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Friday of the Third Week in Advent
Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Ps alm33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
Luke 1:39-45
Summary
The theme running through all the readings today is joy! Rejoice and
be glad! The first reading exhorts us to shout for joy, sing joyfully.
Why? Because God˅s love is so abundant; He rejoices over us with
gladness. The Psalm further encourages us: ˈThe plan of the Lord
stands forever.ˉ We trust in the Lord. The Gospel is the lovely account
of Mary˅s visit to Elizabeth where Elizabeth utters those beloved
words, ˈMost blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit
of your womb.ˉ
Reflection
On this gloomy winter day when the leaves have fallen, spring flowers
are a fading memory, and there is a chill in the air, one might not feel
much like rejoicing. The days are shortened and there is more dark-
ness than light. For some of us, our lives seem like that ˀ more
darkness than light. Some of us are very discouraged about all the
discord in our country, wars around the world, poverty, hunger. Some
of us are enduring illness or sadness or reverses. All of us are ob-
serving the time of Advent ˀ waiting, wondering, hoping. And amid
all this darkness, the scriptures say, ˈRejoice!ˉ The words leap from
the pages like the infant leaped in Eliza-
beth˅s womb. This is no time to be mo-
rose. This is the time, indeed this is the
very day when we must see the light that