Loving Allah and Others Luke, 4:14-22a

 every day because we long for spiritual staple food.  We come to Mass to hear the Word of God and receive it in Holy Communion.  We too experience the power to live in faith and find peace from this noisy and noisy world.

 Mass is a celebration of love.  God's love for us, we respond with love and live that love life.  If we diligently come to attend Mass every day, then we will love more and grow in love for God and others.  But if not, we need serious reflection on our spiritual life.

 Have I grown to be more loving and forgiving, patient and kind, true to truth and persistent in faith and hope?

 As the apostle John said, I love God but hate his brother, he is a liar because he who does not love his brother whom he sees cannot possibly love God whom he does not see.

 Let us pray that in attending each Mass we are filled with God's love and by His Spirit we are able to proclaim His love in our daily lives.

Gereja merayakan Pesta Keluarga Kudus Nazaret : Yesus – Maria - Yosef.

Kekudusan keluarga Nasaret ini bukan karena keluarga ini bebas dari segala kesulitan hidup. Juga bukan karena keluarga ini selalu mulus dalam hidupnya. Namun kekudusannya terletak dalam cara mereka menghadapi beragam kesulitan dan cobaan. Tetap sabar dan setia menghayati tugas dan panggilannya.

Peristiwa tertinggalnya Yesus di Yerusalem menyisakan cerita indah akan ketaatan dan kesetiaan Maria. Ketika dalam perjalanan pulang  Maria tidak melihat Yesus bersamanya, ia dan Yusuf kembali ke Yerusalem mencari-Nya. 

Setelah tiga hari mereka menemukan Yesus sedang bersoal jawab dengan tua-tua agama di Bait Suci. Terjadilah dialog ibu dan anak yang berujung pada kata-kata Yesus yang menusuk hati, “Mengapa kamu mencari Aku? Tidakkah kamu tahu, bahwa Aku harus berada di dalam rumah Bapa-Ku?”

 

Bunda Maria dan St. Yosep tidak memahami kata-kata Yesus, tapi mereka membiarkanNya memberikan penjelasan mengapa semua itu terjadi. Mereka memberi peluang untuk terjadi dialog yang memungkinkan kedua belah pihak bisa saling mengerti.

Disinilah letak keteladanan Maria yang dengan bijak membawa setiap peristiwa hidup ke dalam permenungan diri. Maria dengan segala ketaatan dan kebijaksanaanya “menyimpan” perkara itu dalam  hatinya,  merenungkan dan membatinkannya. Inilah sikap bijak seorang Maria. Inilah letak kekudusan keluarga Nazaret, tetap setia walau beragam tantangan menerpa. 

Pada perayaan Keluarga Kudus ini, saatnya kita mengarahkan hati kepada keluarga masing-masing. Pastinya ada suka-duka namun  harus diakui ada sederet berkat dan  karunia yang diterima. 

Hal yang terpenting bahwa kita harus berkaca dan belajar dari keluarga kudus yang  tidak cepat putus asa apalagi menyerah terhadap segala macam tantangan dan kesulitan.  

Kekudusan keluarga Nazareth ditentukan oleh ketaatan dan kesetiaan mereka dalam menghayati panggilan dan perutusannya menjadi orang tua Yesus. 

Semoga semangat yang sama selalu tumbuh dalam keluarga kita, tak boleh putus asa apalagi menyerah jika  bersanding dengan ragam masalah. Yang dibutuhkan adalah keteguhan dan kesetiaan hati untuk memegang janji, setia hingga pada akhirnya. 

Sesama saudaraku yang terkasih, memaknai Pesta Keluarga Kudus ini marilah kita memperhatikan dan merenungkan nasehat Bapa Suci Paus Fransiskus berikut ini:

Tidak ada keluarga yang sempurna. Kita tidak punya orang tua yang sempurna, Kita tidak menikah dengan orang yang sempurna, Kita juga tidak memilik anak yang sempurna, Diri kita sendiri pun tidak sempurna,

TETAPI.

