Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
Lectionary: 197
Reading 1
Song of Songs 2:8-14
Hark! my lover–here he comes
springing across the mountains,
leaping across the hills.
My lover is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the windows,
peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me,
"Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one,
and come!
"For see, the winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of pruning the vines has come,
and the song of the dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.
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."
Or
Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you,
he has turned away your enemies;
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
He will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
R. (1a; 3a) Exult, you just, in the Lord!
Sing to him a new song.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Exult, you just, in the Lord! Sing to him a new song.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Bringing Christ to Others
Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Luke 1:39–40
We are presented today with the glorious story of the Visitation. When Mary was about two months pregnant, she traveled to be with her cousin Elizabeth who was to give birth within a month. Though much could be said about this as an act of familial love given from Mary to Elizabeth, the central focus immediately becomes the precious Child within the womb of Mary.
Imagine the scene. Mary had just traveled about 100 miles. She was most likely exhausted. As she finally arrived, she would have been relieved and joyful at the completion of her journey. But Elizabeth says something quite inspiring at that moment, which elevates the joy of all present, including the joy of Mother Mary. Elizabeth says, “For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy” (Luke 1:44). Again, imagine the scene. It was this tiny child within Elizabeth’s womb, John the Baptist, who immediately perceived the presence of the Lord and leaped for joy. And it was Elizabeth who immediately perceived the joy in her child living within her womb. As Elizabeth expressed this to Mary, who was already joyful at completing her journey, Mary was suddenly all the more overjoyed at the realization that she had brought to Elizabeth and John the Savior of the World living within her womb.
This story should teach us much about what is most important in life. Yes, it’s important to reach out in love to others. It’s important to care for our relatives and friends when they need us the most. It’s important to be sacrificial with our time and energies for the good of others, because through these acts of humble service, we certainly share the love of God. But most importantly, we must bring Christ Jesus Himself to others. Elizabeth was not filled with joy first and foremost because Mary was there to help her in her pregnancy. Rather, she was overjoyed primarily because Mary brought her Jesus, her Lord, living within her womb.
Though we do not bring Christ in the same way as our Blessed Mother did, we nonetheless must make this our central mission in life. First, we must foster a love and devotion to our Lord so deep that He truly dwells within us. Then, we must bring Him who dwells within us to others. This is unquestionably the greatest act of charity we will ever be able to offer to another.
Reflect, today, not only upon your mission to invite your Lord to dwell within you as our Blessed Mother did but also upon your Christian duty to then bring Him who dwells within you to others. Do others encounter Christ living within you with joy? Do they sense His presence in your life and respond with gratitude? Regardless of their response, commit yourself to this holy calling of bringing Christ to others as an act of the deepest love.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
SALUTATIONS AND VISITATIONS
“Hark! my lover — here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills.” —Song of Songs 2:8
At the very beginning of her pregnancy, the Blessed Virgin Mary visited St. Elizabeth. “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blest are you among women and blest is the Fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?’ ” (Lk 1:41-43) Both St. Elizabeth and St. John responded to Jesus’ presence and Mary’s visitation with praise in the Holy Spirit.
At the very end of Mary’s pregnancy, she and St. Joseph visited an inn to find a place to have their Baby. The innkeeper responded to Jesus’ presence and the holy family’s plight with rejection (Lk 2:7). His inn and his heart had no room for God-made-man.
The Lord continues to visit His people. He continues to be accepted by some and rejected by others. “He was in the world, and through Him the world was made, yet the world did not know Who He was. To His own He came, yet His own did not accept Him. Any who did accept Him He empowered to become children of God” (Jn 1:10-12). If we can be like Elizabeth and John in accepting Jesus, we can be like Mary in giving Him to the world.
Prayer: Jesus, may I become so sensitive to Your presence that even a greeting or a word would stir up the Holy Spirit in me. Give me the Holy Spirit of Christmas.
Promise: “Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior.” —Zep 3:16-17
Praise: “O Radiant Dawn, Splendor of eternal light, Sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”
Reflection 3
Shared from Daily Liturgy
In today’s Gospel passage we witness the meeting of two grace-filled women, Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, the young pregnant woman goes to her cousin Elizabeth about whom she came to know from the angel that she also was pregnant in her old age. The purpose of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth might have been twofold: to render help, understanding her mind and to share her life, including the “Good News” and all that has happened in her because of it. They celebrated each other’s good news, praising and appreciating. Strengthened by the words of Elizabeth, Mary turns to the Lord and sings a hymn of praise from her heart. Do people feel free to come to me to share their life and am I able to raise their hearts to God?
Prayers
Lord, please do dwell within me. Come and transform me by Your holy presence. As You do come to me, help me to then become a missionary of Your divine presence by bringing You to others so that they may encounter the joy of Your presence. Make me a pure instrument, dear Lord, and use me to inspire all whom I encounter every day. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me joy in seeking you more earnestly. Increase my faith in all your promises, my hope in the joy of heaven, and my love for You as my All.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 355: Idle Talk, a Sign of an Idle Soul
Some people are very good at talking about others. They offer continual opinions and judgments of them and speak freely, as if they have everything figured out. Do not be like one of these people. Those who have their minds and tongues occupied with the activities of others have little time to look into their own souls so as to discover who they are (See Diary #1717).
Do you struggle with idle talk? In other words, do you speak regularly and freely about others, issuing opinions and judgments upon them while, at the same time, fail to honestly evaluate your own soul? If you do this it may be hard to admit it. But if this is you, admit it here and now. Tell our Lord you are aware of this struggle and seek His Mercy as your help. He will help you, but only if you are honest with your struggle.
Lord, please free me from the idle chatter and judgments I tend to place upon others. Help me, instead, to become truly recollected and aware of my own life and sin. Help me to also see the abundance of Your Mercy which I must rely upon and offer to others. My Lord, I repent of my sin, please come to my help. Jesus, I trust in You.
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