When I looked at the date, May 31st-the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I felt a sense of dejavu.  I thought, “Hadn’t I written a reflection for December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?”  In checking my date book I saw that I had written a reflection for December 20th.  The readings for that day also carried the message regarding Mary’s willingness to accept God’s plans for her.  For me, this is the essence of today’s Gospel.  “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

What an outstanding role model Mary is for all of us.  She willingly believed and had faith in God’s plans.  To have faith and belief in a loving God brings me peace and comfort.  God will provide… God will show me… God will give me the strength… if I remember to trust and hold firmly to my faith in God’s plans I will live the life that God has planned for me too.  “The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”

The readings today also provide messages on how to live life.  The belief that there is a loving God, who knows us better than we know ourselves.  A God that is always in our midst.  A God that we can freely speak about to others and experience in our daily lives.
The reading from Romans is a wonderful reminder of how we are called to live our lives.  “To rejoice in hope, endure in affliction and persevere in prayer.  To contribute to the needs of others, exercise hospitality, and to bless those who persecute you.”

As I approach our son’s high school graduation I have found myself in conversation (well, maybe a monologue) with him, to be open to God’s plans.  I have encouraged him to pray and to trust that he will live the life that God has planned for him too, I find myself reminding him, that God is always in our midst and  “to find God in all things.”

If only we could all remember the messages shared with us and remember the faith experiences of other people.  Jesus has told us how to live life, we just need to remember to be mindful of the messages and then to share the messages with others in our life.   I hope our son has been listening!!