Reflection/Homily: Fourth (4th) Sunday of Advent Year C
Theme:
The Joy of the Visitation
Last Sunday traditionally
known as the “Gaudete Sunday”, we were invited to rejoice for the Lord is in
our midst. In today’s readings, we see in concrete terms, a manifestation of
that joy, the joy that comes from the presence of the Lord. This joy is the
reason for today’s visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. This joy was first prophesied
by the prophet Micah in the first reading (Micah 5:1-4). He delivered a message
that brought great joy to all who heard it. It was a message of hope and of
deliverance concerning the One who is to be born in Bethlehem and who will
bring in the day of peace when all nations will look to Jerusalem. He will be great and will rule over the people
with power and majesty and He himself will be peace.
In the Gospel reading (Luke
1:39-44), we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in the visitation of Mary to
Elizabeth after the message of the Angel to Mary in Luke 1:26-38. Mary accepted
the message of the Angel with great joy and when she was told that her cousin
Elizabeth was already six months pregnant, with joy, she hurried off to meet
her.
Mary must have gone to share
the Good News that she received from the Angel with her cousin Elizabeth, to
witness God’s goodness in the life of Elizabeth whom people call barren, to
share in her joy and finally, to offer her some assistance until she put to
bed. That was why she spent her first trimester there in humble service to
Elizabeth.
