Molly Fernandes
On May 31 the Church celebrates the feast of the Visitation of Mary and a reflection on this occasion will remind us of our duty towards the other. “And Mary ran in haste after knowing that her cousin Elizabeth was with the child and ENTERED into the house of Zachariah”. (cf. Lk.1:39-40).
Mary is challenging us, as she makes herself available 24×7 to Elizabeth, understands her and stays with her till……. Yes, she entered into Elizabeth’s life (pain, the daily household chores, mental ordeal) and her presence made the difference! We also come to know that “Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and the infant within her leaped..” (cf. Lk. 1: 41).
This moment the Spirit enlightens bringing to mind the passage of the Good Samaritan. In this passage we have three different characters, with three distinct attitudes. It is the Good Samaritan who gets down from the animal, pours oil and wine, cleanses his wounds and bandages and then takes him to the inn asking the inn-keeper to take care….(cf. Lk 10: 33ff). Through this act of courage and compassion, the Good Samaritan enters into his life and makes the difference.
When in a world where people are ready to do anything to gain power, status, fame for self interest, compromise even against any evil the young maiden of Nazareth and the Good Samaritan empower us, to empower others by entering into the cry of humankind, into the needy brethren may be our own the aged, the sick, neglected, those suffering…, the insignificant ones or even whom we consider as our enemies. As “man suffers in different ways, ways not always considered by medicine, not even in its most advanced specializations. Suffering is something which is still wider than sickness, more complex and at the same time still more deeply rooted in humanity itself. A certain idea of this problem comes to us from the distinction between physical suffering and moral suffering. This distinction is based upon the double dimension of the human being and indicates the bodily and spiritual element as the immediate or direct subject of suffering. Insofar as the words “suffering” and “pain”, can, up to a certain degree, be used as synonyms, physical suffering is present when “the body is hurting” in some way, whereas moral suffering is “pain of the soul”” (Salvific Doloris no. 5).
As we find in psalm 91: 16 “I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honour them”; How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who enters into the life of the wounded, the grief stricken, the suffering…..(cf. Is. 52:7) all this, the Lord does and will do through you and me. And through this, we become part of the Mystical Body of Christ and Messengers of His Kingdom.
