Homily for Friday 21st December 2018
_“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’” *(Luke 1:41-42)*_
Our first reading today is from the Song of Songs and from a passage that talks about the beloved leaping upon the mountains like a gazelle, the beloved whose voice is so sweet and so much appreciated by the loved.
When we juxtapose this reading with our Gospel passage, we see Mary (the gazelle), going with haste to the hill country (leaping upon the mountains) to the house of Zechariah. We also see how the voice of Mary’s greeting made the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy, as the lover leaps for joy at the voice of the beloved.
Now, let us examine this great woman, Elizabeth. Here she is, pregnant in her old age hiding from people lest they begin to run their mouth asking questions how she managed to conceive at that age. Mary, a young woman comes all the way to visit her, and as soon as she hears Mary’s greeting, she opens her mouth and utters words that would define the Christian religion for ages to come.
Notice, it was from Elizabeth’s mouth that we get to hear about Mary’s pregnancy. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” Luke 1:42. Elizabeth introduces Mary to the world as the woman who is blessed among all women. Elizabeth and Angel Gabriel gave us the “Hail Mary” prayer of the Rosary.
Elizabeth did not stop at that, she added: “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:43. Let us pause for a while to dwell on this verse. Did Elizabeth just address Mary as “Mother of my Lord”?
It doesn’t end there, Elizabeth added: “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45. Apart from properly addressing Mary as the Mother of God, Elizabeth goes on to tell us the reason why Mary attained such a glorious height; Mary believed the words spoken to her by the Angel Gabriel.
But by the way, how did Elizabeth manage to say these things? Was she a theologian? Was she there when the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary? Who told her about Mary’s pregnancy? The answer lies in Luke 1:41. She was FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
When we have the Holy Spirit in us, our utterances no longer come from our heads but from God. Elizabeth was not a priest neither was she a scholar but by the Holy Spirit, she became a Dogmatic Theologian; she defined the doctrine of Mary as the Mother of God, and she began active devotion to Mary during her lifetime!
The life of Elizabeth teaches us to always be open to the Holy Spirit. Indeed, we should always pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. With God, we can do all things.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may the Holy Spirit overshadow me now and always. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 3rd Week of Advent. Bible Study: Songs 2:8-14, Psalm 33:2-21 and Luke 1:39-45).
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