December 22, 2024.
“Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?.” (Luke 1, 39-45)
This greeting of Elizabeth to her cousin, Mary, shows us the virgin as a lucky woman. But why? Perchance Mary’s luck was to be the future queen mother of a mundane empire and to have access to all sorts of luxuries? Perhaps she must have felt fortunate to become the most powerful or famous? Her good fortune, that for which her cousin was congratulating her, was in her womb and it was her son, Jesus. It was also in her decision to do the will of God, to put the Lord first in life.
How many rich people lived in Israel in that era? How many powerful people were there in the Roman Empire? How many important women? Well none of them can carry a candle to Mary in history, whose name is still the most frequently used for women in the world and whose image continues to bring millions to her sanctuaries, to the infinite number of chapels where she is worshiped from one extreme of the planet to the other. And all this because of one thing: because she made the choice of her life of love.
For this, let us imitate Mary and opt for love. Let’s tell ourselves that we are fortunate when we love and not when we use other people. Tell ourselves and convince ourselves that there is more pleasure in giving than in receiving, and it doesn’t matter that the rest of the world doesn’t understand us. Only in this way can we duly prepare ourselves for the immediately forthcoming Christmas. Only this way, given to love, can we welcome into our hearts that which is the source of all love: Christ.
Intention: Not to complain when I must love, fulfilling my obligations, through a service or favor. Imitate Mary.