Not your Average Love Story
December 20, 2024 at 12:00 a.m.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Ninety miles. Mary travelled about 90 miles to visit her cousin Elizabeth. For us today, that would be a simple 2 hour drive, but back then, for a woman in her first trimester, this was a significant distance and, no doubt, a great trial.
Growing up, the Visitation was just another passage on the long list of important bible stories I heard all the time. It wasn’t until I read a letter written by Pope Francis about the Visitation that I started to realize it’s importance. He wrote, “encountering [Jesus] alive is the greatest spiritual joy, an explosion of light that cannot leave anyone still. It immediately sets one in motion, compelling us to share the news with others, to witness the joy of this encounter.” Mary arose and went with haste to see Elizabeth because after hearing the greatest news of her life, she simply couldn’t sit still.
I’m no author, musician, or artist. And like me, you might not have a gift for storytelling, but this does not mean we don’t have stories to share. The best romantic comedy can’t compete with my relationship with Jesus and the greatest fantasy is dull compared to the wonders God has done for me. The events of my life far exceed the fictional stories of this world, and it is with our stories that we are called to evangelize!
We make excuses that we can’t evangelize because we do not know enough Scripture or Church teaching. Or we hide behind our theological knowledge and use facts to convert people. But Mary made haste to Elizabeth to share her own personal testimony, the good news of what God had done in her life. It is true that the gift of her pregnancy is THE good news, but it does not take away from the fact that all of God’s miracles should be proclaimed.
As Christmas draws near, I believe there is an invitation to share our story with the people around us, to spread joy with the witness of what God has done for you. Have you ever told a coworker your favorite childhood memory? When was the last time you shared the story of how you met your spouse? Does your family know anything about your relationship with Jesus? As we start to acknowledge the ways God has touched our lives, we begin to see that our stories are anything but average, rather they are worth travelling a great distance to share.
By Sarah Hollcraft, Fiat Ventures
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The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Ninety miles. Mary travelled about 90 miles to visit her cousin Elizabeth. For us today, that would be a simple 2 hour drive, but back then, for a woman in her first trimester, this was a significant distance and, no doubt, a great trial.
Growing up, the Visitation was just another passage on the long list of important bible stories I heard all the time. It wasn’t until I read a letter written by Pope Francis about the Visitation that I started to realize it’s importance. He wrote, “encountering [Jesus] alive is the greatest spiritual joy, an explosion of light that cannot leave anyone still. It immediately sets one in motion, compelling us to share the news with others, to witness the joy of this encounter.” Mary arose and went with haste to see Elizabeth because after hearing the greatest news of her life, she simply couldn’t sit still.
I’m no author, musician, or artist. And like me, you might not have a gift for storytelling, but this does not mean we don’t have stories to share. The best romantic comedy can’t compete with my relationship with Jesus and the greatest fantasy is dull compared to the wonders God has done for me. The events of my life far exceed the fictional stories of this world, and it is with our stories that we are called to evangelize!
We make excuses that we can’t evangelize because we do not know enough Scripture or Church teaching. Or we hide behind our theological knowledge and use facts to convert people. But Mary made haste to Elizabeth to share her own personal testimony, the good news of what God had done in her life. It is true that the gift of her pregnancy is THE good news, but it does not take away from the fact that all of God’s miracles should be proclaimed.
As Christmas draws near, I believe there is an invitation to share our story with the people around us, to spread joy with the witness of what God has done for you. Have you ever told a coworker your favorite childhood memory? When was the last time you shared the story of how you met your spouse? Does your family know anything about your relationship with Jesus? As we start to acknowledge the ways God has touched our lives, we begin to see that our stories are anything but average, rather they are worth travelling a great distance to share.