Fourth Sunday C of Advent Lk 1,39-45

Mary comes to us and brings us the child of Jesus (Luke 1: 39-45)
The service of Our Lady related to Elizabeth is a challenge for us to know how to serve each other.

Would we say when a person will announce the happiest message to a person? Your mothers would say it most beautifully when a woman reveals to her husband and others that a new man, a child, is born. Actual, only they can enjoy what they have in their hearts. A father who does not want a child will not rejoice. Foreigners can be indifferent.

Today we commemorate the event when Elizabeth, in the greeting of the Virgin Mary, replies: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb” (Lk 1:42).
These words are the final preparation for the feasts of the Nativity. The Gospel reminds us of the event of Ain Karin, about 150 km from Nazareth, where the Virgin Mary rushes for the angel’s proclamation – when she told her that she would be the mother of God and that her relative Elizabeth is in a blessed state.

This event culminates our liturgical Advent. It reminds us that Jesus is already among us. His mission has already begun. There is the first contact of God in the human body with man, whom God himself has chosen as his forerunner, which is to prepare people to accept Jesus as their God, the expected Messiah. It’s an exciting meeting. They were both not born yet. Figuratively, they can be said to be still safe in the “sanctions” of their mothers. However, the first meeting is taking place, and a line of understanding begins. Their discussion will take thirty years. Jesus came to open all that was closed. When he is born, he finds closed human hearts, and the only place he can be taken is a beast. He will come into the world of the Virgin and will not disturb her virginity. However, he will come out of the grave, even though they guard his tomb. He comes to dinner, even though the door is locked.

At the proclamation, Mary opened her human heart so that the God-Man could come into the world. Mary rushes to her relative Elizabeth so that every person can become a brother and sister of God. Mary carries God in her womb, and this event can be compared to the Old Testament event when King David wants to transfer to Jerusalem the Ark of the Covenant, where God himself dwelt over the cherubim. We also give Mary, Mother of God, the adjective Ark of the Covenant. How do you explain it? God commanded Moses to make the Ark and impose the law God would give him (cf. Ex 25: 1-22). They placed Aaron’s priest’s staff and a vessel with manna in it. The Ark was on site for a time near Elizabeth’s last residence. The Virgin Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, just as much as the Ark at the gates of Jerusalem. And for this striking resemblance, we call the Virgin Mary the title of the Ark of the Covenant in the litany. When David learned that God had blessed the house to Abinadab, he brought the Ark to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Sam 6: 23-23).

The Virgin Mary brings God to the world. Mary is the sign of God. A visit to Elizabeth after the incarnation of the Son of God under her heart is an excellent gesture of goodness and love on the part of the Virgin Mary. This is the Advent of the Virgin Mary. It serves and brings joy.

And that is what Mary expects of us today. She gave us an example. With her joy, she was not left alone. Just before the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, the current words for us are that “Mary set out on a journey and hurried” (Lk 1:39). We are to realize that our Advent is to be marked by a deepening of faith and joy over the coming of God into the world. Elizabeth’s words: “What have I earned for my Lord’s mother to come to me?” (Lk 1:43) reveal the faith of Elizabeth. It is a challenge for us to be more aware of the responsibilities we have accepted at the sacrament of baptism and the commitments of the Holy Mass.
We are obliged to develop what began at baptism; deepen and communicate to our surroundings. We must spread the faith to work on our sanctification and the growth of God’s friendship within us. Faith is not just taking, or taking only when convenient, but faith is the duty to work with the Holy Spirit, to be fulfilled by him as Elizabeth so that we can be God’s instrument and announce God’s great love to the world. Being silent when we realize the duties and commitments of baptism will not only not enrich us, but on the contrary, we will not receive the gifts and graces that are offered to us to be our wealth. Mary shows the duty of a Christian. A Christian who has accepted faith is committed to professing and living the faith in his life. He who hides the faith does not know, does not want to share it, does not follow the example of the Virgin Mary from today’s Gospel. Before His Ascension, Jesus commanded us: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16: 15-16). Words of praise were also heard during the meeting. “Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord had said to her would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:45). These words can be spoken of as the first “blessings.” God comes to become man, brings joy, and comes through faith, that is, through opening up to one’s neighbor. We realize this when we think about the meeting of two women, mothers who carried their great sons in their wombs—the Virgin Mary of Jesus Christ and St. Elizabeth of St. John the Baptist. About St. The Lord Jesus testified to John: “I say unto you, There is none greater than those that are born of women than John” (Lk 7:28). Sv. John the Baptist earned this recognition for his faith. His life, deeds, and words spoke of what Christ required of him. But it was his free speech. No one, not even Jesus, forced John to do so. Although he died a martyr’s death at Herod’s palace, he did not die unhappy. He said of his relationship with Christ: “I am not worthy to lose his shoelaces” (Lk 3:16).

These last days and hours of the fourth week of Advent, as we listen to and reflect on the Gospel as the Mother of God rushes to serve the relative Elizabeth, who is also in a blessed state, we realize that God rightly asks each of us to do one another in faith. , helped live the positive message of the Gospel. We need each other. Even today, Christians praise unbelievers for saying what we believe in Christ, “Behold how they love one another!”
The fairy tale from the carpentry workshop is informative not only for children but also for adults. Let’s think about its content.

There was an argument between the carpenter’s tools as to which was essential and not. The quarrel went so far that they began to be mutually exclusive. Someone said. “We must exclude Mrs. Pile because she crossbows and grits her teeth. Her character is the most biting in the world.” Another said: “The Planer has nothing to do with us because he is an ever-sharpened punctuality and makes everything come his way.” “What about Mr. Hammer?” Another protested. “She is tough and wild. He’s still beating, and he’s getting on our nerves. Let’s exclude him!”
“What about the Nail brothers? Can anyone live with them? They keep pricking. Let’s exclude them as well. And when I say, I also ask to exclude Mr. File and Mrs. Rašpľa. Life with them is a constant trick. And let’s say goodbye to Mr. Emery’s paper because he probably lives to wipe everyone!” And so the carpenter’s workshop was shared. They talked to each other, shouting at each other until they excluded each other. Then a carpenter entered the workshop. They fell silent. The carpenter picked up the board and cut it with a serrated saw. He wiped it out with the Planer. Then it came to Mrs. Rasp and Mr. Emery-paper and finally Mr. Hammer and the brother’s Nail. The carpenter used all the tools to build a beautiful cradle. Namely, a baby was needed at any moment, which requires a cradle …

The fairy tale wants to remind us that it is not God who requires us, but we all need God. Everyone is essential in God’s eyes. We each have our irreplaceable place. God expects each of us to fulfill our mission faithfully. It is fitting that we want this, and thank you for the Virgin Mary, St. Elizabeth, and St. John the Baptist.

We will remember the most wonderful news that God himself came into the world in a few hours. Love in our hearts will be a guarantee that the holidays will be an enrichment for us personally, but also for those with whom we sit at the Christmas Eve table, whom we give as a gift, to whom we shake hands or write a greeting. We pray during Holy Mass that we will be among ourselves brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.