A Message from Fr. Jay
Dear Friends,
Are you prepared enough? We are going to meet the Word made Flesh soon and celebrate it with joy. It has been a wonderful spiritual journey for me to reflect with you every week through this message.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent readings explain how the long-awaited Messiah is surrendering himself with his life to replace the old law. The new law of Christ is love and out of his unconditional love, he sacrificed himself. Therefore, we lit the candle of Love this week.
Pope Benedict XVI assumed the leadership of the Church in 2005, the Year of the Eucharist. On May 31, 2005, during the prayer meeting in the Vatican gardens for the conclusion of the Marian month, he gave a short reflection, combining the Visitation and the Year of the Eucharist. I am sharing an excerpt from his reflection since we hear the same gospel this week:
“Today, in particular, we pause to meditate on the mystery of the Visitation of the Virgin to St Elizabeth… In a certain way we can say that her journey was – we like to emphasize in this Year of the Eucharist – the “First Eucharistic procession” in history. Mary, living Tabernacle of God made flesh, is the Ark of the Covenant in whom the Lord visited and redeemed his people. Jesus’ presence filled her with the Holy Spirit.
When she entered Elizabeth’s house, her greeting was overflowing with grace: John leapt in his mother’s womb, as if he were aware of the coming of the One whom he would one day proclaim to Israel. The children exulted, and the mothers exulted! This meeting, imbued with the joy of the Holy Spirit, is expressed in the Canticle of the Magnificat”.
What else could come out of pure love!
I wish you all a blessed Christmas and hope you let the joy of Christmas continue in your daily lives. I promise you all my prayers and blessings.
God Bless You,
Fr. Jay Raju
Reading 1: Micah 5:1-4a
Reading 2: Hebrews 10:5-10
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45
