The Church
hasn’t remained simply because of good leadership all of these years. In fact, corruption and serious internal
conflict have been evident within the Church from the beginning. Popes have lived immoral lives. Cardinals and bishops have lived as princes. Some priests have gravely sinned. And many religious orders have struggled with
serious internal divisions. But the
Church itself, this shining Bride of Christ, this infallible institution still
remains and will continue to remain because Jesus guaranteed it.
With today’s
modern media by which every sin of every member of the Church is able to be
instantly and universally broadcast to the world, there can be a temptation to
look down on the Church. Scandal,
division, controversy and the like can shake us to the core, at times, and
cause some to question their ongoing participation in the Roman Catholic
Church. But the truth is that every
weakness within Her members should actually be cause for us to renew and deepen
our faith in the Church itself. Jesus
didn’t promise that every Church leader would be a saint, but He did promise
that “the gates of the netherworld” would not prevail against Her.
If scandals and divisions have weakened your faith, then turn your eyes to our Lord and to His holy and divine promise. The gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against the Church. That’s a fact promised by our Lord Himself. Believe it and rejoice in that glorious truth.
Continuing with my Lenten project on “The Highs and Lows and Ups and Downs of the Holy Rosary”, here is the second “Joyful mystery”.
The
Visitation
Brief
meditation
"And
whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). Mary has just received life-changing news,
news that no other woman will ever receive: She is to be the Mother of God. Yet in announcing this to her, the angel
Gabriel also revealed that Mary's cousin Elizabeth is six months' pregnant. Mary doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t worry about her
own situation; her cousin needs her. She ‘hastens’ to the hill country to be of service. Childless until now, Elizabeth is beyond the
normal childbearing years; she has even hidden herself from the eyes of others
because her pregnancy is so unexpected.
As the body
of our Lord is growing in her own womb, Mary spends three months caring for
Elizabeth, leaving only shortly before the birth of Saint John the Baptist, who
leapt in his mother’s womb in the presence of
Jesus. She shows us what true love of
neighbor means: placing the needs of others above our
own, devoting ourselves to our neighbor in his or her hour
of need. There will be plenty of
time to think of herself and her Child later; for now, Mary's thoughts lie only
with her cousin, and with the child who will become the Forerunner of Christ. Truly, as Mary responds to her cousin's
greeting in the canticle we call the Magnificat, her soul does "magnify the Lord," not least through her love of
neighbor.
Scriptural
meditation
1. Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered
Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
(Luke 1: 39-40) - Hail Mary...
2. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the
baby leapt in her womb. (Luke 1: 41)
- Hail Mary...
3. Elizabeth was filled
with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1: 41) - Hail Mary...
4. She cried out in a loud voice: "Blessed are you among women and blest
is the Fruit of your womb." (Luke 1: 42)
- Hail Mary...
5. "Blest is she who trusted that the
Lord's words to her would be fulfilled."
(Luke 1: 45) - Hail Mary...
6. Then Mary said: "My being proclaims the greatness of the
Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my
Savior." (Luke 1: 46-47) - Hail Mary...
7. "For he has looked upon his servant in
her lowliness;
all ages to come shall call me blessed." (Luke 1: 48)
- Hail Mary...
8. "God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is his name." (Luke 1: 49)
- Hail Mary...
9. "His mercy is from age to age on those
who fear him." (Luke 1: 50) - Hail Mary...
10. Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home. (Luke 1: 56) - Hail Mary...
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