THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT (C) : Saturday 21st December 2024

The Song of Songs chanted a rhyme, “The rains are
over, the flowers appear, the season of glad songs and the
cooing of turtledoves are heard.” This phrase evokes in us
hopeful sentiments for the beautiful transformation of the
season. It is also a time to come out and seize the
graciousness of the moment, the air that we breathe, the
sound that we hear, the sight that we see, a sublime
presence is approaching. Perhaps Advent is precisely the
season to hasten our encounter with Christ – truly
momentous and richly different from last year.

Visiting others and being visited by friends and
relatives have been a common feature of the season. What
would our visit by others to our house be like? Hospitality
is a necessary virtue of Advent. Be prepared to be visited
by the Lord of the season. Greetings are inevitably part of
hospitality.

Mary, carrying a joy within her over hills and plains,
hastened to visit Elizabeth who is also with child. Like the
Archangel Gabriel who greeted her, Mary uttered her
joyous greeting to Elizabeth, filling the whole house of
Zechariah. Such joyous greetings reverberate that
Elizabeth responded to the greetings by saying that even
the child within her womb is touched by such joy. From
the womb of women to the house of Zechariah, God’s
sanctifying presence in the Holy Spirit is animating the
divine and human greetings. Greet with sincerity.

Lord, may we be attuned to Your joyous greetings and pass the joy to others.