Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Today's Gospel is the Visitation - Lk 1:39-45. Mary, who has just said yes to God's invitation to be mother to Jesus, encounters her older cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant herself with John the Baptist. When Mary greets Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth's womb jumps for joy.

Today, God is inviting me to be attentive to how I meet God today. The beautiful thing about the idea of Emmanuel - that is, God is with us, which has been a them this week - is that, well, God is with us. We have amazing opportunities throughout the day to encounter God, since God is with us. Yet, encounter is a relational activity. It requires participation. Somebody my be with me, but if I do not recognize it, if I am unaware, then no encounter has happened. Thus, today I pray for the grace to be sensitive to the times when I am in the presence of God.