God’s will

Fourth Sunday of Advent

It is the last Sunday in Advent, and the Gospel centres around two women. Because these two had great faith in God and allowed God to work in their lives, great things happened to them. We will listen to Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. 

Elizabeth asks a question which we also may ask at times, although we mostly do so for a totally opposite reason! When something bad happens, we tend to ask: “How does this happen to me?” How many times have we turned to God in difficult times, and asked, “why me?” Elizabeth invites us to instead contemplate all that God has given us. Most of us are not popular or famous. Nonetheless, God has chosen us to do “great things.” If we had to continue reading the text from which today’s Gospel is taken, we would come to the Magnificat and see that this encounter is a conversation between two women who stand in awe for what God has done to them. 

God is love. God became man. God became one of us, he was born as a baby, like you and me. He, who is God, was not born among the rich and famous. Instead, he was born from a young woman who lived in an insignificant village, she herself was unknown to many. However, it was she, who was chosen by God. God also chose her cousin, to become a mother, after she had lost hope of ever becoming one. Her son was later to grow up and prepare the people to welcome Jesus and his teachings.

 Christmas is a time when we give and receive many gifts. The best one however, remains the reason, why we in fact celebrate Christmas. Through the birth of Jesus, we received the best gift, and we are invited to delve deeper and accept this gift every day. Jesus wants to come to us every day, he wants to meet us. Jesus wants us to open our life to him. Just as Mary said ‘yes’, Jesus wants and waits for our ‘yes’. Jesus invites us to have the same faith that Elizabeth had. 

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 1, 39-45) 

Mary set out and travelled 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, “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.”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. What gifts are you preparing for Christmas? Apart from the ones you already bought, and the ones you still need to buy, remember that there are other gifts which you can give: the gift of time to your family, relatives and friends who are on their own, the gift of a smile to whoever you meet, the gift of praise and encouragement and loving words, the gift of forgiveness to someone who has hurt you. Remember also to give a gift to yourself. Stop and think why God has chosen you and entrusted you with your family and other responsibilities. Thank God and trust in him, just as Mary and Elizabeth did.
  4. Mary “set out” and “hastened” to Elizabeth. It was not a short journey, neither was it a comfortable one. Even though she was pregnant, she put this behind her to go and help Elizabeth. You may be very busy during these days, but take the time, to stop and think of who may need your help. Like Mary, stop whatever you are doing and go to serve those who need your help.
  5. Mary does not only go to Elizabeth to help her, she also goes to share what God had done. As a parent, do you share with your children, how God helps you and how he is always present in your daily life?
  6. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare:
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke (1, 39-45)
    ii. The Advent Wreath, the four candles are lit: 3 purple and 1 rose
    iii. Cover the table with a purple cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
  7. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  8. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  9. Be creative 😊
  10. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family

Today we will light the last purple candle of the Advent Wreath. Do you know what this means? We will be celebrating Christmas very soon! In today’s Gospel, we will see that shortly after the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary and told her that Elizabeth was going to have a baby, Mary goes to visit her. Let us listen to what Elizabeth says, when she sees Mary.

  • We need to trust God, like Mary and Elizabeth
  • Printout of the hearts on red construction paper 
  • Decorations
  • Pencil
PrintoutDownload

Today, two women were mentioned: Mary and Elizabeth. These two women trusted God. Do you know what trust means?

When your parents cook food, you eat it, because you trust that they put nothing in it that may harm you. When you are with them, and you are going to cross the road, you trust them, and know that they will make sure that no cars are coming when you cross.

Mary and Elizabeth, both loved God very much and they trusted him. That is why, when the angel Gabriel asked Mary if she wanted to be the mother of Jesus, her answer was ‘yes’. She replied in this way because she trusted God.

Do you remember how Elizabeth addressed Mary, when she saw her? (Blessed)

Blessed means filled with joy.

Why was Mary happy? (because she was to be the mother of Jesus)

Mary trusted that God would continue to take care of her. We too need to trust that God cares for us. 

God needed Mary to be the mother of Jesus. He chose her because she trusted him. Mary trusted God because she frequently spoke with him in prayer, she also read the Scriptures (the Bible). 

Do you know that God chose you too? Do you know why you were chosen?

God chose you to love others, to help them, to always say the truth, to be good children. What do you need to do, to be able to do all this?  You need to do what Mary did. You need to pray and read the Bible.

