Advent

December 15, 2021

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:39-45

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

Isn’t it wonderful to have someone we can go to whenever we need comfort or help or just some time to think? Elizabeth was such a person for Mary. She had to travel a long way to get from Nazareth in Galilee to a Judean town in the hill country. I wonder if she went by herself, did her family know she was going? Did Joseph? If we read between the lines, I think we find a lot more to Mary, mother, meek, and mild than we give her credit. I guess Charles Wesley saw the same grit in Mary’s son as Charles Wesley wrote the hymn Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Look upon a little child**.

We, too, as Disciples of Christ, are called to be there for others when they need us and make difficult decisions in times like these. I am thankful that the gospels’ authors shared the disputes among the twelve disciples when Jesus was in their midst. So many of us today, during the holiday season, are skirting around family members and friends who interpret their faith differently than we do. In times like these, we need to seek common ground for the common good. It will make for a better Christmas dinner.

Prayer: Lord, help us let go of the things that divide and take hold of the things that will bring love into every room. Amen.

 *See the song at https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/mary_mother_meek_and_mild.htm

**See at https://hymnary.org/text/gentle_jesus_meek_and_mild_look_upon

Scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of

America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.