May our lives say to others, ‘Hope in the Lord!’

4th Sunday of Advent (C)

In just a few days, Pope Francis will solemnly open the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome, formally inaugurating Holy Year 2025. During this time of special grace and opportunity, the Holy Father encourages people throughout the world to become Pilgrims of Hope striving for “a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the “door” (cf. Jn 10:7.9) of our salvation … ” (Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 1). 

St. Luke’s account of the Visitation of the Blessed Mother to her cousin Elizabeth serves as the Gospel reading this Fourth Sunday of Advent and beautifully illustrates the power of hope. Immediately following the Annunciation narrative, Mary travels in haste to greet her cousin Elizabeth; in this Mary becomes the first Pilgrim of Hope, journeying along with her Divine Son to bring the hope of further blessedness to her beloved kinswoman and to all who would come to repent and believe through the ministry of her son, John the Baptist. In the quiet of the Judean hill country, both women praise God as they testify to the power of the Holy Spirit working within them, looking forward in the hope born of love which was the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite … not knowing what the future may bring” (Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 1). 

Mary had learned of Elizabeth’s pregnancy from the Angel Gabriel. Her journey to visit her relative would not have been easy. From Nazareth, Mary would have had to travel through the Galilean hills, across the Plain of Esdraelon, through the mountains of Samaria, and finally up into the Judean hill country. Both women use the opportunity of Mary’s arrival to rejoice in God’s salvation at work within them.

St. Luke recounts that Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:41). At the moment she heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb (John the Baptist) leapt for joy at the nearness of the Savior. This reaction makes John truly the first to testify to the presence of Jesus and fulfills the prophecy the angel had spoken to Zechariah: “[John the Baptist] will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15c).

Elizabeth greeted Mary with the words, “Blessed are you among women” because “blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth recognized that Mary had truly been the recipient of divine favor. She humbly asked, “who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43). This marks the first time that St. Luke’s Gospel uses the word “Lord” to refer to Jesus, and is reminiscent of the question David asked when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to him, that is “how can the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (2 Samuel 6:9). This parallel is especially meaningful because the Ark of the Covenant was considered as the Old Testament site of God’s dwelling among his people. In a Christian context, Mary herself is considered the new Ark of the Covenant because she became the dwelling place of the Son of God.

Elizabeth concluded her greeting with the words, “Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled” (Luke 1:45). She acknowledged that Mary’s unique sanctity was due in part to God’s special favor, but was also the result of Mary’s free choice to place herself entirely at God’s disposal. Mary, the Mother of God, thus becomes a model not only of God’s love for humanity, but also a perfect example of humanity’s love for God. 

Blessed Mary’s response to all this was summed up in her great prayer, the Magnificat. In that song of praise Mary glorified God for all his favors, recognizing that her special place in history was due to God’s overwhelming goodness. Shortly we will celebrate the greatest fruit of this overwhelming goodness, the coming of the Son of God in human flesh. Because of her great love and faithfulness, Mary would give birth to the One who serves as the greatest revelation of and motive for our hope in eternal blessedness. In light of this, may we make our own Pope Francis’ prayer for the upcoming Jubilee, asking “let us even now be drawn to this hope! Through our witness, may hope spread to all those who anxiously seek it. May the way we live our lives say to them in so many words: ‘Hope in the Lord! Hold firm, take heart and hope in the Lord!’ (Ps 27:14). May the power of hope fill our days, as we await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ ,,, ” during our upcoming Christmas celebrations and always (Francis, Spes Non Confundit, 25)

Msgr. Fell is a Scripture scholar and director, diocesan Office for Priest Personnel.