It abounds today in each and all of these scriptures.
From a passionate love poem in the Song of Songs to Zephaniah’s bursting forth of promise and safety and encouragement and gladness and love.
Either one of these choices for a first reading in today’s liturgy are filled with joy and love.
Just four days away, and then we are in the grip of Christmas Eve.
Clearly, the liturgy is setting the scene for our recognizing that salvation has come in Christ and his birth.
And so, the Gospel takes us to a pregnant Mary visiting her pregnant cousin, Elizabeth.
Both pregnancies are the result of angelic visits and proclamations.
But in this visitation between two pregnant women, something almost magical happens.
As Mary greets Elizabeth, and Elizabeth shares her salutation in her famous “Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee,” the baby John, hidden in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, somehow recognizes through the voice of Mary the baby Jesus hidden also in the womb of his mother Mary.
As this recognition happens, Elizabeth becomes aware that her baby John leapt for joy and love in her womb.
This, a classic. and yet the supremely unique recognition scene. It is told in scriptural story and language undoubtedly to evoke in us the same joy and love.
Indeed, perhaps even our own version of leaping for joy and love.
Simply put, do we and will we today and every day recognize this presence and rebirthing of Christ within us again and again, and always?
Baby John in mommy Elizabeth teaches us and models for us the joy and love that should play a prominent role in our lives of faith.
Recognizing the Christ and rejoicing in the Christ within and among us is our role as Christians, as followers of Christ.
Today in liturgy, we get to play out our own version of greeting Mary — full of grace — and of discovering the beginnings of a life of joy and love for and with our Lord!
Ah, the gift of story and language!
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
