Luke 1:39-44
At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea's hill country. There she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, "God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!"
Food for thought!
As we deeper into this year’s festive season, we can’t avoid thinking of those people that impacted our life or that impacted us especially this ending year. These are the people we send our Xmas gifts to; they deserve our recognition and our gratitude.
This is what happened in today’s gospel reading, between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary impacted Elizabeth; her visit marked Elizabeth. The gospel says: «When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, 'God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!´»
When Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth did not, and could not, stay the same; she was remarkably marked: «As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy.» Mary made such a positive impact on Elizabeth that «the baby inside her jumped», that «Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit», that Elizabeth «called out, God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have.»
Like Mary to Elizabeth, there are people who have marked our life, for the positive; people whose presence was a real present to us. These are people whose presence not only marked us but also made us, not the worst, but the best. Just as there were people whose presence made the worst, not the best, come out of us. The former made and make us be the best of us; the latter made and make us be the worst of us.
There are people in whose company we easily lower our morals, and there are people in whose company we better our morals; there are people in whose company we easily fall, just as there are people in whose company we stay good and do good. I don't know where YOU belong in relation to others. But I know where Mary belongs; she is of the good people who help others be good and do good, for as soon as she showed up, Elizabeth got filled with the HOLY Spirit, and Elizabeth began to say, not BAD, but GOOD things. Mary's presence positively impacted on Elizabeth.
The gospel reading of today is about you and me; it is about impact. You know from experience, don't you, that if three equally well-qualified candidates present themselves for a job, the successful one will, generally, be the one who impacts the interviewers best. You know, don't you, that good CVs matter, experience matters, but good personal impact not only matters but matters most, because it allows us to stand out and to rise above our colleagues.
This personal impact is called many names, such as rapport, authority, likeability, magnetism, attractiveness, radiance, charisma, or personal chemistry. I prefer calling it the «Marian effect». It is the kind of impact that marks and makes the others be their best. Are there people who have marked and made you be and do your best? These people are your Marys. Are there people whom you have marked and made be and do their best? These people are your Elizabeth.
Be a person of impact to others. Be a Mary!
At that time, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea's hill country. There she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, "God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!"
Food for thought!
As we deeper into this year’s festive season, we can’t avoid thinking of those people that impacted our life or that impacted us especially this ending year. These are the people we send our Xmas gifts to; they deserve our recognition and our gratitude.
This is what happened in today’s gospel reading, between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary impacted Elizabeth; her visit marked Elizabeth. The gospel says: «When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she called out, 'God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!´»
When Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth did not, and could not, stay the same; she was remarkably marked: «As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy.» Mary made such a positive impact on Elizabeth that «the baby inside her jumped», that «Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit», that Elizabeth «called out, God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have.»
Like Mary to Elizabeth, there are people who have marked our life, for the positive; people whose presence was a real present to us. These are people whose presence not only marked us but also made us, not the worst, but the best. Just as there were people whose presence made the worst, not the best, come out of us. The former made and make us be the best of us; the latter made and make us be the worst of us.
There are people in whose company we easily lower our morals, and there are people in whose company we better our morals; there are people in whose company we easily fall, just as there are people in whose company we stay good and do good. I don't know where YOU belong in relation to others. But I know where Mary belongs; she is of the good people who help others be good and do good, for as soon as she showed up, Elizabeth got filled with the HOLY Spirit, and Elizabeth began to say, not BAD, but GOOD things. Mary's presence positively impacted on Elizabeth.
The gospel reading of today is about you and me; it is about impact. You know from experience, don't you, that if three equally well-qualified candidates present themselves for a job, the successful one will, generally, be the one who impacts the interviewers best. You know, don't you, that good CVs matter, experience matters, but good personal impact not only matters but matters most, because it allows us to stand out and to rise above our colleagues.
This personal impact is called many names, such as rapport, authority, likeability, magnetism, attractiveness, radiance, charisma, or personal chemistry. I prefer calling it the «Marian effect». It is the kind of impact that marks and makes the others be their best. Are there people who have marked and made you be and do your best? These people are your Marys. Are there people whom you have marked and made be and do their best? These people are your Elizabeth.
Be a person of impact to others. Be a Mary!
No comments:
Post a Comment