Pengampunan membawa sukacita, sedangkan kesedihan membuat hati terluka.Dan pengampunan membawa penyembuhan, sedangkan rasa sakit menyebabkan penyakit yang mematikan.

Marilah kita mengembangkan semangat saling mengasihi dan mengampuni secara tulus di dalam keluarga kita. Niscaya berkah-Nya selalu beserta kita. 

"YEARS HAVE PASSED, CROSS TO TODAY, ENTERS THE NEW YEAR!"

Welcome  To 2022.

The purpose of the new year is not that we should have a new year.  It is that we must have a new soul life.  Life is not about finding yourself.  Life is shaping how to build our relationship with God.  Our current circumstances do not determine where we can go;  they just determine where we start.  As long as I'm still breathing, in my eyes, I'm just getting started.  Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

 An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year roll in.  A pessimist stays awake to make sure the old year passes.  You can't go back and make a new beginning, but you can start with Christ now and make a brand new ending.

 The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.  The book is called Opportunity, we can help write that story by setting goals, on those blank pages.  We'll write it down ourselves.  and the first chapter is New Year's Day.

 Cheers to the new year and another opportunity for you to do it right, fight your evil, make peace with God.  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all you do, and He will straighten your paths.  Welcome to 2022 - Happy New Year!

Feast of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary And Joseph. Luke, 2:41-52

Holy Family Feast of Jesus

Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family, Jesus our Lord with the Blessed Mother Mary and His father Saint Joseph.  This celebration reminds us of the special relationship that our Savior had with those closest to Him in His life on earth, namely the mother who gave birth to Him and the father who cared for Him as his own Son.

 The first thing we have to understand is that Almighty and Infinite God actually does not need a family because He existed before all ages and times, was not created and has always existed, not bound by natural laws and regulations.  Having a family is part of the laws of nature and has a parent-child relationship, every family consists of a mother-father nucleus and has children as a result of a blessed union.

 But God made Himself part of the Law given to us, was born into a human family, a family consisting of Mary and Joseph, made Himself an integral part of the loving family structure.  He who is God, the Son of God not only symbolically became Man but took Himself fully human nature and was thus conceived and born in the flesh from His mother's womb.

 From the Holy Family, we see how God made Himself small and insignificant, needing love and affection as a Baby.  He is the King of kings and Lord of the entire universe, yet He chose to be a small and weak Baby in a manger, needing the protection and love of His mother and father.  So He took all of human nature, our own nature to show us how we should be.

 He was raised with great affection from His parents, He listened and obeyed them.  Through His parents He learned much about life skills and wisdom.  Therefore, His humanity grew like we all have and He became an example for us. The perfect Man, the New Adam through His obedience and love for the Father became the source of our salvation.

 In relation to the members of the Holy Family, Mary shows us the role of a loving mother, full of love, care and compassion, who of her own flesh and blood stayed in her womb for nine months.  Mary is devoted to her Son, caring from birth, throughout life and even to the very last moments before the death of her Son on the cross.

 Mary shows her love as a mother very generously to everyone especially her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  As a mother, she stands beside her Son, caring for Him with love and also loving her husband Yusuf.  The same love Mary shows to all of us and by virtue we become brothers and sisters in Christ when He entrusted His mother to His disciples and vice versa at His crucifixion.

 Through this action, Mary for the Apostles became a motherly figure, our mother and a loving woman who always cares for the welfare of her children.  With that Mary is recognized for her role as Mother of the Church and how she has also appeared many times throughout history, in Guadalupe, in Lourdes, at Fatima and elsewhere with a message and intending to call us, her children through Christ, to repentance of sin.  -sin and return to the grace of God.

 Nor should we forget the important role that Saint Joseph played in the Holy Family.  As a father figure to Jesus, he took and made his legitimate son.  Joseph took care of Jesus and Mary, as indicated by his important presence when census time came, he and Mary had to travel all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem in Judea.

 Mary could not have traveled alone because of that Joseph played a role in protecting and caring for the needs of Mary and the baby in her womb throughout the long and arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  Even when they got to Bethlehem, their problems were not over because all the inns were full, Joseph must have been going through a very difficult time and was trying to secure a place for his wife to give birth, because the time for his wife to give birth was near.

