WITH MARY’S FAITH, LET US WAIT FOR THE LORD

IV SUNDAY OF ADVENT:Lk 1:39-44

HE WILL BE OUR PEACE

This Sunday's liturgy moves around two main themes: Mary, who is proclaimed blessed by Elizabeth, and Christ, who willingly offers himself to come to do God's will. And what is God's will? - we may ask. The prophet Micah puts it in a very short sentence: "He himself will be peace", as he comes to "feed his flock with the power of the Lord" (Micah 5:1-4).

CHRIST OFFERS HIMSELF TO COME

The letter to the Hebrews speaks of God being tired and disgusted with all the oblations and sacrifices that people offered: "You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin". They were offered with a magic mentality, thinking that they work automatically and effectively, even without reflecting any inner attitude of the heart. God does not need the blood of animals or even less the blood of people. Remember that human sacrifices were strictly forbidden by the Law, being considered an abomination. What God expects is a pure a heart, filled with love and compassion. And Christ offered himself to do just that. Being faithful to God's will, he was rejected by the people who prefer selfishness to love and revenge to mercy.

MARY, THE MOST BLESSED

In this Sunday's gospel, Mary is proclaimed by Elizabeth "the most blessed". At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel had addressed her as the "favoured one". This favour and this blessing is a gift of God's love. It is not something that Mary possess, as if it rightly belongs to her. It is a gift of God's mercy; a gift given to her for our sake. However, not forgetting what has just been said, Elizabeth proclaims Mary "the most blessed", because she believed. Mary is a woman of faith, ready to do God's will. In that respect, she is completely different from the first woman, Eve, who rejected God's will, thinking that she knew better than God. Mary believed; that's why she is great. She is the mother of the Lord!

Let us accompany her in expectation, filled with hope and love, ready to welcome the baby Jesus in our hearts.