[Salvation]

Thursday, December 21
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent

The Bearer of God

Yesterday we gazed on Mary as with all the power of her spirit she accepted God’s call to be the mother of his Son. Today, the Church places all of us in the position of Elizabeth watching as Mary approaches over the hills bearing Jesus. “Hark, my lover – here he comes/springing across the mountains,/ leaping across the hills…../My lover speaks; he says to me,” ‘Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come’…../’O my dove in the clefts of the rock,/ in the secret recesses of the cliff,/ Let me see you,/ let me hear your voice./ For your voice is sweet,/ and you are lovely’”….(See Song of Songs 2:8-24). Jesus comes to us through Mary; he tells us that he loves us and that he wants to hear our voice. He wants to listen to our spirit as we talk to him. Finally, we can join with Mary and the Church as they sing to him on this day: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of the eternal light, sun of justice, come shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Or perhaps we can let him hear the voice of our heart and our lips: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord: / my spirit rejoices in God my savior!” Ask Mary, the bearer of God to visit you today.

Reflection based on Luke 1:29-48
Father Francis Martin

Loving Father, give me the eagerness of Elizabeth as I await the coming of your Son whose love banishes all my misery.

[Salvation]

	December 22 And Mary said, "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord: my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has looked upon His handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed." (Luke 1:46) Reflection Mary says that she is lowly, and also that all will call her blessed. How can both of these things be true? Mary’s lowliness was transformed by her faith in God’s promise as given to her by the angel. Through this faith she became the most exalted of God’s servants. Do we let God work with and transform our lives? Or, do we use our own "lowliness" as an excuse for inaction? Christmas is a beautiful time for re-inviting God into our lives and letting His power transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Advent Action Make a "mini-retreat" to prepare for Christmas. Read the first and second chapters of Luke’s Gospel and spend some time reflecting on the story of Jesus’ birth and early life. Prayer O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of humankind; O bid our sad divisions cease  And be for us our King of Peace.