4th Sunday of Advent
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: December 22, 2024
Which prayer do you think is said more than any other in our world today?
It is actually the prayer rooted in today’s gospel. We see the greeting of Elizabeth when Mary visits her. “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.” This prayer, as part of the Hail Mary, is said so often by so many people. Fifty times each time someone prays the Rosary.
As a child I remember hearing my sister say that she was told to pray 3 Hail Marys before going to sleep each night. I started doing that as a young boy and never stopped. Not something deep or mystical, yet I believe that simple act of prayer each night somehow helped me spiritually through the years.
This prayer springs from a visit. Mary has just experienced the Annunciation, she is pregnant with Jesus. Her first act is to go off on a journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth to help her. It inspires this prayer. Of course, the most important visit ever, was when God, our Creator, came to visit us. God comes as a baby, we say Emmanuel, God with us. In Jesus, God visits us in a way we could see, hear and touch. God continues to visit us in Jesus today in the Sacraments.
Also, in a way that we can see, hear and touch. In this Eucharist, we see, hear and touch Jesus who is really present. The Mass is a mutual visit, we come to visit Jesus and Jesus comes to visit us. The great value of a visit. Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and both were inspired. God visited us in Jesus and continues to visit us today in the Sacraments.
There is great value in a visit. A simple visit is good for the other and for us. A simple visit is something we can do that will help our faith, help us when lacking joy or feeling empty. A simple visit will bring hope to the other, and if our heart is open, will allow God to speak to us as well.
My advice to anyone wanting to grow in faith or to deal with personal struggles: go and visit someone. It seems so simple. Yet, a visit is something deeply spiritual and very valuable.
As we leave Mass today, all of us are invited to reflect on who could use a visit from us. Perhaps a phone call, perhaps to drop in and see them. Like Mary, a visit can be a blessing for the person we visit and for us.
Recently, our St. Vincent de Paul Society provided packages of gift cards for over 100 people and families in our area. This was thanks to your generosity. You could say that these packages given out by our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society were like a holy visit to these people.
Today we heard about that visit of Mary to Elizabeth which led to a prayer that is said countless times each day throughout the world. Soon we will be recalling the greatest visit in history as we celebrate Christmas. Never underestimate the great spiritual and human value of one visit.