There was a little boy, who wanted to meet God.

He guessed that the trip would be very long, so he packed his bag with a lot of chocolates, cookies and his favorite mango juice as well.
He started his journey, and walked for a long time – even in the hot, blazing sun.

Finally, he got tired, and found a park to rest.
In the park, he met an old woman…
… sitting all by herself..
… just staring at some pigeons.
The boy, tired and famished, sat down next to her and opened his bag.

He was about to open his favorite drink, when he noticed that the old woman looked hungry.
>> So he offered her a cookie.

She gratefully accepted it, and smiled at him.
Her smile was so pretty, that the boy wanted to see it again.
>> So he offered her the mango juice as well.

Once again, she gratefully accepted it, and smiled at him.

The boy was delighted!

They sat there, the whole afternoon – eating and smiling – without saying a word.
Finally, as it grew dark, the boy realized he was too late, and had to rush back home.
As he got up to leave, and had taken a few steps, he turned …
…ran back and gave the woman a loving hug.
When the boy reached the house, his mother was surprised at the deep joy that the child radiated, and asked the reason for it.

The boy answered, ” I had lunch with God!”

Before the mother could say anything, the boy added:
“You know what?
She’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!”
Meanwhile, the old woman also filled with happiness, reached her house, and was asked by her son, on the reason for it.

The old woman answered, ” I had lunch with God”

Before the son could say anything, the woman added:
“You know what?
He’s much younger that I expected!”

“Sharing” became the wonderful platform, for the two of them, to experience joy, with the essence of Divinity.

Yes, “sharing” is a quality, which is a reflection of the Divine – Who, in Jesus, empties Himself, in “self-giving” and “self-emptying”

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful recounting of the “joy in sharing” – through the encounter of Mary and Elizabeth.
Mary, after having received the surprising and confounding message from Angel Gabriel, to be the Mother of the Son of God, doesn’t remain captivated or captured in heavenly bliss.
… Instead She sets out, “in haste” to the town of Judah? to the house of Her cousin, Elizabeth (Lk 1:39)
Heaven had revealed to Her the good news of Divine Favour…
… but, Mary doesn’t swell up in pride
>> Instead, She sets out, in service and humility

Divine Joy and Grace makes Mary to imitate the quality of the Child within Her: To share!

And this act of sharing by Mary, caused Elizabeth, Her cousin, to rejoice and the child, John, to “leap for joy”!

>> Elizabeth testifies to this fact when she exclaimed in a loud voice, “For at the moment the sound of Your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk 1: 44)
This is an essential dimension of Christian Life: Sharing.

Just as Christ shared…
… by emptying of His glory, and becoming one like us, in all things, except sin
… by being part of human experiences and being a model to live a perfect life
… by taking up pain and suffering to redeem humanity from the clutches of sin
… by giving Himself entirely, with love and deep affection, in the Holy Eucharist
Just as Mother Mary shared…
… by offering Herself in service to her cousin, Elizabeth in her need
… by becoming a model to us, by living a life in total obedience to God’s Will
… by offering Herself to God’s Providence and letting Herself be the Mother of all humanity
… we too are invited, exhorted and challenged to live a “Life of Sharing”!
Our Christian lives must…
… cause us to share our resources and abilities in the service of the family and community we are in
… make us to share our time with those in need – especially of encouragement and consolation
… cause us to share our knowledge and experience to bring more people to faith in Christ
… make us to share our little acts of charity and sharing in the redeeming act of Christ
>> When we share our life with the ones in need…
… we experience joy and satisfaction

>> When we share of our self – time, love, material things or anything – to those in want…
… we experience happiness and contentment.

The world today is much thirsty to receive love and extremely hungry to receive care.
>> Each Christian is expected and invited to imitate Christ and help others to experience Divine Love.

Mother Mary is our model towards this.

>> She made choices to grow in imitation of Her Son and helped others to experience Divine Joy
As the words of St Teresa of Avila…
” Christ has no body but yours,
>> No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
>> Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world,
>> Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
>> Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world”
May we deepen our resolve to live a “life of sharing”, especially as we approach the Nativity of Christ, so that each of our action may become an expression of Divine Experience for the other!
God Bless! Live Jesus!

A story is said of a man in a mission land, who was extremely critical of religion and religious practices.
Once, this man went to a missionary who had been in the place for some years.

