MIRROR MIRROR

(Rom 12:9-16; Lk 1:39-56)

So, I’m going to make some assumptions this morning on how you began this day.  Some assumptions are very obvious, others based on what I perceive to be basic human routines.  First assumption, you woke up and got out of bed.  Go ahead, some of you may need to pinch yourself to make sure.  The rest of my assumptions are common and not necessarily in order: you had at least one cup of coffee, went to the  bathroom, bathed, brushed your teeth, had breakfast, and by observation I notice some were even motivated to either had done or are going to workout, but at some point during your morning routine, you looked at yourself in the mirror. 

This is where it gets interesting.  Often, we stop to take a close look, which produces certain spontaneous response like: Vanity, “Wow, I’m looking really good!” or Depression; “Damn, I’m looking old.” or Thanksgiving; “Thank you Lord for another day.”  Our response often sets the mood for our day.   This is what others will see no matter how good we feel we are at masking it.

Yesterday we celebrated the Ascension of the Lord, we’re commissioned to “go into the world and proclaim the good news to all creation.”  Today, we celebrate the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Is it a coincidental flow of events that these two great feasts are next to each other?  Reflecting on its significance helped me realize that the Visitation is a gesture of manifesting the Spirit and the Ascension message: to proclaim the good news.  We are celebrating life in many ways in our feast today.  It’s a celebration of life among us, a celebration of love.  Mary is carrying the good news in her womb.  We carry the good news in our being.

In the first reading, we heard Paul saying, “Let love be genuine” (Rom 12:9) … “Love one another with mutual affection”; “outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom 12:10) … “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Rom 12:15).  This all needs to begin with the person you met in the mirror this morning.

Sharing the love of God is not limited to words, even more it is manifested in actions and loving service, seeing Jesus truly present in ourselves and others.

Does our:

• heart leap for joy in greeting the person in the mirror or at greeting of another? 
•  soul spontaneously proclaim the greatness of the Lord? 
•  spirit rejoice in God’s gift of another day?

Looking to Mary to be our model, our guide, and inspiration let us celebrate life.  Let us in humble service, sing with her, our own praises to God, who will always lift up the his lowly servant in the mirror.