Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year C) - Wonder and Awe

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Published: Dec 21st, 2024

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“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?” Luke 1:42–43

Elizabeth expressed a beautiful humility in this statement. The Blessed Virgin Mary had just made a long journey to be with Elizabeth in her final months of pregnancy. As soon as our Blessed Mother greeted Elizabeth, Elizabeth’s child, Saint John the Baptist, leaped for joy in her womb. Elizabeth acknowledges this and then humbly expresses the fact that she is exceptionally blessed to have Mary, the mother of her Lord, come to visit her.

There are many things worth pondering in this visitation of our Blessed Mother. But try to focus upon the humble wonder and awe expressed by Elizabeth. “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Elizabeth was clearly grateful for Mary’s visit. But it appears that her reaction went even beyond gratitude. She was given the gift of wonder and awe. She clearly knew she was incredibly blessed by the fact that both the Mother of God and her Lord Himself were now in her presence in her home.

This gift of wonder and awe that Elizabeth experienced is one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s a gift that enters a humble heart, enabling it to first see its unworthiness of a special grace given. But then this humble soul receives the special grace and responds with an overwhelming amazement. Thus, not only is gratitude present, but there is also this holy amazement that results in praise of God.

In our own lives, there are so many incredible graces we have received from God. But too often we fail to see them for what they are. We fail to see the incredible graces God has given us and, thus, fail to experience the amazement that should result from God’s gifts. 

As you look at your own life, what graces has God given to you? Do you see them? Are you grateful for them? And, if so, are you able to go even beyond gratitude so as to experience a holy wonder and awe of God’s goodness and blessings in your life? Though it might be difficult to arrive at this level of amazement, it is a true gift that we must all strive to obtain and experience every day of our lives.

Reflect, today, upon this holy gift of the Holy Spirit that Elizabeth experienced. Place yourself at the scene. Try to see the experience within her heart. Try to feel how she felt. Try to sense the praise that resulted. And try to open yourself more fully to receive this same gift of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Lord comes to you constantly by grace, especially every time you receive Him in Holy Communion. For that reason, we must all strive to live a holy wonder and awe every day of our lives. 

My most glorious Lord, You grace me beyond imagination. Too often, I fail to experience the gratitude and the wonder and awe that should result. Please help me to first see the countless blessings of Your grace and presence in my life. And as I see them, please fill me with the Holy Spirit so that I, too, may continually sing Your worthy praises. Jesus, I trust in You.  

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Featured image above: The Visitation, via flickr