S4, E6 - The Visitation Decade Meditation

The mission of the Ponder and Magnify Podcast is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. In this episode, listeners are invited to pray with their imaginations through a decade meditation on the account of the Visitation from Luke 1: 39-56. May we all be in Heaven together one day! Praise be to God!

Transcript

Jessica: 0:04

Hello, and welcome to the Ponder and Magnify podcast, where our mission is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the Rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. I am so happy that you are here. In this episode, we'll meditate on the Second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation, as we pray a decade of the rosary. Of course, in this story, Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist after years of longing for a child. He is a true miracle given Elizabeth's old age. And right following this Visitation moment, where Mary, miraculously pregnant with Jesus, visits Elizabeth, who is miraculously pregnant with John, after this is this beautiful prayer of praise to God, the Magnificat, offered by Mary. And elsewhere in Scripture, Zechariah, Elizabeth's husband, gives a prayer of praise of his own too. As I was meditating on this story, I kept being led to consider what Elizabeth's prayer of praise may have sounded like. This decade reflection is born from this, meant to be a prayer of praise from Elizabeth that is applicable to her and all of us. Before we start, let's pause and reflect on what we're bringing to prayer. What are your joys in this moment? What sorrows are you feeling right now? Do you have any fears in this moment? What are you desiring? Whom do you wish to pray for? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Jesus, we ask you to speak directly into our circumstances. Mary, thank you for praying with us and for us now. Holy Spirit, please anoint the gift of our imagination so that we might come to encounter Jesus more deeply through it. The second joyful mystery is the Visitation. A reading from the Gospel of Luke. During those days mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said: "Most lbessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." And Mary said, My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked upon His handmaid's lowliness. Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones, but lifted up the lowly, the hungry he has filled with good things, the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever. Mary remained with her about three months, and then returned to her home. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. My soul too proclaims the greatness of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Lord saw that I was crushed in spirit, and he drew near. He is close to the brokenhearted, and he comes with healing power. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Lord looked upon the longing of my heart and satisfied it with his love. His love is the highest good. His love drives out fear and is our fulfillment. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Lord allowed me to participate in His plan for salvation in a way I could never have imagined. He endows our lives with meaning and purpose of eternal value. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Just when I thought I received the pinnacle of his gifts, the Lord gave more. His paternal heart is eager to be generous with his children. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Spirit has come over me and enabled me to recognize my Savior in my midst. He is ever near, waiting to be found, and the Lord sends his help that we may see. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Lord has delivered the Savior to me in the most fit of homes in Mary. How merciful and loving is our Father that I should receive such a gift. He is faithful to his covenant. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen. The Savior is present with me. Of all the things I have asked for and thought I wanted, I see it all pales in comparison to this. In His presence I am safe and secure, and in want of nothing. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Lord has made his salvation known. Even this child within me has perceived it. The Lord delivers peace and joy to the lowly with the knowledge of their salvation. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen. Nothing will be impossible for God. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, amen. O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy, amen. Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O Clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Oh, thank you, God. Please help us turn to greater and greater praise of you. We promise to be praying for you. We humbly ask for you to be praying for us. May we all be together in heaven one day. Praise be to God.