Let love be sincere, hate what is evil, hold onto what is good;  love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. // Romans 12:9-10

I pushed aside the heavy mirror with the chipped frame to reveal a large image lying behind it amidst the grime. The heaviest artwork was stacked on the floor, propped against the wall in the corner of the dusty, musty thrift store. I was in search of a perfect mirror and instead found an image that captivated me. It is the image of what I want my own life to reflect.

In a blissfully intact brass frame was a beautiful image of The Visitation. The older Saint Elizabeth stands at the top of the steps with arms outreached in welcome to a young Mary, Mother of God. One can’t gaze upon this image without feeling the emotion shared between the two women, and we know the words they spoke at this greeting for they are repeated in the Hail Mary and the Magnificat (see Luke 1:42-55). They are words of love, hope, and joy.

Each of us has the honor of being little tabernacles of the Lord. Like Mary, we too can carry Him within ourselves and share His love, hope, and joy with all those around us. 

The picture now hangs in my living room. It isn’t the mirror I was searching for, but instead it reflects so much of what I seek. It is a visible reminder of the importance of hospitality and the opportunity we have with each encounter to share the love of God. Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans in the First Reading gives us a beautiful recipe for this interaction—love sincerely with mutual affection. In a world that is increasingly a place of loneliness for so many, our face-to-face interactions can be life-giving. Spend some time today praying for someone you know to be lonely. Reach out to them and let them know you care.