Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16 / Luke 1:39-56
We are quite familiar with what this feast of the Visitation is about and the gospel account relates it for us as well.
It is also one of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary and indeed it was a joy-filled event.
That joy was expressed in an emphatic way when the child leapt for joy in the womb of Elizabeth when she heard Mary' greeting.
So even from the womb, the joy of the Good News of God's love is proclaimed, and that joy is shared by Mary, Elizabeth and their babies in their wombs.
That would make us think about our social interactions. We may tend to be more closed in on ourselves and visitors to our homes may seem more like a chore than a joy.
But our social interactions may be more often on cyberspace than on our home space.
A good number of us send more than a couple of emails a day. Are those emails written with respect and bring joy to the receiver?
On the other hand, a good number of us may have also received a couple of nasty emails and we know how it feels. And how did we respond?
The 2nd reading gives us some good directions in our social interactions: Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other, and have a profound respect for each other. Bless those who persecute you and never curse them.
And let us follow Mary in proclaiming the Good News of God's love so that others will experience joy as they face their anxieties and troubles in life