GOSPEL READING:
Luke 1:39-4539 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
SCRIPTURE READING:
Zephaniah 3:14-1814 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18 as on a day of festival.
Meditation: Do you recognize the indwelling presence of
the Lord Jesus in your life? Blessed are you if you see and
recognize the Lord with the "eyes of faith". The word "blessed" [makarios
in Greek] literally means "happiness" or "beatitude". It describes
a kind of joy which is serene and untouchable, self-contained, and
independent from chance and changing circumstances of life.
God gives us supernatural joy with hope in his promises
There is a certain paradox for those "blessed" by the Lord. Mary
was given the "blessedness" of being the mother of the Son of God.
That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart
as her Son died upon the cross. Anselm, a great teacher and
Archbishop of Canterbury (1033-1109), spoke these words in a
homily: "Without God's Son nothing could exist; without Mary's
son, nothing could be redeemed." To be chosen by God is an
awesome privilege and responsibility. Mary received both a crown
of joy and a cross of sorrow. Her joy was not diminished by her
sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God
and his promises.
Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from
you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which
enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor
death can take away. Do you know the joy of a life given over to
God in faith and trust?
They were filled with the Holy Spirit
What is the significance of Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth
before the birth of Jesus? When Elizabeth greeted Mary and
recognized the Messiah in Mary's womb they were filled with the
Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfillment of
God's promise to give a Savior. What a marvelous wonder for God to
fill not only Elizabeth's heart with his Holy Spirit but the child
in her womb as well. John the Baptist, even before the birth of
the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leaped for joy in the womb
of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of
the King to be born.
The Lord wants to fill each of us with his Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and
experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his
kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within
each of us. Do you live in the joy and knowledge of God's
indwelling presence with you through his Holy Spirit?
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.
Psalm 33:2-3,11-12,20-21
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song, play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Yes, our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: John prophecies from the womb, by Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD)
"Not yet born, already John prophesies and, while still in the
enclosure of his mother's womb, confesses the coming of Christ with
movements of joy - since he could not do so with his voice. As
Elizabeth says to holy Mary, 'As soon as you greeted me, the child
in my womb exulted for joy.' John exults, then, before he is born.
Before his eyes can see what the world looks like, he can recognize
the Lord of the world with his spirit. In this regard, I think that
the prophetic phrase is appropriate: 'Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, and before you came forth from the womb I
sanctified you' (Jeremiah 1:5). Thus we ought not to marvel that
after Herod put him in prison, he continued to announce Christ to
his disciples from his confinement, when even confined in the womb
he preached the same Lord by his movements." (excerpt from SERMON
5.4)
