FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Luke 1, 39-45 |
| Rev. Fr.Valentine de Souza S.J. |
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
BELIEVING WOMEN
José Antonio Pagola
After she received the call of God announcing to her that she would be the mother of the Messiah, Mary sets out on her way alone. A new life, at the service of her son Jesus, begins for her. She moves quickly, with determination. She feels the need to share her joy with her cousin Elizabeth and to put herself at her service in the last months of her pregnancy.
The meeting of the two mothers is an unusual scene. No males are present. Only two simple women, with no rank or relevance in the Jewish religion. Mary carries Jesus along with her everywhere and Elizabeth full of a prophetic spirit dares to bless her cousin without being a priest.
Mary enters the house of Zechariah but does not go to him. She goes directly to greet Elizabeth. Of the content of the greeting we know nothing, except that the salutation filled the house with overflowing joy. It is the joy that Mary experiences since she heard the voice of the angel:“Rejoice, you who are highly favored!”.
Elizabeth could not contain her surprise and her joy. As soon as she heard the greeting of Mary, she feels the movements of the creature she carries in her womb and interprets them as “leaping for joy”. Then she blesses Mary exclaiming “in a loud voice”:“Blessed are you among women and blessed is the child you will bear.”
At no time does she address Mary by her name. She regards her totally identified with her mission: she is the mother of her Lord. She sees her as a believing woman, in whom the plans of God will be fulfilled.
What surprises her most is the behavior of Mary. She has not come to show her dignity as mother of the Messiah. She is not there to be served but to serve. Elizabeth cannot get over her astonishment:“But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
Quite a number of women do not live in peace in the Church. Indifference and unease keeps growing in some. They suffer when they see that in spite of being the first to collaborate in many areas, they are hardly counted on to think of , decide , and promote the progress of the Church. This situation is hurting all of us.
The weight of centuries of history, controlled and dominated by males, prevents us from realizing how impoverished the Church is by dispensing with a more effective presence of women. We may not listen to them, but God can raise believing women, full of a prophetic spirit who can infect us with joy and give the Church a more human face. They will be a blessing. They will teach us to follow Jesus with more ardor and fidelity.
Contribute to the conversion of the Church
English Translation by Valentine de Souza S.J. Mandal, Gujarat , India.394650
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This was so inspiring to read and fills all women with hope. Thank you so much for sharing this.
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