He told the missionary, “I want to hear about your religion”

The missionary was pleasantly surprised, and asked him:
“Oh that’s great!
But how is it that you would like to hear of my religion.
I have heard of your dislike and aversion to religious practices”

To that, the man answered, “Well, its very true, that I don’t cherish religion.

But ever since the day you came to our place, I have been observing you.
You are always cheerful and happy.

I have also heard a lot of laughter in your house and in the houses of my village people, who have embraced your faith”

The man continued, “And if you have anything that makes people so joyous, I too want it!”
Joy was the nectar that attracted the man to experience the sweetness of Christ and Christianity.

>> Am I a person who radiates happiness?
>> Am I a Christian whose life exudes with joy?
The Gospel of the Day is the delightful description of the joyful encounter between Elizabeth and Mother Mary and the “joyful leap” of John the Baptist, in his first meet with Jesus, the God of Joy!
The Gospel is the beautiful meeting of Two to-be-Mothers, with Two Special Children in their wombs…
… Elizabeth, with John who would be called as the Baptist
… Mary, with Jesus, who would be called as the Messiah
This wonderful encounter begins on a Divinely joyful note:
“when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb” (Lk 1: 41)
This is an interesting word – “leaped”

The Greek word for “leaped” is “skirtao”

We find the usage of this word “skirtao” in different places in the Bible…
>> In Gen 25:22: Rebeccah’s twin children – Jacob and Esau – “struggled (skirtao)” within the her
>> In Ps 114: 4, 6: The mountains “skipped (skirtao)” like rams in the presence of the Lord
>> In Mal 3:20: Those who fear the Lord’s name will “skip (skirtao)” like calves.
>> In Lk 6:23: The chosen ones should rejoice and “leap (skirtao)” for joy
When the mother, Elizabeth, heard the greeting of the Messiah’s Mother, the babe John, “leaped for joy”
Later in his ministry, John would testify to this fact, when he would say: “… the best man, who stands and listens for Him, rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom’s Voice” (Jn 3:29b)
There is great rejoicing, in Divine Presence is a powerful message that we receive.
>> The presence of the Mother of Jesus, delighted Her cousin, Elizabeth
>> The presence of Jesus, delighted His cousin, John.
As we gear up ourselves for the Season of Christmas, this ought to be a reflective question that we need to ponder and make amends, if lacking…

… Is our Christian life, one that “leaps for joy”?

Things around us may seem confusing and uncertain…
… just as it was for Mary who conceived of the Holy Spirit and Elizabeth in her old age

>> Yet, they were able to rejoice..
… because, their trust was in the Power of the Lord Who had blessed them

People may sometimes reject us, misunderstand us or even humiliate or be indifferent to us…
… just as it was for Mary who would face misunderstandings and Elizabeth who had undergone a lot of shame.

>> Yet, they were able to rejoice…
… because, their strength was in the favourable Love of the Lord, Who, they knew, had accepted and chosen them, for His cause
Life may sometimes make a fool of us by taking us through roads which are illogical, unreasonable and irrational…
… just as it was for Mary who had to tread unknown paths and Elizabeth who had to take on new responsibilities as a mother at an odd age

Yet, they were able to rejoice…
… because, their hope was in the faithful grace of God, in which they trusted and to Whom they had pledged their life in fidelity and loyalty.
Joy is to be the hallmark of every Christian.

As St Francis de Sales says, “A sad saint is a sorry saint!”
>> Our lives ought to be a “Gospel of Joy”!
As we get closer to the celebration of the Birth of the “Cause of our Joy”, we need to look into this dimension of Christian holiness: the aspect of Joy.

It is not simply a joy that is manifested..
… by some “plastic smile”
… or with some artificial activism
… or with any created humorous traits

Christian Joy is…
… a result of trusting deeply in the Providence of God
… a felt experience that manifests, effortlessly, in every aspect of life
… an honest expression of the inner peace and serenity – a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Joy is to be the nectar that attracts others to experience the sweetness of Christ and Christianity.

May we always “leap for joy” with the Power of the Holy Spirit…
… and may our joyful and happy lives, attract and enthuse many people to embrace Jesus, the Lord of all Joy!

God Bless! Live Jesus!