 His strong decision and commitment to God made Joseph known as the Protector of the Church, as the one who stood beside the Church and protected it just as he watched over and protected the Holy Family, Jesus and Mary during times of hardship and persecution, especially when they had to flee.  to Egypt to escape from the hands of King Herod who wanted to kill the Baby Jesus.

 We see a great love present in the Holy Family because every member of the Holy Family really has that love in them for one another.  This is the pure, selfless love and commitment that Jesus had for His mother and His father, Mary's love for her Son and for her husband and Joseph's protection and affection for Jesus and Mary.

 It is important for us to take the Holy Family as an example and inspiration.  Each of us is a child, son, daughter and can also be a father or mother, or even a grandfather, grandmother, or grandson to our family members.  When we neglect love and love one another in the family, that's when problems arise in our family.

 Remember, the devil knows this very well and he will intensify his efforts to try to destroy the structure and foundation of our family.  We must realize that the Christian family is a very important basic unit of faith and an important part of the Church.  Every Christian family is a small part of the great Church and through a loving functioning Church, faith is well nourished among us and we become God's faithful people.

 That is why the devil is busy working hard to undermine the institution of the family and its marriage by taking advantage of many temptations, pressuring us to yield to the temptations of worldly pleasures, fornication, adultery and unfaithfulness in the family.  The devil tempts us to be disobedient, disloyal and creates problems in the family which can eventually lead to the breakdown of family integrity and structure.  The family is so vulnerable, the devil and his army will continue to attack.

 We should appreciate what we have in the family and reflect on our actions and deeds as family members, either as fathers or as mothers and as children.  Have we made our family like the Holy Family?  If we haven't already, maybe this is why there are so many problems in our families.

 Let's imitate the Holy Family in our families and put God at the center of family life by spending time together in prayer, if possible every day.  Families who pray and work together, God is in their midst and is the anchor of the family.  That's where true love blooms in the family.  When true, selfless and unconditional love of family members develops, this world feels beautiful not the selfishness that is often found in our world today.

 We pray that Christian families remain strong and faithful in the midst of challenges and difficulties.  May we continue to imitate the Holy Family and imitate the great love that is present in the Holy Family.

Christmas Eve Is A Beautiful Night. What Does Christmas Mean To Us?

After the long preparation and waiting that we experience in Advent, we have finally arrived at the Christmas Vigil Mass.  This evening we gather together as one community and one Church to celebrate the moment of the great appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, when He was born of His Mother Mary in Bethlehem, the city of David more than two millennia ago.

 Tonight is the most beautiful night because light and hope are restored to all of us who live in a world full of darkness and sin.  This is the night when the long-awaited salvation finally comes, when God reveals before us His greatest and eternal love, when He shows His love for us which is embodied in the flesh, in Christ Jesus, the Son of Man and the Son of Man.  God, the Divine Word incarnate, is fully God and fully human.  Through Him, God's love becomes very real, and He becomes real, approachable and reachable to us.

 The Lord reassured all His people when He told them of the coming time of renewal for Jerusalem and for the nations of the world.  They will be renewed and enlightened, redeemed and made whole once again.  These were words of hope, encouragement and love that meant a lot to the people who at that time were having problems with the nation's deteriorating fate.  For in the time of the prophet Isaiah, Israel's old glory under King David and King Solomon had long since passed, their kingdom was divided and its northern part had been previously destroyed by the Assyrians.

 For the people who were then beset by many problems and worries, persecuted and oppressed by their neighbors and for the believers who remained faithful to the faith in Allah despite the evils even many of them chose to leave God for various idols, said  -the words spoken by God are a great comfort and encouragement, a gift of hope and new light that God is always with His people and He will send them His salvation as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, which mentions how the Savior will be born of a Virgin  .

 It means that God will come and live among His people and deliver them from trouble and suffering.  God will reveal to them the path to follow to eternal life and true happiness through Him.  All this happened as prophesied to Mary, who had been prepared by God to be the Mother of God and Savior, marrying Saint Joseph, heir to King David.  She gave birth from her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Son of the Most High God.  The Savior who was born in Bethlehem was truly the Heir of David as the prophets prophesied.

