15 Aug 2024
A Woman Clothed with the Sun
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Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab
Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the agony of giving birth. Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
‘Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah.
Luke 1:39-56
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’
And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her home.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Anonymous
15 August 2024 @ 10:50 pm
Great reminder. God is always present to us.
Pat Sullivan
15 August 2024 @ 10:52 pm
Thanks, Connie. It is good to be reminded of the precious gift of human friendship and of God’s friendship with us.
Sr. Peggy Devlin, OP
15 August 2024 @ 11:31 pm
Thanks for this inspirational preaching to carry me through this beautiful feastday. Peggy
Mary Headley
15 August 2024 @ 11:40 pm
Happy Feast day!
“Encourage and support one another!”
Good reminder!
Easy to say, better to follow through!
Blessings,
Mary
Donna
15 August 2024 @ 11:42 pm
Connie, thanks for your reminders of Mary’s place in our lives!
Beth
16 August 2024 @ 1:50 am
Great preaching to help us celebrate this wonderful feast of Mary ! Her glory, her humanity and especially her friendship. Thank you, Connie.
Anonymous
16 August 2024 @ 5:31 am
Thank you Connie for reminding us that this gospel describing how women support each other can be a model for us.
Patricia Magee
16 August 2024 @ 6:12 am
Thank you Connie for the reminder of how friendship is a mutual support for helping one another to be faithful to God’s promises and becoming who each is intended to be!
Leeanna Varga
16 August 2024 @ 8:19 am
Welcome and timely for me reminder of the holiness of friendship! Thank you, Sr Connie
Cecilia Hayes
16 August 2024 @ 12:25 pm
Thanks Connie ,You talk of friendship. What I really love is that it is between the YOUNG and the Not so Young. Wow! Celie