December 20th - Reflection

Reading
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Luke 1:39-55 (NRSV)
Blessed are you among women
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

Reflection
Jesus came to Elizabeth! Sure He was still in Mary's womb, but Jesus came to Elizabeth. And Jesus comes to each one of us in this same close and personal way. And like Elizabeth, we are filled with the Spirit. What a gift! What an awesome event! And it's not just for those in the place and time of Elizabeth and Mary. It's for you and for me too!

Jesus comes to each one of us. God made flesh! Comes to us and we are filled with the Spirit and we shout! Shout the message of a Savior come into this world, come into our lives, come into us to grant everlasting life! Jesus comes to us and like Elizabeth we respond with a shout and a proclamation to all the world that The Savior has arrived!

Prayer
Lord, You come and I shout! I shout for joy at Your presence. Thanks be to God! ---Amen