31st TUESDAY, THE FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF VIRGIN MARY

1.Zeph 3:14-18

Gospel :Lk 1: 39-56

 "  Are we courageous enough to praise God when we are praised too?"

Dear brothers and sisters today in a very special way we are celebrating the feast of the visitation of the blessed virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth. Bear in mind that after annunciation Mary left Nazareth and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth because her presence and much more the presence of Jesus in her womb, according to the will of God, was to be the source of great graces to St. John, the fore runner of Jesus. St. Elizabeth was six month pregnant and needed Mary's attention, help, service, and care since she was already in her old age.

Actually this feast of visitation, originally it was celebrated by the Franciscans, upon the advice of St.Bonaventure on July 2, since 1263. However, this feast was not extended to the entire church until 1389. It was transferred to May 31 as a result of logical thinking and putting this feast between the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord( March 25) and the Birth of St. John the Baptist ( June 24), so as to conform to the gospel.

In the year 1389, November, 9 it was the time when the feast was officially instituted by Pope Boniface IX, who decreed that the feast the feast of the visitation should be extended to the entire Catholic church in the hope that Jesus and His Mother would visit the Church and put an end to the Great Schism that was taking place.

Let us have a brief history of Great Schism in relation to our today's celebration:  This Schism was known as the " Western Schism." According to the Catholic dictionary, it is stated clearly that, " The cause of the so- called Western Schism was the temporary residence of the popes at Avignon, France which began in 1309 under pope clement V. This exile from the Eternal City met with the opposition, especially in Italy whereby people in Italy complained a lot for the return of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

Finally in 1376, Pope Gregory XI re-established his see in Rome, and on his death, 1378, the future residence of the vicars of Christ was the main issue in the following conclave.  The cardinals meeting in the Holy city duly elected Urban VI, an Italian. General dissatisfaction, especially on the part of the French members of the Sacred College, and disagreement concerning the validity of the choice led to a second conclave at Fondi ( 20sept.) And the election of another pope, a Frenchman, as Clement VII, who immediately took up his residence in Avignon. Both claimed to be legitimate successors, the western church quickly divided into two camps and each supporting one or the other.

Moreover majority of the people desired unity under one head and intended no revolt against papal authority. Everywhere the faithful faced the anxious problem: The problem was all about the true pope between the two, that is the pope who resided in Rome and the one resided in Avignon France. 

The two popes in different residence each claimed to be a legitimate pope, consequently they launched excommunication against each other, and deposed secular rulers who in turn forbade their subjects to submit to them. This misunderstanding lasted for  forty years ( 1378-1417). An attempt to solve this problem at the Council of Pisa ( 1409) produced a third claimant and the schism was not terminated until the Council of Constance ( 1414-18), which deposed the Pisan, John XXIII, received the abdication  of the Roman, Gregory XII, dismissed the Avignon Benedict XIII, and finally elected an undisputed Pope, Martin V( 11 Nov, 1417).

Let us recognize the missionary dimension in as we celebrate the feast of visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. Mary being pregnant was the joy and full realization that the gift of God was with her. So Mary became full of overflowing joy. The next step was to share that overflowing joy with St. Elizabeth. To us we can also learn something from our Mother Mary that through such sharing it is when we experience the mystery of God's goodness, consequently, this becomes a moment  when we experience the fullness of God's graces and Joy.

Let us have a lesson on the feast of visitation, that it reminds us too of the corporal works of mercy that the Church calls us to do such as visiting the sick, the prisoners and all those that need our presence and our help to them. The feast of visitation reminds us also to be hospitable and welcoming those in need.