“..as she was the first ciborium before He was born, so she was His monstrance after Bethlehem. To her fell the happy lot of exposing, in the chapel of the stable, the “Blessed Sacrament”, the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. She enthroned Him for adoration before wise men and shepherds, before the very simple and the very learned” Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
Every time I think of the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, I am awe struck (Luke 1:39-45). Mary carried Jesus across miles to see her cousin. As soon as Mary walked in and greeted Elizabeth, John leaped within his mother’s womb and Elizabeth declared, with a loud voice, “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?”
Mary didn’t tell her she was pregnant nor describe the strange events of this conception. John and Elizabeth knew nonetheless. John was so happy that he leapt. I read once that his leap was for more than mere joy of Jesus being near. I had read that at this moment a huge and divine influx of grace came upon John which caused such joy and excitement in the baby that he couldn’t help but leap.
This should be the reaction we have anytime Mary is present, she always brings Jesus with her.
This adoration chapel within Niepokalanów had the same effect upon me as Mary did upon Elizabeth. While some fellow pilgrims took a break after we got off the bus, our guide told the others to ‘go up those steps, through the door and then into the small chapel the the left.’ Opening the door to allow my wife to walk through, I followed her into the chapel. Wow! Wow! I was blown away by the beauty of this adoration chapel. The room was highlighted in blue by the sun streaming through the stain glass windows. And, there before us, highlighted in gold, stood the Blessed Mother. Within her heart rested Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Golden light emanating from her heart where Jesus rested. Before us Mary “enthroned Him for adoration”.
We knelt to pray and I’ll be honest, for quite some time, I could find no words. I knelt and gazed is total awe at the beauty of our Lady. How appropriate, I thought, that the Eucharist is within her Immaculate Heart, that’s where He always resides.
When I finally could grasp words, I renewed my consecration to Jesus through Mary, both standing before me intertwined in this chapel as they are always for eternity. I felt the acceptance and pleasure at my renewal, but from whom, I don’t know. Mary and Jesus stood before me together and I think both were equally pleased and proud. Jesus was proud to show His mother with such beauty and Mary was proud to present her Divine Son and accept my consecration pledge.
We were taken on a tour of Niepokalanów, celebrating Mass in the same chapel that St. Maximillian Kolbe would have celebrated Mass and given talks to the friars. But, after viewing the beauty of Niepokalanów, my wife and I could only go back to the Adoration Chapel to spend our last minutes in Niepokalanów with Jesus and Mary.
We should always be asking Mary to come into our hearts. Every time we open the doors to the ‘stable’ that is our soul, she comes bearing her Son. Like John, our souls leap with the grace He pours upon us and the boundless joy of His royal presence. And, as Elizabeth, our hearts leap with such joy that we exclaim to the whole world that the Mother of our Savior has brought the Lord into our house.
Always keep the doors of our hearts open to invite Mary and Joseph in, they carry God with them.