Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, December 21, 2022, Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent, Year A

Song of Solomon 2:8-14,

Psalm 33:2-3.11-12.20-21,

Luke 1:39-45                          Full Readings

Saint Peter Canisius

Taking Jesus to Others

In the Book of the song of songs, where today's first reading comes from, God is theologically interpreted as the lover and we the beloved. Today, he advances to meet the beloved and calls out to the beloved to come out and meet him in love along the way. He is near and is coming into our lives on Christmas; he wants us to come out of ourselves to meet him with faith and love. For all the time of advent, we have been preparing to meet him, are we ready to meet him. God's visit is the best visit which will ever happen and indeed we are lucky to have Him. Today, let's join Elizabeth as she acclaims with joy, when Mary visited her, that, "Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?" Indeed, why should we be honoured with the visit from God, coming on Christmas, indeed we are glad, let us rejoice and be eager to welcome him. We should not only rejoice but also take Jesus to others just as Mary did. In Mary, God visited the household of Zechariah and brought them so much joy that even a child in the womb felt it. We too can be agents of divine visitation to others, bringing them joy, love and peace.

When Elizabeth greeted Mary and recognized the Messiah in Mary's womb they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promise to give a Savior. What a marvelous wonder for God to fill not only Elizabeth's heart with his Holy Spirit but the child in her womb as well. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leaped for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the King to be born. Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD) comments on John's movements as Mary visited Elizabeth and greeted her.

"Not yet born, already John prophesies and, while still in the enclosure of his mother's womb, confesses the coming of Christ with movements of joy - since he could not do so with his voice. As Elizabeth says to holy Mary, 'As soon as you greeted me, the child in my womb exulted for joy.' John exults, then, before he is born. Before his eyes can see what the world looks like, he can recognize the Lord of the world with his spirit. In this regard, I think that the prophetic phrase is appropriate: 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you' (Jeremiah 1:5). Thus, we ought not to marvel that after Herod put him in prison, he continued to announce Christ to his disciples from his confinement, when even confined in the womb he preached the same Lord by his movements." (Excerpt from SERMON 5.4).

Mary brought the Lord to Elizabeth, and Elizabeth in turn recognized the coming of the Lord through Mary. The Lord was at the heart of their meeting. We are called to bring the Lord to those we visit and to recognize the Lord in all those who visit us. The Lord is to be at the heart of the visits we make to one another too. In a few days we shall be celebrating the most decisive visit: God’s visit to us in and through Mary’s child. Zechariah declared in his great prayer, “God has visited his people.” We are called to make that great visitation of God to us in Jesus real and concrete in our visits to each other at Christmas time.

This story should teach us much about what is most important in life. Yes, it’s important to reach out in love to others. It’s important to care for our relatives and friends when they need us the most. It’s important to be sacrificial with our time and energies for the good of others, because through these acts of humble service, we certainly share the love of God. But most importantly, we must bring Christ Jesus Himself to others. Elizabeth was not filled with joy first and foremost because Mary was there to help her in her pregnancy. Rather, she was overjoyed primarily because Mary brought her Jesus, her Lord, living within her womb.

The Lord always compels us to serve. Mary conceived Christ in her womb and then made haste to help Elizabeth. When Jesus resides within a soul, he will always send him or her out. We are a missionary Church. Even the cloistered orders are missionaries at heart, which is why the Church named Saint Thérèse of Lisieux a patron of the missions. Any act of love directed towards God or neighbor strengthens our disposition to love more. Additionally, when we possess God’s sanctifying grace in our soul, God himself loves in and through us. Mary, the mother of God, revealed her missionary heart by making haste to help Elizabeth. We, too, are missionary disciples. Though we do not bring Christ in the same way as our Blessed Mother did, we nonetheless must make this our central mission in life. First, we must foster a love and devotion to our Lord so deep that He truly dwells within us. Then, we must bring Him who dwells within us to others. This is unquestionably the greatest act of charity we will ever be able to offer to another.

Today's O Antiphon reveals the one coming as the RADIANT DAWN

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Let us Pray

Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gift of receiving you in the Eucharist, body, soul, and divinity. I am not worthy of such intimacy with you, but it is both your gift and invitation. Give me the grace to confidently speak with you, sharing my hopes, dreams, and fears. Allow me to hear your inspiration and respond with a generous heart. Finally, like Mary, help me to seek to serve you in my neighbor. Amen

Be blessed