Allocution, December 19, IV Sunday of Advent

Today, Sunday, December 19, IV Sunday of Advent, we hear the gospel according to Saint Luke, chapter 1, verses 39 to 45. We light the four candles of the Advent wreath.

(GOSPEL)

The Virgin said yes to the angel who told her, on behalf of God the Father, that she was going to be the mother of God made man. He said yes to the need to congratulate Saint Elizabeth, mother of who would be John the Baptist, and to help her. He said yes, in agreement with Saint Joseph, to the fulfillment of the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the cradle of the Messiah, of the Savior, despite the long journey. He said yes, according to Saint Joseph, to the fulfillment of the prophecy of the flight to Egypt in the face of threats from King Herod. He said yes to growing love, to her husband Joseph and to the baby Jesus. He said yes to prayer and praising God at home and in the temple. He said yes to the bride and groom at Cana and forced Jesus to perform his first sign or miracle of turning water into wine. He said yes to fully living the Word of God as a family. He said yes to walking beside the cross of his Son and to standing before the crucifixion. She said yes to the universal motherhood that her son gave her on the cross. He said yes to the joy of the resurrection on the Sunday after Good Friday. He said yes to prayer with the apostles while waiting for the Holy Spirit. He said yes to entering the glory of heaven in body and soul. We also want to say yes since we are children of the Virgin. Yes to God and no to the devil. Yes to the blessed fruit and no to eliminating it. Yes to marriage, no to separation. Yes to the elderly and no to throwing them aside. Yes to the truth, no to lies. Yes to mercy, no to contempt. Yes to peace, no to violence.

Holy Mary of Yes, pray for us and help us to always say yes to what God asks of us.

(SINGING)

The gospel has told us about the meeting of two pregnant women and their blessed fruits. A happy meeting. Saint Elizabeth greeted the Virgin by saying: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Blessed are you who have believed”, and the Virgin’s response was to sing: “my soul glorifies the Lord”.

(SINGING)

Saint Elizabeth has described the Virgin very well. He believed in the Word of God, lived it, accepted it, even in the midst of difficulties and suffering, and walked quickly to meet the pregnant Elizabeth. And as is his custom, he is next to us and tells us: “Am I not here because I am your mother?” It is nice for mothers to remember the time of pregnancy: the joy, the dreams, the hopes, the worries, the conversations with the husband, with the mother, with family members, the other pregnant women from the maternity hospital consultations.

Dear pregnant woman, relive those scenes, enjoy them and tell them again to those who lived them with you. Tell your blessed fruits what you dreamed for them and together make it a living reality. Children, ask your mothers what they felt when you were in the womb.

VOICE: And happy are all the women who carried a new being in their womb, because nothing is comparable to the feelings they experience when they hold children conceived out of love in their arms. Pampered before meeting them and always attached to the pupil and the heart so that nothing bad can happen to them. And blessed God is the author of all this greatness, because thanks to Him, women and their power of fertility exist.

(SINGING)

VOICE: Thank you God the Father for giving me and my husband the creature that I carry within me with enthusiasm and hope. Lord Jesus Christ, show me the way, the truth and the life. Holy Spirit, anoint our creature with the grace of baptism and help us, dad and mom, to educate him in faith, hope and charity. Holy Mary of Charity, carry our baby and show yourself to be his mother, who is within me, at the time of birth and in all the moments of his life. Saint Christopher, pray for our creature so that he never lacks love and knows how to communicate it to those around him. Amen.

We thank you, Lord. We thank you, Lord…

Lord, I thank you, because you chose me to participate, together with you, in the work of creation. Because you allowed a new being to give life in my womb; for the tenderness that invades me when I feel the presence of my son within me. Because you have allowed my life to be prolonged in this creature that will be born. Because you gave shape and size to the love I feel for my husband. Because you have given me a creature, from whom I will never be able to separate myself in thoughts or deeds. Because this new being will fill our house with joy. Because you have turned me into a mom.

(SINGING)

Emilia belonged to a middle-class family in Poland, which suffered ravages and charisties after a prolonged national war. Hunger and epidemics threatened the entire population. Emilia had had delicate health since she was little, which she had not been able to improve due to the conditions in which she lived. When she was young she married a textile worker and they settled in a new town, far from family and acquaintances. Shortly after, their first son was born, Edmundo, an attractive boy, a good student, athlete and with a great personality.

A few years later, Emilia gave birth to a girl who only survived a few weeks due to the poor living conditions to which the family was subjected. Fourteen years after Edmundo’s birth and almost ten years after the death of her second daughter, Emilia found herself in a particularly difficult situation. He was nearly forty years old and his health had not improved; He suffered from severe kidney problems and his cardiac system was gradually weakening due to a congenital condition. On the other hand, the political situation in his country was increasingly critical, as it had been greatly affected by the recently ended First World War. They lived with the essentials and the uncertainty and fear that a new war would break out. And precisely in those terrible circumstances, Emilia realized that she was pregnant again. Although access to abortion was not easy at that time, the option existed and there was no shortage of people who offered to perform it. Her age and health made pregnancy a high risk for her life. Furthermore, his difficult life condition made him wonder: “What world can I offer this little one? “A poor home, a town at war.” Emilia was unaware that she only had ten years to live due to her health problem. Tragically, Edmundo, the only brother of the baby she was expecting, would live only two more years. A few years later, the Second World War would break out, in which the father of the unborn child would lose his life. Emilia chose to give life to her son, whom she named Carol. That boy, now older, really liked to travel the world and every time he passed through the streets of many countries and the streets of Havana, Santa Clara, Camagüey and Santiago de Cuba, they greeted him. John Paul II everyone loves you. Saint John Paul II, pray for all pregnant women. Thank you, thank you very much Emilia, for the gift you gave us of your blessed fruit. Amen.

(SINGING)

God, good Father, we thank you for the creatures who live in the womb. Never let abortion eliminate them. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God made man, who was in the womb of the Virgin Mary for nine months, teach the way, the truth and the life to pregnant women and allow them to teach it to their children.

God, the Holy Spirit, gives the status of children of God, brothers of all and members of the Church, through baptism, to those who will soon emerge from the womb into the light, and give them your grace so that they may be the pride and joys of families, society and the Church.

Saint Mary of Charity, accompanies pregnant women, now and at the time of childbirth, for the joy of the mother, the father of the child, the families and the neighbors.

Saint Ramón Nonato, who was born miraculously and did so much good for humanity, pray for pregnant women in difficulty and for those who will help women in labor, so that the babies are born happily and their cries cause deep joy to the entire family. Amen.

(SINGING)

Pope Francis speaks to us:

“Let’s ask ourselves what I can do specifically in these days before Christmas. How can I do my part? Let’s make a concrete commitment, even if it is small, that fits our life situation and carry it forward to prepare for this Christmas. For example, I can call that person who is alone on the phone, visit that elderly or sick person, do something to serve the poor, the needy. Furthermore, perhaps you have a forgiveness to ask for, a forgiveness to give, a situation to clarify, a debt to settle. Perhaps I have neglected prayer and after a long time it is time to approach the Lord’s forgiveness. Brothers and sisters, let’s find a specific thing and do it. May the Virgin, in whose womb God became flesh, help us.

(SINGING)

Let’s celebrate Christmas Eve together as a family. Let’s read at dinner or lunch the gospel of Luke chapter 2 verses 1 to 20, which tells us about the birth of Jesus. Let’s finish making the tree and the nativity scene pretty. Let’s all go to midnight mass…

And the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, descend upon your families and remain forever. Amen.