When the shepherds receive the good news from the angels they leave in haste. Let us be like the shepherds and go in haste to find the Lord

The arrival of Saint John the Baptist is made by a variety of emotions in his community. In the passage of Luke today we see them go from rejoicing to amazement passing through grumbling and leading to fear. We are fickle people. Malachi it tells us that the Lord will purify us, align our emotions. In Psalm 25 we find a way to do that, to lift up our heads and see that our redemption is near. Singing the songs is a way to align our emotions to the Lourdes Waze which are not our ways.

Hannah and Mary sing across the centuries to bless the Lord for his action in their lives. We learn to do that for our own lives. Both of their songs exult the arm of the Lord in their lives and in the history of salvation. It is important to do that for ourselves and for our families.

Mary travels in haste to see her cousin. The angel did leave for her the entire plan. But he gave her one next step your cousin also is pregnant in her advanced age. Mary travels to be with her. Companionship helps on the journey. Psalm 33 reminds us to sing to the Lord. And the song of songs reminds us that the winter will pass

Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord

As we conclude this third week of advent where the theme has been rejoicing, we see angels visiting the mothers of Sampson and Saint John the Baptist. Heaven touches earth when angels visit and bring messages. Each of us has a guardian angel. We can go to them for counsel, for direction and for protection. Do you ask your guardian angel for help on the way?

The reading from Jeremiah and Psalm 72 speak about justice and peace coming to earth from the root of David. This happens through the line of Saint Joseph who like Mary gives his assent after he receives a visit of an angel. Unlike Mary, whose words we hear, Saint Joseph is silent. He only speaks through his actions. Let us imitate him.

In today’s readings we hear the genealogy of Jesus, proof that He enters human history in this beautiful rhythm of 14 generations+ 14 generations +14 generations. Today we begin also the eight days of all O Antiphones. The church will read these short verses in the evening prayers for the next eight days in preparation for Jesus’ coming. He comes with Justice and Peace as Ps 72 tells us and He comes as the fulfillment of the Promise of God and if Jacob to the tribe of Judah.

John sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus: “Are you the one to come or should we look for another?”in Luke 7, 18. We experience Jesus in action curing, raising and cleansing. He is the Lord, there is no other.

The Lord hears the cries of the poor. Those that followed him where the prostitutes on the tax collectors, who though they had fallen from perfection were willing to be corrected. They drew near to the Lord, they trusted him and his ways and because of a that he could perfect them. Let us draw near