Sunday Readings

"Mary and the rush to love". Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

Andrea Mardegan comments on the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Luis Herrera offers a short video homily. 

Andrea Mardegan-December 15, 2021-Reading time: 2 minutes
readings sunday advent

Maria he hastened to the mountain. She was in a hurry to see her friend again, after knowing that her great emptiness had been filled by God, for whom nothing is impossible. She was in a hurry to be able to wrap up with spoken and heard words, with smiles, hugs and illuminating glances the news that changed Isabel's life. Hurry to rejoice with her, to see with her own eyes how she was and to be able to help her. He sensed that Isabel might have locked herself at home, hiding.

She needed Mary, someone to whom she could tell without fear the miracles that had happened to her and Zechariah. She needed a close friend to whom she could confide her joys, hopes and fears. Pregnant women were always advised to rest, not to tire themselves out. Elizabeth needed the help of her young relative and friend, available for any need as a matter of course.

Mary kept the rush of solicitude for Elizabeth and the inner rush to understand the connection that existed between her event and that of her friend. On the other hand, Mary's heart was bursting with joy and questions about what was happening to her, which she had not yet confided to anyone. She had preferred to wait to tell Joseph, to leave the initiative to God, to wait for reality to confirm Gabriel's promises.

Besides, she didn't want to leave the groom alone for three months with such a big and difficult news to handle. Because Maria had already made the decision to stay with Isabel until the moment of delivery. That's why she was in a hurry to share it with the only person in the world who could understand this great thing that had happened to her, impossible to say without causing her very serious problems.

She could be considered a blasphemer and condemned to death, suspected of covering up adultery involving stoning. She could not wait to confide in and receive advice from her relative and friend.

I was in a hurry to find out if Elizabeth needed a midwife to keep the gazes and gossip of the curious at bay. If Elizabeth had not wanted other people or in any way wanted her close, Mary would have helped her in everything she needed, would have learned what she needed to know and would also have acted as a midwife.

He remembered the midwives of his people, who in Egypt received from Pharaoh the order to kill the newborn males of the Jewish women and to keep alive only the women; they, for the love of God, disobeyed, with the excuse that the Jewish women were strong and had already given birth when they arrived... And Moses could be born, saved from the waters. Now someone greater than Moses had to be born to lead his people to salvation. And she was in a hurry to intervene.

Homily on the readings of the IV Sunday of Advent

The priest Luis Herrera Campo offers its nanomiliaa small one-minute reflection for these readings.

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