Spiritual Quote of the Day (Gospel According to St. Luke, on the Visitation)

“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechari′ah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’”—Luke 1:39-45 (Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition)

The image accompanying this post, The Visitation, was drawn by the Italian Renaissance master Raphael (1483-1520), then completed by an assistant.

Quote of the Day (Gospel of St. Luke, on the Shepherds and Angel at the First Christmas)

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,

    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’”—Luke 2: 9-14 (New International Version)

(The image accompanying this post is Rembrandt van Rijn’s- The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds (1634)

Quote of the Day (Gospel of St. Luke, on the Son of Man)

“The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”—Luke 19:10

(The image accompanying this post is Crucifixion, by German 16^th-century painter Peter Gertner.)

Quote of the Day (Gospel of Luke, as John the Baptist Speaks of the Rich and the Poor)

“And the multitudes asked him [John the Baptist], ‘What then shall we do?’ And he answered them, ‘He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.’--Luke 3: 10-11

(St. John the Baptist, 1542 oil-on-canvas painting by Titian, is held in the Academy of Venice.)

Quote of the Day (Luke, on Mary, ‘Handmaid of the Lord’)

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, ‘Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ But Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?’ And the angel said to her in reply, ‘The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ ” Luke 1: 26-38

Nobody else in the human race has ever been given the great honor and responsibility accorded Mary, but all of us, even the humblest, are called to give honor to God. Among the examples of this—not just in the United States, but around the world—are the artisans who have testified to their faith through their work.

Everyone knows the extraordinary examples of this in the Vatican, but I think that I and many of my fellow Catholics take for granted the many—and, more frequently than not, all but anonymous—architects, painters, sculptors, and stained-glass makers who have made even the ordinary parish churches little jewel boxes. I took the photo accompanying this post, for instance, a couple of years ago, while on vacation, in Staunton, Va., the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson and home of the Blackfriars Playhouse. This particular Madonna-and-Child statue is just outside St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church. You can multiply examples of these around the country.