Reflection for Thursday December 21, Third Week of Advent; Luke 1:39-45

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "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? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

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Reflection:

Who moves us to forget our own personal needs so that we could make life better for others? He is no other than Jesus. If Jesus is an integral part of our life we would easily forget ourselves. And our own personal circumstances so that we could make life easier and comfortable for others.

Let us take a deeper look on the actions of the Blessed Mother. The Blessed Mother disregarded her own personal safety so she could give comfort and care to her cousin Elizabeth. What moved her to risk her life considering that she was also pregnant during that time? And considering also that she hahas to travel a very long distance?  It was the baby Jesus in her womb; she was carrying in her womb the greatest gift that we could ever have. She wanted therefore to share the blessing of Jesus to her cousin Elizabeth.

During these days of materialism and consumerism Christmas is slowly becoming gift centered rather than Jesus centered. We have a tendency to focus more on gifts and not on Jesus. Jesus is slowly being eased out in place of materialism and consumerism.

Let us refocus our Christmas celebration to Jesus. Let us make the forthcoming birth of Jesus as our first priority and the gifts not our priority.  Hence let us emulate our Blessed Mother.  Let us forget ourselves and let us remember to share Jesus with our relatives in particular and with fellowmen in general.

Have you already shared the good news about Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas