. Amen.