Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Luke 1:46-56

Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
and has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months
and then returned to her home.

Reflection

Mary's proclamation reveals her wisdom, her understanding that what has been said about this man God has been fulfilled in her, and she seems to have this amazing capacity to understand fully what it means. And so it's like that's the necessary ingredient we all need to have, recognizing that there's a plan that has been proclaimed from the beginning. It's called the Kingdom of God, and we were all invited to participate in it in ways that we are convinced it will work.

It will bring about the fullness of who God is in us, with us and for us.

We need to proclaim that with our hearts to ourselves over and over again.

Closing Prayer

Father, one of our greatest weaknesses is not to know how we are engaged in something so magnificent, so great, so beyond our imagining. How can we, small as we are and insignificant as we sometimes think we are, make a difference in the way the world is going and growing and changing. Give us the faith of Mary that we can believe that we are part of God's plan. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross