December 21
"Lk 1:39-45"
Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
"Blessed is she who believed." Mary had prophesied that many would call her blessed, and so it is. For centuries, millions of times a day, from all over the world, in all languages, people have called her blessed. How did she attract those blessings? The last blessing of Elizabeth in today's Gospel explains it: "Blessed is she who believed". Yes, Our Lady believed. She believed the Prophets, she believed her ancestors, she believed the Angel, but most of all, she believed God. The Incarnation happened because she believed. As a good daughter, she is blessed because she trusted her Father.
In the 1800s, an acrobat named Blondin became famous for crossing Niagara Falls on a tightrope. One day a crowd gathered at the falls to see his most dangerous attempt yet. He planned to push an empty wheelbarrow across the tightrope. The slightest miscalculation could send him plunging to his death in the raging waters 160 feet below. Thousands watched breathlessly as he made his way to the other side, oblivious to the roar of the waters. The throng broke into cheers when his feet were firmly planted back on solid ground. He then challenged a reporter: "Do you believe I can do anything on a tightrope?" "Oh yes, Mr Blondin," replied the reporter enthusiastically. "Do you believe," continued the acrobat, "that I can do it with a full wheelbarrow?" "Sure you can!" answered the man with conviction, wanting to see it. "In that case," Blondin added, "get into the wheelbarrow!"
Those who have faith, who trust God, have to prove it with deeds - just as Mary did. Blessed are you, Mother, for you believed; blessed because you trusted God and got into the wheelbarrow. And I feel blessed also for being your child; I ask you to intercede for me that I may grow in faith.