 Saint Paul in the Acts of the Apostles, talks about how God guides His people and how He promised King David His faithful servant that a Savior would come from among His descendants.  In Bethlehem the past two millennia, which many have been waiting for a long time, waiting for salvation from God, finally paid off.  Those who have long worked and waited in darkness have seen a great light, the Light of God's salvation and righteousness.

 As we enter the Christmas season and begin the joyous celebration of Christmas, let us all ask ourselves, what is Christmas and what does it mean for all of us?  What is the significance of Christmas and how will we celebrate Christmas with joy and with a proper understanding and appreciation of what it is all about.  Otherwise, it would be very easy for us to lose focus and end up celebrating Christmas with a lot of excitement, but all the joy and celebration is superficial and meaningless.

 We all know how commercially Christmas has become in recent years and decades.  Christmas has become so commercial and secularized that many ignore its true meaning and purpose and instead of celebrating Christ and His coming into our world, the Love of God made flesh, we celebrate our own vain desires in self-indulgence and comfort.  worldly.  Instead of remembering how much we are loved by God and all that He has done for us and for our salvation, we are distracted by the many temptations of worldly glories and pleasures.

 What does Christmas mean to us?  It is time for us to celebrate and remember the most beautiful love of God, which was given to us so generously and unconditionally.  After we receive this great and extraordinary thing, it is only natural that we show the same love to our fellow brothers and sisters, pass on the love that God has given us and remind ourselves that we are really lucky to be so loved by God and also by one another.  each other.  This is how we should celebrate Christmas with genuine love for God and for others and not for our own pride.

 Let's also remember that there are many of our brothers and sisters out there who may not be able to celebrate Christmas the way we do.  There are many out there who cannot celebrate Christmas because they are not even free to express themselves and their Christian faith, being persecuted every day for their faith.  Also the poor and marginalized to be able to celebrate Christmas in a way that many of us are familiar with.  Many of our brothers and sisters even struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis and struggle to have enough food to sustain themselves each day.

 So let us make our Christmas celebrations tonight and beyond to be more meaningful by refocusing our celebrations on Christ and not on ourselves.  Let us all moderate our celebrations and festivities and not forget all the others who may not be as fortunate as us in being able to celebrate the coming of the Lord.  And if we are able, let us share our joy and love with them, so that they too can experience the true joy of Christmas.

 May our Lord and Savior who was born and whom we celebrate in the joy of this Christmas, be with us and bless our Christmas celebration so that it is fruitful and healthy.  May God empower each of us with His love and with the hope He brings to our midst so that we become His beacon of light and hope in our daily lives.  May we all have the most blessed Christmas.

Maria Mengunjungi Elisabet Saudarinya. Elisabet Berkata "Berbahagialah kamu antara semua wanita! Berbahagialah anak yang akan kamu lahirkan itu!

Tidak lama kemudian, Maria segera berangkat ke sebuah kota di Yudea, di kawasan pergunungan. Dia pergi ke rumah Zakharia lalu memberikan salam kepada Elisabet. Ketika Elisabet mendengar salam Maria, anak dalam kandungannya bergerak. Elisabet dikuasai oleh Roh Allah, lalu dia berseru,

"Berbahagialah kamu antara semua wanita! Berbahagialah anak yang akan kamu lahirkan itu! Mengapakah penghormatan yang sebesar ini diberikan kepadaku, sehingga ibu Tuhanku datang melawat aku? Sebaik sahaja aku mendengar salammu, anak dalam kandunganku bergerak kerana bersukacita. Alangkah bahagianya kamu kerana percaya bahawa apa yang dikatakan oleh Tuhan kepadamu akan berlaku!"

Bunda Maria mengunjungi Elisabet. Sebuah sukacita yang mendalam dirasakan oleh Elisabet karena Maria mengunjunginya. Maria tahu pergumulan hati Elisabet yang mengandung pada masa tua. Elisabet merasa dikuatkan dengan kehadiran Maria. 