Today it is the fourth Sunday in Advent. Do you remember that last week, we lit the rose candle, this candle reminds us of joy. Today’s candle reminds us of love. The four candles remind us what Jesus gives to each and every one of us: hope, peace, joy and love. And we are to do the same with others. Do you want to be like Jesus and love others, like he loves them? To remember this, let us sing, Love like Jesus.

Whom do you love? (allow the children to give their answers)

How do you show your love? (allow the children to give their answers)

Mary visited Elizabeth because she loved her and she wanted to help her. And you are going to do the same! You surely love your parents, your brothers and sisters, your grandparents and others too. To show them that you love them, apart from telling them that you do, you also obey them, and you help them, amongst other things. Decorate the hearts that you will later give to mummy, daddy and if you wish to your brothers, sisters and grandparents. This is the easy part! Before giving them the heart, you will have to think of how you are going to show that you love them. For example, you may show daddy that you love him by helping him wash the car. So when you give daddy the heart, you will also tell him, ‘daddy, I love you and I would like to help you when you wash the car.’  See that when daddy washes the car, you stop from whatever you are doing and go and help him. Do the same thing with mummy and the rest.

Sign of the cross.

Dear Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, and my mother too, show me how I can love Jesus, daily more and more.

Say the Hail Mary.

Have you ever seen a painting or a picture of Mary visiting Elizabeth? You surely have seen one in Church or in the Bible. Those who paint or draw these pictures always show the joy on Mary’s and Elizabeth’s face. They hug each other and they also seem to be jumping and dancing with joy! Why are they so happy? Let us listen to today’s Gospel to try to understand better the reason for all this.

  • When we give something or help someone, we are happy
  • Printout of the hearts on red construction paper
  • Pencil 
  • Colours and decorations
PrintoutDownload

 Both of these women, were expecting a baby. Our Lady was going to have Jesus, while Elizabeth, even though she was old, she too was going to become a mother at last. Her baby was John, later known as John the Baptist. Remember that these women lived in times when there were no mobiles, neither were there any telephones for a message to be sent from one person to another. Someone had to deliver the message personally. 

How come Elizabeth addresses Our Lady as “the mother of my Lord”? (the children give their answers)

Elizabeth address Mary in this way because she had experienced a miracle too. She was now old and she had had no children, even though she wished to be a mother. And God had just given her what she wished for. Elizabeth never stopped believing, her faith in God persevered even though many years passed. Elizabeth continued to be close to God and he inspired her about what had happened to Mary. 

Did you notice that we often repeat some of the words that Elizabeth says? We say the words: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” These are the words we say every time we pray the Hail Mary!

Mary is blessed because she trusted God, she believed that God would do all that he promised. Not only was she to be the mother of Jesus, but she also had faith that God would always be by her side. Mary is blessed because she answered ‘yes’ to God’s calling. 

Why do you think, Mary went to Elizabeth’s house? Remember that they did not live close to each other. They had no mobiles, telephones or cars! They walked or else rode on a donkey or on a horse. (the children give their answers)

Mary went to Elizabeth to share her good news that she was going to have Jesus. She also went to help Elizabeth. Did you ever help anyone? How did you feel afterwards?

When we help, we feel happy. Mary too was happy when she went to help Elizabeth.

For sure, during the coming days, you will help your parents wrap the presents that they bought. Christmas is when we remember the great gift that we received, when Jesus was born. To show this joy, we give gifts to those we love, and we receive gifts as well! Do you know that you can give gifts which do not cost any money? One of these great gifts is prayer.

On the hearts that you have for this week, write a prayer to Jesus, and pray for those you love. After writing on the hearts your different prayers, decorate them and put them in the manger, near baby Jesus. 
Mary and Elizabeth trusted God. We too need to trust in him, we need to trust Jesus and let him show us how to live. Whilst decorating the hearts, listen to, I’m trusting you.

Sign of the cross.

Pray the rosary with your family. Pray the Joyful Mysteries and before each mystery, someone offers a prayer for someone they love or for someone who needs help.

Gospel in symbolsDownload

1. Whom did Mary visit, according to today's Gospel?

Correct! Wrong!

2. Who was the baby who jumped with joy in Elizabeth's womb as soon as Mary greeted her?

Correct! Wrong!

3. How did Elizabeth greet Mary?

Correct! Wrong!

4. Why did Elizabeth praise Mary?

Correct! Wrong!

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.