THE DAILY GOSPEL
December 21, 2015 (Monday)
Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
4th Week of Advent
Psalter: Week 4 / (Violet/White) St. Peter Canisius, priest & doctor 1st Reading: Song 2:8-14 (or Zep 3:14-18a)
The voice of my lover! Behold he comes, springing across the mountains, jumping over the hills, like a gazelle or a young stag. Now he stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, peering through the lattice. My lover speaks to me, “Arise, my love, my beautiful one! Come, the winter is gone, the rains are over. Flowers have appeared on earth; the season of singing has come; the cooing of doves is heard. The fig tree forms its early fruit, the vines in blossom are fragrant. Arise, my beautiful one, come with me, my love, come. Omy dove in the rocky cleft, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice. Your face-how lovely! Your voice-how sweet! Gospel: Lk 1:39-45
Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, and giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!” Reflection:
The older woman Elizabeth, mother of John, greets Mary, the young mother of Jesus. The Holy Spirit inspires her soul. She sings the blessing of Mary over all women and the uniqueness of her son, Jesus. Only in the grace of the Lord are we able to perceive and to praise God’s presence in the humble womb of Mary. For a moment, let us adore Jesus in these sacred nine months in the womb of his mother (pause).
Mary is the mother of the Lord. As soon as she knew the pregnancy of Elizabeth, Mary came from Galilee to Judea to greet and help her older cousin. Elizabeth discloses the secret of her joy: the leap of John in her womb. For the first time, the forerunner and the Messiah meet together in so hidden and mysterious a way!
Maybe, Elizabeth recalls the doubt of Zechariah as she praises the faith of Mary and reaffirms the hope of the Lord’s fulfillment.
In this present Advent, when the feeling of the coming of Jesus is growing more and more, let us ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of rejoicing in Jesus like these two singular women at the threshold of our Salvation.
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