Theotokos
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 1:39-45 Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most 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? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
After Christ, Mary is the single greatest human ever to live. She is greater than all of the saints in all of history put together. She was (and is) so completely open to God, and He has so completely abided in her, that we can say that she is “almost infinite.” So it is very significant that we see in the Gospels that she does not always have a perfect understanding of what is happening. In a few places in the Gospels, Mary needs time for prayer and pondering in her heart before she truly grasps the mystery in front of her.
The phrase, “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled,” is such a powerful one. She believes. Even with a normal, limited human mind, she believes. Mary is a model of faith for us, not because she knows absolutely everything from God, but because she believes absolutely everything from God. Remember the Gospel principle about faith: the more we have, the more we get. Let’s ask God for faith…and believe we will receive it.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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