Fourth Sunday of Advent 2024 – Blessed Are You Among Women

“And then we get to this wonderful scene of the moment when Mary arrives. She enters the house of Zechariah and greets Elizabeth. Elizabeth saw the young Mary and her son in her womb moved and she was filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit and she cried blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And suddenly we imagine everything was okay again with Mary because she found someone who not only accepted her and opened her home to her but more importantly who blessed her, who encouraged her.

Elizabeth blessed Mary and that is all that Mary really needed at this time. All that she was longing and seeking a little encouragement. She just needed to be blessed, to be accepted, to be loved. And she did not stop. Elizabeth did not change the world that day. All that she had to do was to open her door and offer a blessing to Mary and God did the rest. “

~ Father Francis

Reading 1, Micah 5:1-4
Reading 2, Hebrews 10:5-10
Gospel, Luke 1:39-45