Elisabet sungguh merasakan bahwa dia tidak sendirian dalam pergumulan ini. Bagi Elisabet, akan ada orang lain yang selalu membantu di sekitarnya. Kehadiran Maria telah menguatkan dan meneguhkan Elisabet bahwa apa yang dialaminya sungguh-sungguh sebuah jalan keselamatan untuk umat manusia.

Yohanes Pembaptis melonjak riang dalam rahim Elisabet saat disalami Maria. Maria yang mengandung Tuhan menebar sukacita bagi siapa pun yang dikunjunginya. Keselamatan telah tiba. Berbahagialah mereka yang menantiNya! Nubuat keselamatan selalu dituturkan turun-temurun di antara bangsa Israel. Barangkali inilah alasan sukacita besar yang dialami oleh Elisabet dan Yohanes Pembaptis saat menerima kunjungan Maria.

Maria adalah Model Adven kita. Ia memberi teladan bagaimana kita harus menjalani Adven untuk mempersiapkan kedatangan Kristus. Teladan Maria mengunjungi Elisabet adalah teladan yang harus kita ikuti. Bunda Maria telah menunjukkan bahwa dia bukanlah pribadi yang egois dan tidak sibuk dengan dirinya sendiri. 

Kita diajak untuk keluar dari segala zona nyaman dan ego kita. Kita diajak untuk tidak sibuk dengan diri kita sendiri !. Berani peduli dan berbagi. Karena rencana Tuhan Yesus yang paling agung adalah supaya manusia beroleh keselamatan.

Renungan Singkat

Sesudah menerima pewartaan khabar gembira dari Malaikat Gabriel, Maria membawa bayi Yesus dalam kandungannya. Bayi itu adalah Allah Putera yang menjadi manusia dalam rahim Maria. Maka, kehadiran Maria merupakan selubung manusiawi dan kehadiran Tuhan Allah yang ada di tengah-tengah manusia (bdk. Zef. 3: 17-18).

Tuhan Allah tidak lagi hadir dalam kemegahan dan kemuliaan-Nya, tetapi ada dalam kehadiran Maria yang sederhana. Kemurnian bayi Yohanes Pembaptis dalam rahim Elisabet mampu menangkap Kehadiran Tuhan Allah itu sehingga bersorak gembira dan melonjak kegirangan (bdk. Zef. 3: 17; Luk. 1: 41). Kerana kehadiran Tuhan Allah dalam rahim Maria itu juga, Elisabet dipenuhi dengan Roh Kudus dan memuji Maria:

"Berbahagialah kamu antara semua wanita! Berbahagialah anak yang akan kamu lahirkan itu!"

Kehadiran kita pun sentiasa mendatangkan sukacita bagi sesama manusia bila kita mahu membawa Tuhan ke mana-mana. Seperti Maria yang menghadirkan sukacita besar bagi keluarga Elisabet, kerana ia membawa Sang Emanuel dalam rahimnya. Tuhan rela mendatangi kita bukan dalam kemegahan dan kemuliaan, melainkan dalam rupa Bayi mungil yang akan lahir di kandang domba di Betlehem. 

Maka, marilah kita meresapkan hidup kita dengan semangat Injil sehingga kita mampu menghadirkan sukacita bagi siapa saja yang kita jumpai dalam hidup kita sehari-hari.

Ya Allah, bukalah mata hati kami agar mampu merayakan Kehadiran Putera-Mu. Kobarkanlah sukacita dalam diri kami kerana kehadiran-Mu yang sederhana di tengah-tengah kami. 

Apakah Maria tinggal dirumah Elisabet? 

Kisah kunjungan Maria kepada Elisabet saudarinya dalam Kitab Suci merupakan sebuah kisah yang indah. 

Ini juga contoh suatu ikatan dan relasi keluarga yang baik. 

Kisah ini dicatat hanya pada Injil Lukas tidak pada Injil Sinoptik lain. Betul, kisah ini juga mengisahkan suatu teka-teki yang mungkin diperdebatkan...

