Saturday, December 16, 2023

Thursday of the third week of Advent - 21 December 2023 - Mary ministers to her cousin Elizabeth

In the days right before our celebration of Christmas, we hear Gospel readings at Daily Mass that lead up to the events of Christ’s birth. Today, we hear of Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Mary ministers to her cousin Elizabeth in Elizabeth’s time of need. Elizabeth, in turn, ministers to Mary. The interaction between these two remarkable women of faith provides a strong example to us. Mary could have secluded herself in prayer and isolation after the announcement from the Angel Gabriel about the upcoming birth of our Savior. Instead, Mary performs an act of mercy in her visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Mary is a woman of great prayer and reflection, as she ponders everything that happens to her in the silence of her heart. We are to be people of prayer and action as well. May we reflect upon this in these last days of Advent and in the days of the Christmas season to come. Blessings to all of you - Father Lincoln.

Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out in those days 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, “Most 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.”

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