FRIDAY 3RD WEEK IN ADVENT - HOMILY - YEAR B

FRIDAY 3RD WEEK IN ADVENT – HOMILY – YEAR B

THME: Stop and Pray

BY: Deacon Bill Frere

Chapel at Mt. Carmel

Talk about finding joy in the midst of a difficult situation. Today’s Gospel picks up right from yesterday – Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Consider this: Mary has traveled roughly 90 miles from Nazareth to the hill country of Judah, just south of Jerusalem. The terrain is hilly and rocky and Mary probably traveled on foot. She is pregnant, tired, dirty and perhaps even unsure of what kind of reception Elizabeth will give her. And yet, in spite of it all, she breaks out in this joyful prayer of praise and thanksgiving – The Magnificat!

ALSO RECOMMENDED: FRIDAY HOMILY: 3RD WEEK IN ADVENT – YEAR B

Mary’s canticle of praise and faith harkens back to the Canticle of Hannah which we hear in todays’ Responsorial Psalm. Like Elizabeth, Hannah had been barren for many years and yet in her old age she conceived Samuel who would become prophet and advisor to King Saul.

As Deacons, we are called to pray Evening Prayer on a daily basis. And the Magnificat is part of that prayer, a fitting end to every day, a prayer of thanksgiving for the many gifts we have been graced with. It is an opportunity to reflect on the events of the day and then to offer to the Lord our thanks and our praise, acknowledging the great things He has done and will continue to do for us.

We can get so caught up in the hustle and madness of the Christmas Season that we can easily forget to incorporate one simple element into our daily life – prayer! We continue to experience the darkness of winter and even the dark days of pandemic and doubt. Let’ not forget to set aside some private time to stop, listen, slow down and pray. Pray for the gift of today and for the strength to face the challenges of tomorrow.

FOR SIMILAR HOMILY, CLCIK HERE >>>