“Apakah Maria itu tinggal di rumah Elisabet hingga dia melahirkan?” 

Kitab Suci mencatat bahawa ketika Maria, Ibu Yesus, menerima khabar sukacita dari Malaikat Gabriel di Nazareth, Gabriel juga memberikan informasi kepada calon Bonda Tuhan itu, bahawa saudarinya yang dinyatakan mandul itu telah hamil tua, iaitu berumur enam bulan: “Dan sesungguhnya,  Elisabet, sanakmu itu, ia pun sedang mengandung seorang anak laki-laki pada hari tuanya dan inilah bulan yang keenam bagi dia, yang disebut mandul itu” (Luk 1:38). 

Catatan akan keadaan kandungan Elisabet dalam Injil Lukas, merupakan catatan penting untuk memberikan jawaban, apakah Maria itu tinggal bersama Elisabet ketika saudarinya itu melahirkan. Secara eksplisit Kitab Suci tidak memberikan pernyataan akan hal itu. 

Namun, Injil Lukas memberikan kepada kita beberapa petunjuk yang amat jelas, bahawa Maria hadir semasa kelahiran Yohanes Pembaptis. 

Pertama.

Injil Lukas menyatakan, “Beberapa waktu kemudian berangkatlah Maria dan langsung berjalan ke pergunungan menuju sebuah kota di Yehuda. Di situ, ia masuk ke rumah Zakharia dan memberi salam kepada Elisabet” (Luk 1: 39-40).Pernyataan Injil Lukas “beberapa waktu kemudian” menjadi dasar pertama, bahawa Maria tinggal bersama Elisabet, hingga dia melahirkan kerana  perjalanan dari Nasareth menuju Ain Karim, kota ke cil yang menurut Tradisi adalah tempat tinggal Zakharia dan Elisabet di Yehuda, cukup jauh.

 Jarak ini memberikan gambaran, bahawa Maria harus menempuh perjalanan yang cukup panjang. Sehingga, sejak Maria mendapatkan khabar dari Gabriel, sampai ke tempat Elisabet memerlukan waktu cukup lama. Tentu usia kandungan Elisabet lebih dari enam bulan ketika Maria berjumpa dengan sanaknya itu. 

Kedua.

Pernyataan dari Injil Lukas bahawa “Maria tinggal kira-kira tiga bulan lamanya bersama dengan Elisabet lalu pulang kembali ke rumahnya” (Bdk. Luk 1:56). Pernyataan ini amat jelas, bahawa Maria pasti hadir semasa kelahiran Yohanes Pembaptis. 

Mungkin, orang yang membaca Injil ini masih ragu atau menyangkal hal itu kerana petikan “Kelahiran Yohanes Pembaptis” (Luk 1:57-66) tidak ada pernyataan Maria hadir semasa peristiwa kelahiran Yohanes. Namun, kunjungan Maria kepada saudarinya sungguh lama, iaitu tiga bulan. Tiga bulan bagi kunjungan antara saudara bukanlah suatu kunjungan yang lumrah, se lain ada sesuatu lain yang dinantikan, iaitu peristiwa penting dalam hidup Elisabet, kelahiran Yohanes Pembaptis. 

Selain itu, secara matematis petunjuk “enam bulan” ketika Bonda Maria mendapatkan khabar dari Malaikat Tuhan dan petunjuk “tiga bulan” Bonda Maria tinggal bersama Elisabet, hal ini suatu kesengajaan yang ditulis oleh Lukas untuk memberikan gambaran, bahawa Maria hadir dan melihat sanaknya itu melahirkan.

Apakah Maria tinggal bersama Elisabet ketika dia melahirkan?. 

Pertanyaan ini dapat dijawab dengan tegas: YA.....!!!

Injil Lukas tidak serta merta menuliskan jumlah bulan tanpa ada maksud di balik tulisannya. Injil Lukas mahu menekankan betapa pentingnya relasi Maria-Elisabeth yang juga menjadi penting pula relasi Yohanes Pembaptis, sebagai orang yang mempersiapkan jalan bagi Tuhan (Bdk. Mat 3:1-3) dan Yesus adalah “Jalan, Kebenaran, dan Hidup” (Yoh 14:6).

