Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

The presence of the Lord manifests joy in the hearts and bodies of both Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. In the young and the aged. The transforming power of God's love is a cause for both joy and excitement. Especially for all who hear and believe the good news.

The meeting between the cousins was a life-changing moment for both. Why? Because it was a confirmation of what the Lord had spoken to Mary in the message of Gabriel. It was also a sign for Elizabeth that she was in the presence of the Lord and a participant in God's mysterious plan of salvation. We too can experience this same type of joy and excitement in God’s presence, because God is truly present in our midst! He is with us in his Word and his Sacramental Presence in the Eucharist. He speaks to us and feeds our hunger for the good news and new life with his sanctifying grace.

Did you ever wonder why there is a visible joy in the faces of very young persons when they receive communion? Or why an aged priest who has physical limitations suddenly appears more youthful and exuberant while celebrating the Liturgy of the Eucharist? It is because Jesus came to give us new life. This new life begins with our hearing and believing the Word spoken to us and in receiving the Eucharist into our bodies that yearn for the fulfillment of God's plans for our lives.