Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Homily for 22 Dec 2015

22 Dec 2015

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months—right up to the time of John’s birth, and enough time to see that she herself was pregnant.  Scripture doesn’t say anything else about their time together.  But we can imagine that for those two women, it was three months of sharing, anticipation, comforting and being there for one another.

What would Elizabeth’s child bring to her life?  What would Mary’s child bring?  What would Zechariah and Joseph think?  What did the present life in their wombs foretell about the life of the world?

As we get closer and closer to our Christmas celebrations, we remember that each of us has Christ within us.  All of us—men and women alike—are part of the Church, the Bride of Christ; it doesn’t matter how old we are or what our health is like.  And there’s something of Christ within us waiting to be borne, waiting to be shared and given to others.

And we begin by sharing Christ with each other, just as Elizabeth and Mary stayed together and shared their hopes and dreams, their worries and concerns, their faith and their love of God.  Even after Christmas is over this year, we’ll still have Christ within us, waiting . . . waiting to be shared and given.

May we find joy and peace in knowing that Christ is in us.  And may we find even greater community and love in sharing God who is with us.    

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