Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 1: 39-47 (or Luke 1: 26-38)
December  12, 2025 | Friday

Today’s Gospel

Mary then set out for a town in the hill country of Judah. She entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, giving a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women; and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby within me suddenly leapt for joy. Blessed are you, who believed that the Lord’s word would come true! And Mary said, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God, my savior!

Today’s Reflection

The Gospel passage recounts Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Mary’s presence in Zachariah’s home is so captivating that even the six-month-old John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth, too, is overwhelmed with joy. With a resounding voice, she proclaims that Mary, as well as Jesus in her womb, is indeed blessed or profoundly joyful.

It’s crucial to grasp the depth of Mary’s joy, which is not merely a result of being blessed but also stems from her profound acceptance of God’s call to become the mother of the Messiah. Despite her initial hesitation and fear, she embraced the angel’s message with unwavering faith and unconditional yes, a testament to her deep joy in fulfilling God’s will. Her joy in this acceptance is a source of inspiration and motivation for all of us, invoking a sense of awe at her unwavering faith.

Each of us has a unique calling, a purpose that God has specifically designed for us. By responding favorably to God’s call, we fulfill our individual purpose and contribute to building the Lord’s reign in our immediate community. This is not just a choice but a profound responsibility and commitment to doing God’s will. Once we have fulfilled our calling, which is always best for us, we will, like Mary, become genuinely blessed and deeply joyful. We will radiate the presence or glory of God. And the glory of God, as Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-202 CE) once said, is manifested in a deeply joyful person.

According to Pope Francis, joy is an essential tool for evangelization. In Evangelium Gaudium, the Pope emphasizes that only joyful people can become effective missionaries or evangelizers. In this context, Mary is known as the mother of evangelization because she is in some way joy personified. Her joy in accepting God’s will and her role in the salvation of mankind is a powerful example for all of us, inspiring us to approach our evangelization with enthusiasm and joy.

/Vulnerasti, 2025