Homily for Sunday 23rd December 2018
_“In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.” *(Luke 1:39-40)*_
On this last Sunday of the Advent season, our Gospel passage narrates Mary’s visit to her kinswoman Elizabeth. Her visit brought so much joy and peace so much so that that the child in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy.
In our first reading, we hear the prophecy of Micah concerning the little town of Bethlehem; how from it would come a ruler who will bring peace. St. Paul tells us that God does not delight in sacrifices and offering but in a willing heart.
What lessons do we draw from Mary’s visit to Elizabeth especially as Christmas approaches? How do we enjoy the peace which Christ brings? And how do we do God’s will?
*One: The Importance of Kindness and Care for the Old.*
One great lesson Mary teaches us today is the need to care for the aged. The moment the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary at her kinswoman Elizabeth despite her old age was six-month pregnant, Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country to look for Elizabeth.
This was not just an ordinary “hi-hi-hello” visit, it was a three-month vacation Mary took just to be with Elizabeth. Mary did not simply go there to confirm if the Angel Gabriel’s words were true. Three months would have been too long for such a confirmation. In truth, Mary actually went there to stay with Elizabeth because having placed herself in Elizabeth’s shoes, she knew Elizabeth needed someone to help her around the house. Mary understood her need and came to her rescue. Mary would do something similar again when she influenced Jesus to work his first miracle at the wedding feast at Cana having perceived that the couple would be embarrassed at the shortage of wine.
What is my attitude to the sick and the old? When last did I visit my aged parents or relatives? Am I the type who only helps people when asked or do I put myself in the shoes of those in need like Mary? During this season of Christmas, one virtue we must learn to cultivate is kindness. God was so kind to us in sending us His Son Jesus Christ, Mary was kind to Elizabeth by going to visit help her. Your Christmas will not be complete if you fail to be kind to your fellow brothers and sisters especially the old. Christmas is a time to visit the old, a time to care for them, a time to show them love.
Make plans today to spend some time with the old especially those in need of our help and assistance. Do not be selfish, always put yourself in the shoes of others.
*Two: Visiting the Old Attracts God’s Blessings.*
When we visit the old and spend time with them, the joy we bring to them comes back to us in the form of blessing and in the end, we become better for it. Mary did not completely understand what God had done for her until she visited Elizabeth. Mary’s visit caused Elizabeth to be filled with the Holy Spirit and she gave a loud cry: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
This powerful blessing from Elizabeth is exactly what we repeat again and again when we recite the rosary. True to her words, Mary is the most blessed of all women that ever lived and will ever live. There is a great benefit in visiting the old. The old may not have all the money to give us but the blessings they are capable of bestowing upon us are worth more than all the riches in the world.
Indeed, in the course of blessing Mary, Elizabeth became the first person to address Mary as the “Mother of my Lord.” It was upon hearing this that Mary felt the full grasp of what had just happened to her; by her acceptance of the Angel’s words, she was now the Mother of God, she was now a living tabernacle, a bearer of God in human flesh. Upon this realization, Mary who had always considered herself as nothing other than God’s handmaiden was so full of joy that she opened her mouth to sing the Magnificat.
You would never really know your full worth and potential until you visit the old. Do not abandon the old. They need your presence but they have something you need to enjoy your life; you need their blessing and goodwill.
*Three: Mary, the New Ark of God.*
When we go beyond the surface, we see a deeper theological significance of Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth. In 2nd Samuel 6:10-11, we read of how the ark of the Lord which had been captured by the Philistines was returned to Israel and for three months it remained in the house of Obededom. Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb spends three months in the house of Zechariah. In 2nd Samuel 6:12, David upon hearing that the house of Obededom was blessed because of the presence of the ark of God went to bring it with great rejoicing. Again, the joy of David is mirrored in the joy Mary’s presence brings to Elizabeth; a joy that made the baby John the Baptist dance in Elizabeth’s womb.
According to Fernando Armellini, Luke wants us to see Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant. God chose not to live in a building but in the womb of a woman. Did Mary ever stop being the ark of God? Does a mother stop being a mother after delivering her baby? No. This means Mary deserves our devotion and respect. To treat Mary as one ordinary Palestinian woman is to fail to fully grasp the weight of what our Gospel passage today narrates.
For bearing Jesus in her womb and for bringing joy to the home of Zechariah just as the Ark of the Covenant brought joy to David, Mary is the Ark of the Covenant. Like Mary, each of us is a bearer of something. What does your presence bring to others? Do people long for your absence instead? Does your life bring joy to those you meet every day? What do you carry in your heart?
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my presence bring joy to those I visit this Christmas. Amen.
Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Fourth Sunday of Advent. Year C. Bible Study: Micah 5:2-5, Psalm 80:2-19, Hebrews 10:5-10 and Luke 1:39-45).
No comments:
Post a Comment