SATURDAY DECEMBER 21, 2024
SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT C
St Peter Canisius, P & D (Opt. Commem.)
Song of Solomon 2:8-14
Luke 1:39-45
SHARING CHRIST WITH OTHERS
The great emotional and purposeful act of Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth brings with it great memories and instructions to us on the need to keep close to others and to be agents of peace, joy, happiness and love.
Mary on being told of the condition of Elizabeth quickly arranged and left her home to stay with Elizabeth who was heavy with John the baptist in old age. Mary considered the near terrible situation Elizabeth would have been. She only went to help Elizabeth in her precarious situation. But this visitation turned out to be one of bringing Christ to the home of Elizabeth.
This indication was passed by Elizabeth herself when she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy.”
Was it that Mary did not initially recognize that she was bearing Christ in her womb? Or maybe she underestimated the power and influence of Jesus in her womb with people around her? She could have been negligent of the fact that her own son in the womb was that powerful to have made that great impression to Elizabeth and John the baptist.
The indication Elizabeth gave was not so much the presence of Mary as much as the presence and supreme powers of Christ visibly felt and active in this encounter.
Bearing Jesus in our hearts, wombs and body and presenting ourselves to others brings great aura of peace, joy and eternal rewards. That is the experience of Elizabeth as passed to us. Elizabeth heard the greetings of Mary and was filled with the Holy Spirit and the child in her womb leaped for joy. These are great instructive signs that tell the influence of bringing Christ to others.
We may not know as Mary also that, the supreme task of spreading the gospel and bringing Christ to others has great effects in people’s life. Mary teaches us the great effect of the feeling of affection for others, of visiting others, of rejoicing in the joys and happiness of others and of giving a helping hand to others in their perceived needs and seeming difficulties.
From these attitudes, we may have succeeded in bringing Jesus into people’s lives. So we need to express those little emotions of affection, love and cherish people in their situations. We must not only think of acting but be seen acting in bringing succour, helping hand, supplying needed physical help, giving to them, loving them, listening to their stories, and lifting the burdens of life by providing for them in any way we can.
All these help can be directed to members of our family, colleagues, neighbours, or even those who come begging from us. We must be open to allow affection, love and trust to inform our attitude towards people.
Mary teaches us by her visitation to Elizabeth these acts of affection for other, love, togetherness and bringing Christ to others in our daily struggles and aspirations. The Christ in us will eventually give joy, happiness and peace to others.
Even as we prepare for the feast of the coming of Christ, we need to share the joys of this season, the happiness of Christ coming and the peace that he brings.
Do not be left out of making Christ known, love and appreciated in the poor, in your neighbours and those who know you to be human and suffering. Let our celebration be to give joy and peace to others by our little gifts to them, by our kind words, and our affectionate love towards them all.
Heavenly Father, Mary brought joy into the home of Elizabeth by bringing Jesus to her home. May we be bearers of joy, peace, goodness, and of Jesus to our family members, our neighbours and our world as we selflessly exert ourselves in sharing our little gifts, the greetings we give and the affection of love, we show through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
