31 May 2022 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgements against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more. 

From Zephaniah 3:14-18 , NRSV 

The prophet Zephaniah spoke of the time when the holy city of Jerusalem would be restored. He describes this as a day of great joy and celebration when the kingship of Christ would be welcomed and accepted. For many years after the Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, they continued to suffer oppression and hardship under a succession of rulers. They longed for freedom and looked for a strong leader to come and rescue them. When Jesus came and proclaimed God as king, this was not the type of kingship that many had expected. Jesus called to God’s kingdom the poor, the outcast, the sick and all who lived on the margins of society. It is these same people whose salvation is recalled in Mary’s “Magnificat” in which, during her visit to Elizabeth,  she praised God’s faithfulness to his promises and his care for the “lowly” people of this earth.

• • How do you think Zephaniah’s prophecy was received by the people of his time?
  • How do you envisage God’s kingdom?

You may like to include Mary’s Magnificat as part of your own prayer today – there are also many beautiful sung versions to listen to such as this www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRIjjDR0he0