Yesterday, on the 4th Sunday of Advent, we heard of the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary, of how at the end of that visit, Mary was asked to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was also expecting a child. Today, we hear of that visit from the Gospel of Luke. It’s interesting for us to see what events are included in holy scriptures and which are not. There is no record in the Gospels of the discussion between Mary and Joseph about what is about to happen in the upcoming birth of Jesus, but we do hear the conversation between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Mary was probably a very young teenager at the time of Jesus’ birth, while Elizabeth was her much older relative. Elizabeth responds to Mary’s news not with fear, shock, bewilderment, or suspicion, but instead with great joy. Elizabeth tells her: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.” Elizabeth is surprised by, and appreciative of, Mary’s great faith, as Elizabeth proclaims: “Blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” Indeed, blessed is any man or woman who believes, despite all the obstacles and barriers, despite all the evidence to the contrary, despite any ridicule or peer pressure against that belief. God blesses us with his grace, he seeks us out to have Christ be born in our hearts so that we might believe & become his followers. Blessed are we who dare to believe when God’s will acts in us in unique and unexpected ways.
I remember how when I was a missionary, I heard of the great missionaries of our Church, too numerous to name all of them, but missionaries such as Jean de Brebeuf, Peter Claver, Francis Xavier, Junipero Serra, Mother Theodore Guerin, and Damien of Molokai. They gave me great inspiration on my journey and the hardships that I faced as a missionary. Many of those missionaries faced physical danger and violent opposition to their missionary work, obstacles that we cannot imagine facing each day the way they did. I think of what we are called to endure during the pandemic. Any time I get a cough or don’t feel well, I fear that I have COVID-19. With my underlying health issues, it strikes a very real fear in me to be sure. But as we take steps to be safe, real steps, we are also called to be missionaries and to bring the faith to others. We are called to be missionaries of faith and hope. We are not called to huddle in fear, afraid to live as disciples of Christ, afraid to fulfill our mission and our calling. We are to be beacons of hope and love, not conveyers of fear and trepidation.
As I reflect upon this Gospel reading, I think of how Mary was indeed the first disciple, how Mary is a model of discipleship as well as being the Mother of God and the Mother of our Church – Our Mother. May the intercessory prayers of Mary give us guidance and strength. May her motherly love bring us further along on our journey of faith.
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