December 12, 2025, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Lectionary #690A, Luke 1: 39-47 (shorter)
Scripture
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.”
And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”
Reflection
This reading is spilling over with joy. Mary “set out in haste,” says the Gospel, and we know that the young lady was flushed with the pleasure of a woman carrying life in her womb. And she hurried over the hills to share her secret with her older cousin, who was amazingly with child herself. In all the world, there must be no delight to compare with that of two mothers-to-be who whisper the tender conspiracies that only women crafting life can weave. The gospel makes it clear that Mary was in a hurry.
Incidents and details about Mary’s life and character are scarce in the Gospels. This one shows her as a decisive woman. Immediately after she had said to the angel, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me as you say”, she left for the hill country. St. Luke writes: “Thereupon, Mary set out in haste.” This detail seems to confirm “the servant of the Lord” reply she gave to the angel. She was hurrying to Elizabeth’s side to be with her. Service often consists of being with…
The gospels paint a sharply featured portrait of Mary’s personality. The reply to the Angel’s request was firm and quick, “Let it be done…” At Cana (another gospel, but the same person), she has the awareness to see a need and swiftly and confidently goes to her Son. Also in John, she is present and standing at the foot of the Cross. The Mary of the Gospels was no plaster saint and was someone to reckon with in any company.
St. Luke has summarized her virtue well when he has Elizabeth say of her: “Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.”
To trust means not only to believe in someone, but also to believe in them. Nothing contributes more to a person’s happiness and well-being, and nothing provides more meaning for life than believing in another to the point of complete trust. When the other is God, then this happiness will be profound and irrepressible indeed.
There are three “blessed” in this reading. The first two are part of the ‘Hail Mary’ we say in the Rosary. The sense here is to “speak well of someone.” The third ‘blessed’ is a different word and can be translated as “happy” and thus becomes St. Luke’s first beatitude.
Luke presents Mary as the first and ideal believer. Among Jesus’ followers, she was the role model of complete trust in the Lord, a peerless servant of God and neighbor, a strong, silent woman who followed her Son’s ministry, saw Him loved and hated, and witnessed her own flesh and love hanging on a Cross. And through it all, she was happy because she trusted.
Trusting in God does seem to be the only way to live.
La Salette Invocation
Our Lady of La Salette, reconciler of sinners, pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to you
