THE WORD
Sg 2: 8–14 or Zeph 3: 14–18 / Lk 1: 39–45
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
IN OTHER WORDS
One more mile, one more smile! Mama Mary reminds us today what a true missionary is. She travelled many miles from Nazareth to Ein Kerem to be with, and to be of help to, her cousin Elizabeth who was infanticipating. She too was pregnant, but she went out of her way, left her comfort zone, braved the discomforts and dangers of the journey, to be present with her cousin. A missionary is one who goes the extra mile to give one more smile.
There are two things we must remember if we want to keep on going the extra mile and to keep on giving the extra smile. First, we must focus on our blessings, not on what is missing. If we focus on the could-have-beens and should-have-beens in our lives, we will not live grateful and fruitful lives. Second, we must focus on our mission, not so much on our personal “konsumisyon”. If we focus on our problems and pains, we will not radiate the Gospel joy and hope which are so much needed in our world today.
Let us follow the example of Mama Mary so that we too will become true missionaries who live “magnificat” and not “mabigat” lives!
- Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD (DWMC, Batangas City)
The Word in other words 2015
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
