The Third Sunday of Advent (CL)

Luke 1:39-45

³⁹ In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby 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 to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby 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.”

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Elizabeth hears the greeting of Mary and feels the prophet in her womb proclaiming the messiah to come. This is the mother of our Lord. She has been blessed with this great gift.

Note Elizabeth recalls her being blessed because she believed. Mary’s faith in the Word God has fulfilled in the Christ dwelling in her womb. You are blessed just as Mary is blessed by God granting you faith to believe in the fulfillment of His Word.

God promised to provide a savior to his people. God promised the seed of woman to crush the head of the serpent’s offspring. God has granted you faith, forgiveness, and new birth in Jesus Christ who was born of the virgin Mary and died for your sins and even is now risen from the dead as the first fruits of your resurrection.