Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
We have just spent a beautiful morning walking along Dicky beach outside our apartment on the Sunshine Coast. We are here to celebrate our wedding anniversary - 32 years. We listened to the Gospel on a podcast that Bernie follows called "Catholic Daily Reflections" and then talked about it sitting on a park bench facing the ocean. Here are some of the ideas we shared. “Be the face of Jesus to others. See the face of Jesus in others”. Today’s reading seems to be all about that. When we bring Crist to an encounter, the Christ that dwells in the other leaps for joy. The reading strengthened the idea that Christ dwells in each of us… He has been implanted in us just as he was in Mary and our spiritual journey is to grow him to maturity and be a force in the world that grows him in others. How do we know we are succeeding? Joy. Joy seems to be the outward sign that we are living the life God calls us to live rather than a life we have mapped out for ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI find your response to Luke 1:39-45 deeply insightful and inspiring. You perfectly capture the essence of "being the face of Jesus" and "seeing the face of Jesus in others." Here are some points I particularly appreciate:
DeleteChrist within: You beautifully articulate the concept of Christ dwelling within each of us. This aligns with various theological traditions and resonates with the passage's focus on Elizabeth's recognition of John the Baptist as "blessed" within Mary's womb.
Spiritual journey: Comparing our spiritual journey to nurturing the Christ within is a powerful metaphor. It emphasizes the ongoing nature of our growth and our responsibility to cultivate love, compassion, and service in ourselves and others.
Joy as a sign: Recognizing joy as an outward sign of living God's call is a wise observation. True, fulfilling joy often stems from aligning our lives with a purpose beyond ourselves, which aligns with Elizabeth's joyful response to Mary's news.
Here are some additional thoughts you might consider:
How can we actively nurture the Christ within ourselves? What practices or disciplines help us embody his teachings and values?
How can we cultivate an awareness of Christ's presence in others, even in challenging situations or seemingly difficult people?
How can we share the joy of living God's call and inspire others to embark on their own spiritual journeys?
By continuing to reflect on these questions and engage in dialogue with others, you can further deepen your understanding of being the face of Jesus and contribute to a more loving and joyful world.
Thank you for sharing your insightful and inspiring reflection!