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary Visits Her Sister Elizabeth.

 The example of Our Lady of visiting Elizabeth is an example that needs to be followed.  Mother Mary shows that she is not a selfish person even though we know that the problems faced by Mother Mary are also very big.  We are invited to get out of all our comfort zones and selfishness. 

 Most importantly, we are not busy with ourselves.  Dare to care and share.  Remember God's greatest plan is for all mankind to be saved.  Let's take part in realizing the plan to bring salvation by wanting to bring goodness to others around us who really need it.

 LIFE doesn't always go the way we expect.  Even though we have done our best, faithfully following Christ, it often happens that the plans we carefully devise and build, fall to pieces in an instant.

 Our Lady's visit to her sister Elizabeth today gives confirmation to all of us, that God has a BEAUTIFUL PLAN FOR EACH OF US.  Maybe not according to what we want, but He always gives the best for His children. 

 Let's hone our eyes of faith so that we are sensitive to his plans and wills, and change and improve our behavior to live according to his word.  Believe and believe that Allah has the most beautiful plan for you.

 Let's build an optimistic attitude, never doubt His power, trust and rely on God alone.  If Allah wills, then nothing is impossible for Him.

 Our waiting is not hopeless.  God's Christmas is just around the corner.  Happy feelings will soon be poured out. Keep on persevering in prayer wherever we are.  HAVE YOU PROVIDED A ROOM IN YOUR HEART INN FOR JESUS?

Anyone must feel very happy and happy, when they get a visit from family, relatives or friends who they love very much.

 Moreover, people who visit are not ordinary people but are very influential and even very important in their lives.  His presence must have given him an extraordinary spirit, as well as indescribable happiness.

 Today's Gospel tells of Mary visiting her sister Elizabeth.  Elizabeth felt happy and happy because her brother visited.  On this joy he said,

 "Who am I that the mother of my Lord has come to visit me?"  This is a noble and sincere expression and describes a woman who is very humble.

 Elizabeth was aware of the strengthening visit, for she felt that Mary was a noble and holy person who was chosen by God to be the mother of His Son.

 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child jumped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.  This signifies that the child that Elizabeth conceived knew that the one who had come to visit her was the Mother of God herself.

 Mary's visit to her sister Elizabeth is a sign as well as proof that God Himself is present in the midst of His people.  This visit is at the same time a sign of the sublime relationship between God and His beloved people.  He does not want His people to fall into sin, so he himself comes and is present to visit us.

 Today we are getting closer to the celebration of Christmas.  We will be visited by Mary and Jesus as Elizabeth felt.  We are invited to reflect together: what should we prepare to be able to experience a beautiful encounter with Jesus?

 It is not we who come to Him, but He Himself who comes to greet us.  May we be more ready to welcome His coming, as Elizabeth received Him, rejoiced, and had more faith.

 Let us prepare ourselves so that our hearts are also fit to be a 'MANGER', where the Baby lies. May our hearts be worthy to be His dwelling place so that He is always within us and with joy we proclaim His coming wherever we go.”  COME GOD IN OUR HEARTS, WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU".

Mary's visit to Elizabeth confirmed her as a blessed person.  Elizabeth, who was full of the Holy Spirit, cried out with a loud voice:

 "Blessed are you among all women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.  Who am I that the mother of my Lord has come to visit me?

 For behold, when your greetings reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.

 And blessed is he who has believed, for whatever is said to him from the Lord will be done."{ Luke.  1:42-45 }

 Elizabeth confirmed Mary as the Mother of the Son of God, and this confirmation made Mary grateful by singing:

 "My soul glorifies the Lord, and my heart rejoices in God my Savior, for he has seen the lowliness of his servant.

 Behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Almighty has done great things for me and His name is Holy.

 And His mercy is from generation to generation over those who fear Him.{ Luke.  1:46-50 } The Song of Mary expresses Mary's gratitude for God's provision in her life.

 God really participates in the lives of His people who always hope for His work of salvation.