A Day of Joy

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today are full of joy! The passages from the Hebrew Testament look to love and forward to the spring. It is the time of the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere. The days have begun to get a little bit longer. The sun is not going to disappear! The natural events of November and December, increasing darkness and stormy conditions show promise of reversal! Luke tells of the visit of the young Mary to her more mature kinswoman, Elizabeth the wife of Zachariah who is carrying in her womb, John the Baptist. The response of this child reported by Elizabeth brings great joy to the two women. Elizabeth and Zachariah are living a miracle of their own by following the will of God in their calling to present the barren woman with the child called John who is to carry out a prophetic mission for God. His revelation of the Divine Presence begins in the encounter known in Roman Catholic culture as the ‘visitation’. A community of women believers is touched by the Spirit and brought to joy. This model is a very effective example of how the Good News is proclaimed and spread. A community of joyful Spirit filled women is probably the most powerful evangelism known!