21-Dec-20

Gospel LK 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.”

Reflection

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.

Mary had a loving, giving heart. Without hesitation she said “yes” to God when through an angel he invited her to bear His son in her womb.
Upon hearing that Elizabeth, her elderly aunt was pregnant, Mary set off without hesitation on a rugged four day journey through the hills to serve her.

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.

Elizabeth was in need and Mary responded.
Today, the poor, the needy, the homeless, look to us for help.
They “call out” to anyone who has ears to hear and eyes to see.
Sometimes they call without words, simply standing on a corner, clinging to all their worldly possessions.

Can we, like Mary, respond with a loving, giving heart?

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.

It was pouring rain and traffic was heavy. As I drove under the bridge I caught sight of a man laying huddled under a blanket. Not able to stop, I pulled into a gas station with the intention of going back around the block.

Just then a homeless woman loaded down with her belongings walked by my truck.

Rolling down the window I held out a $10 bill and a prayer card with a picture of the Blessed Mother and asked, “Can you use a little help?”
Her eyes lit up and she responded, “Oh my goodness! Yes, thank you so much.” Then she said, “There’s a homeless man laying under that bridge back there.” I told her I had seen him and was going back to offer him some help.

“Without hesitation…..” she held up the picture of Mary and the $10 bill and said, “I’ll go over and give this to him.”

Her name is April.

My heart “leaped with joy” at the goodness of April’s “loving, giving heart.”

“You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” John Bunyan