Micah 5:1-4a / Hebrews 10:5-10 / Luke 1:39-45

Christmas is just around the corner! Only a few days left! Mary has already said YES to the Archangel Gabriel about God the Father's plan, the Holy Spirit has already impregnated Joseph's wife, and Jesus is already growing in His Mother's womb. We are experiencing this beautiful mystery with great joy and hope!

Today the evangelist Luke presents us Mary - pregnant with Jesus - Who visited Her relative Elizabeth - pregnant with John the Baptist. This is the second joyful mystery of the Holy Rosary.

It was a wonderful encounter, in which the Holy Spirit was acting and inspiring the conversation of these women. Elizabeth said that Mary was blessed among women, as was the fruit of Her womb, which was Jesus. The mother of John the Baptist said that the Mother of her Lord was blessed for having believed, and affirmed that the Lord would fulfill what He had spoken to Mary.

The pregnancies of Elizabeth - who was elderly and barren - and Mary - who was an adolescent and a virgin - were surprising. They represent the ancient Israel - which awaited the fulfillment of God's promises - and the new Israel - whose promises were being fulfilled.

In our preparation for Christmas, with the elderly Elizabeth, let us exalt the adolescent Mother of God, because she understood that being chosen by God means serving those in need.

Today the prophet Micah tells us of the divine choice of the too small Bethlehem as the city from which the shepherd-ruler of Israel - whose origin comes from eternity - would come, so that the people could live in peace.

For us Christians, Jesus is this shepherd-ruler, Who is our peace. And the woman who gave birth to Him is Mary, Joseph's wife.

And today the author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that, in the mystery of God the Son who became Man, God the Father prepared a body for Him, so that He could be offered as a sacrifice for the consecration of men.

When He came into the world, Christ told the Father that He had come to do His Will. May we imitate the obedience of Jesus, Who is growing in Mary's womb, whose birth we will celebrate with joy in a few days.

Local: Springfield, MA, EUA

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