Blessed Are You Who Believed

Blessed Are You Who Believed

December 21, 2012

Friday of the Third Week in Advent

By Melanie Rigney

The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty savior; he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals. (Zephaniah 3:17-18)

Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, for in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust. (Psalms 33:20-21)

Mary set out in those days 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, “…Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:39-42, 45)

Piety

Lord, my heart and soul and body are dry and bone-tired, and yet You find a reason to sing a song of joy for me. Thank You. Thank You.

Study

Mary had to have been tired—and confused. Small wonder that she made haste to get out of town after agreeing to bear Jesus. Wouldn’t you, if you were a teenager pregnant with a child not her fiancé’s? Not having the stain of original sin probably didn’t keep her from having morning sickness or being flat-out exhausted… or, who knows, possibly a bit frightened about what others would say or do to her.

And then, wham, God is so good. He provides her with the love and embrace of another human who has some idea of what she’s going through. Elizabeth welcomes Mary the way… well, the way God would.

Maybe you’re tired right now too. Chances are there’s a gift that’s going to be late, or maybe a party or other event that’s going to be missed. You may feel overwhelmed and not up to the task of being you, much as Mary may have. And you know what? There’s someone in your life who’s waiting to reflect God to you in the same way Elizabeth did for Mary.

All you have to do is be open to letting him or her do it.

Action

Who in your life looks or sounds particularly frazzled? Send the person a complimentary e-mail, or take him or her to coffee or lunch. Listen. Smile. Praise. Reflect Christ. You’ll be surprised how much better you both feel.