BEING GIFTED

December 22, 2024 – Fourth Sunday of Advent

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122224.cfm)

Once I visited a sick bedridden elderly Lady in her home for the Sacrament of Anointing. She was crying overjoyed of my presence and visit since it has been awhile since she received Holy Communion and she really missed our Wednesday novena to OMPH. To lighten the circumstances, I asked her if she could still sing any Marian hymns, and readily she sang the whole, “O Birhen Maria”. As I was about to leave she asked me to also visit her sick neighbor nearby.

My visit to her reminds me of our gospel today and of how Elizabeth responded to visit of Mary. As Mary visited her, Elizabeth felt great honor, blessing and happiness that made her praise the Lord, professed her faith and blessed Mary, that also moved Mary to sing the Magnificat. A simple visit made and can still make a lot of difference, influence and change in people’s life.

In the same manner, in gift-giving, happy we would be whenever the gifts we give are gratefully received. And more joyfully it would be when our gifts are gratefully received and shared with others. Joyful it is then, when our gifts are thankfully received & shared with others. Elizabeth was so grateful for Mary’s gift of visitation.

And more so, she acknowledged the blessedness of Mary for sharing her God’s offer of salvation for us. Both women joyful to receive & share God’s gift of a child for them & for all. Being GIFTED with simple visit, God’s gift of salvation for us in Jesus is gratefully received & joyfully shared with others by Mary & Elizabeth, and us, as God’s bearers & sharers of God’s gift of salvation for all.

If we really come to think of it, salvation happens when the Lord comes for a visit. Meaning, our salvation happens with our personal encounters or experiences of the Lord in our lives. And such graces and blessings continue to happen as the Lord always GIFTED us with personal visits and as we welcome Him wholeheartedly into our lives. Thus, salvation occurs with a visit and a welcome. Whenever we welcome a visit as well as whenever in sharing we visit someone, we participate in the Lord’s way of transforming and renewing life.

As we are nearing the Lord’s birthday, perhaps we ask ourselves: When is the last time we visit someone, and when is the last time we welcome a visitor? When is the last time we participate in God’s salvation by visiting another person and by welcoming a visitor? When is the last time we thankfully receive & bear Jesus into our lives? When is the last time we joyfully shared Him to others? Listen & Respond.

Come Lord Jesus into our lives. Amen.