In today’s gospel, we see the enactment of the second joyful mystery. Our Lady visits her cousin Elizabeth, whose response is beautifully captured in the Ave Maria:
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Angelic Messengers
Consider the angelic messengers, those supernatural creatures tasked by God with a definite mandate. Some of them are sent from God to deliver messages. The Angel declared God’s message unto Mary and Joseph and Zechariah – this is well documented in the Bible. So, we know that Mary knew about Elizabeth’s pregnancy, but how did Elizabeth know? Mary’s visit to Zechariah’s home to greet her cousin prompted the question:
How does this happen to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?
Did the Angel also visit Elizabeth? Or was the angel’s visit to Zechariah more detailed than related? Either way, this much is evident. That the angelic messaging service is alive and well and what’s to prevent it from being active today? The choirs of Angels constantly give glory to God, each one performing their angelic function, and we need to tap into these paragons of grace, primarily by invoking their assistance in combating the one who can destroy our souls.
Promises Fulfilled
Blessed are you who believed that what was promised to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.
Saint Elizabeth extols Our Lady’s belief in God’s promises. The ancient Jewish Dayenu prayer gives gratitude to God for all the gifts the Jewish people have received. Dayenu which translates to “It would have been enough” expresses gratitude to God for their freedom from slavery, the miracles He did for them and God’s closeness to the people of Israel. How about us? Doesn’t God promise us many things? Do we have the same attitude of gratitude?
A Listening Heart
Our Lady kept all these things in her heart. She is the missionary par excellence. She hears the Angel’s message, and putting aside her own comfort, immediately makes the arduous trek to the hill country to provide the succor that she knew her aged relative needed. That the angel’s message was treasured and pondered we know. But when the time comes to act, it is done with alacrity. During the Season of Advent (no, it’s not Christmas yet, people), the Baptist dominates and exhorts us to make straight the ways of the Lord. When still in his mother’s womb, he thrills at the sound of Our Lady’s voice and leapt for joy. We too, like Mary, John, and Elizabeth, need to cultivate the field of our heart, listening and acting on the will of the Father.
Ordinary Times
But what’s startling is that the Gospel action unfolds in a routine, common place event, the meeting of two relatives. Nothing earth shattering is taking place and that’s precisely what’s amazing. God breaks through in the simple, ordinary day-to-day living. He desperately desires to be with us, and He doesn’t disdain being born in a stinky stable nor interacting with us in the middle of the messiness and brokenness.
Angelus
The essence of this final week of Advent can be captured by this beautiful prayer:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Truly Inspirational Patrick. Once again, a job well done. Keep ’em coming.
Another great reflection. Why would we think that angelic messages no longer occur to declare God’s will? Great comment.