"And many peoples shall come and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem."¹
Countless pilgrims travel daily to the innumerable shrines dedicated to Our Lady to find the ways of God or to be reaffirmed in them, to find peace for their souls and comfort in their afflictions. In these places of prayer, the Virgin makes the encounter with her Son easier and more accessible. Every shrine becomes "a permanent antenna of the Good News of Salvation."²
Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Montserrat, to whom for centuries so many Christians have turned to seek Mary's help to move forward on a path that is not always easy. How many have found there peace of soul, God's call to a greater self-giving, healing, and comfort in the midst of tribulation...! The liturgy of the feast is centered on the mystery of the Visitation, "which constitutes the Virgin's first initiative. Montserrat, therefore, contains most valuable lessons for our journey as pilgrims,"³ for that is what we are.
We cannot forget that we are heading toward a very specific goal: Heaven. The end of a journey largely determines the way of traveling, the items carried, the provisions for the road... The Virgin tells each of us not to carry too much gear, nor excessively heavy attire that hinders our progress, and that we must walk swiftly toward the Father's house. She reminds us that there are no definitive goals here on earth and that everything must be oriented toward the end of that journey, of which we may have already completed a good part.
Furthermore, "on the march, we must imitate the style of the Mother in the visit she made to her cousin: In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah (Lk 1:39)."⁴ She walks with haste, with a quick and joyful step. This is how we must go along the path that leads us to God. Moreover, we must carry in our hearts the joy and the spirit of service that Our Lady carried in hers.
Note on the text: The passage blends Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah/Micah) with reflections on the Marian pilgrimage, specifically highlighting the Feast of Our Lady of Montserrat (April 27th) and the biblical haste of the Visitation.
HCD