“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?” (LK 1: 42-43)
Everyone can repeat after Elizabeth—“how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”—because She is also our Mother and She is always coming to us when we are in need. How important we are that Our Lord shares with us His Mother!
“O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.” (LK 1: 38)
Our Lord comes everyday with a message of His love for us. His love has many faces—comfort, respect, gentleness, tenderness. He protects and leads, He cares and saves. He helps us to be free from darkness and enables us to serve others like He serves us.
“O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.” (LK 1: 5-7)
In St. Luke’s narration, everything is so detailed: “in the days of Herod… a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah,…daughter of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.” Every name is important, and every relationship is important because this the beginning of a collection of stories about the birth and childhood of Jesus, who came to save us. Not the world and mankind, but us—everyone by name.
“O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!”
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” (MT 1: 22-24)
In God’s heart we were loved before the world was created. Everything was prepared to unite us with Him—“the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” The prophet obeyed; Our Lady and St. Joseph obeyed; the apostles obeyed, and now we are sent to proclaim the same Good News—we are loved by God, and He is with us. We are never alone, never abandoned and never forgotten—always loved, always protected and always in His heart.
“The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar…” (MT 1: 1-3)
“Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,” and again and again three times of 14 generations. This is the way Our Lord shows us how close He is to us, how important we are to Him, and how much He understands us. In His genealogy are sinners and heroes, fallen and faithful women, people like we are. He came “with power and love.”
“O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (IS 56: 7)
Prayer is not an action only; it is more about relationship than action. It is how to be more and better connected with God rather than to do something for Him. Therefore, His “house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” where everyone is loved and accepted. Like in our houses, we are together not for doing something, but to make a space for everybody’s growing, based on the mutual gift of self, a space where we develop our relationships and know ourselves better.
“Come, Lord, bring us your peace that we may rejoice before you with a perfect heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, my love shall never leave you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.” (IS 54: 10)
If we consider that these words come from Our Lord, “Who has mercy on us,” and “though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, His love shall never leave us,” we are the happiest persons in the world. He is never tired of communicating this to us; He is always with us, and His love has no end. We are chosen and loved.
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’” (MT 11: 19)
“The Son of Man” was recognized, by His generation, as “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” He “came eating and drinking” to meet us where we are and to lead us where we should go. Only Our Lord knows our dignity (hidden from the people by our weaknesses), and only He knows where we really belong (as our Redeemer).
“The Lord will come; go out to meet him! He is the prince of peace.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” (EPH 1: 3-4)
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary teaches us about our dignity. “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” not only chose Our Lady to be Mother of His Son, not only dedicated His Son to be our Redeemer, but also “chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” We are loved by Our God, chosen to love and to be with Him forever.
“Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (MT 11: 28-30)
Our Lord is so close to us; He understands perfectly those of us “who labor and are burdened, and, which is much, much more important, not only understands but also loves us. He teaches us how to grow and how to protect our relationships. He teaches us by example why His “yoke can be easy, and His burden light.” By His love—“the Lord comes to save his people”—our hearts have the chance to be like His—“I am meek and humble of heart.”
“Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.” (Gospel Acclamation)
