Daily Reflections - December 21,2012

Two Holy Women Meet

 

Each pilgrim to the Holy Land experiences a different holy place as highlight of the pilgrimage. For me it is always a visit to Ain Karim, a small village in a valley west of Jerusalem. Climbing up the slope slowly and looking down into the lush green and quiet valley is soothing to the eyes and gives me peace and joy. And then we stand in front of a church. Murals above the entrance and inside show Mary on her way to Elizabeth and the meeting of the two expectant mothers. According to an old tradition, this is the place where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived and where Mary met her old cousin and sang the Magnificat, now to be read in the courtyard of the church in more than 40 languages. This place still preserves the peace and joy the two holy women felt when they met and, filled with the Holy Spirit, praised God.

There are two points that strike me. First, after Mary had been told by the angel Gabriel that she would be the mother of the Messiah, she could have asked from her mother Anne better food, better clothes and be served fitting her dignity. But no, she walked about 115 kilometers from Nazareth to Ain Karim to help her old cousin during the last months of her pregnancy. Mary practiced already what her Son would say later about Himself and urged His followers to do, “I did not come to be served but to serve.”

What about us? Do we not like rather to be served than to serve? And how do we treat those who serve us – our maids at home or the waiters and waitresses in restaurants?

A second point that strikes me is that, when these two women met, they did not talk about the weather, they did not gossip about other people – they praised God!

How often do we waste time and words when we meet people? How often our topic is the fault of others instead of what good the Lord has done for us?

May the example of Mary and Elizabeth inspire us to imitate them and so be better prepared for the feast of Christ’s birth!Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you have difficulties to serve in humility, especially your poor and marginalized fellowmen?

 

Lord, thank You for this beautiful story and for making me aware of important points for my spiritual life. Help me to imitate Your dear Mother and serve, rather than be served.