Sunday Mass Gospel
Reflection
A Reading
from the holy Gospel
according to
Luke 1:39-45
Mary set out and traveled to the
hill country in haste to a town of
Judah, where she entered the
house of Zechariah and greeted
Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard
Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped
in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled
with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a
loud voice and said, “Blessed are
you among women, and blessed is
the fruit of your womb. And how
does this happen to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come
to me? For at the moment the
sound of your greeting reached
my ears, the infant in my womb
leaped for joy. Blessed are you
who believed that what was
spoken to you by the Lord would
be fulfilled.”
December 19, 2021
For most of us, seeing family and friends during the
holidays is a routine occurrence. Being able to meet, greet, and
be in the presence of others, especially people who mean a lot to
us, brings a sense of delight. In a way that virtual encounters
cannot, visiting people keeps us emotionally involved with one
another.
"Of all women, you are the most blessed," Elisabeth says
to Mary, reminding us that it is through Mary that God wishes to
deliver salvation to the world. In reality, He accomplished the
greatest amazing occurrence in history by giving His Son to all of
humanity through Mary. Mary is referred to as "blessed" because
she felt that the Lord's promise to her would be realized.
There is a sense of anticipation in the air for many of us on
this fourth Sunday of Advent. The Christmas mood is growing
stronger, and we must be careful not to let the celebrations cloud
our judgment. Just one week before we celebrate the advent of
Jesus, the visitation must remind us that Christmas should
motivate us to do as Mary and Jesus did: obey God's word in
perfect obedience to His will, in joyous friendliness, and altruistic
charity. This means that, like Mary, we must carry (bring) Jesus to
others.
Because she became the "vessel" through which Christ
entered the world, Mary was dubbed "full of grace." We, too,
must open ourselves to be vessels of God's grace, allowing the
Holy Spirit to work through, with, and in us in order to bring God
to the world and to one another. To be God's vessel, however, we
must empty ourselves of sin, pride, apathy, and unforgiveness,
and allow God's love to cure our flaws so that we, too, might be
"full of grace." Advent calls us to become a light unto others and
guide others through the "darkness" to the light of Christ, much
as John was the voice in the wilderness guiding people to Jesus.