In today’s gospel reading, we witness a joyful encounter between two pregnant women, Elizabeth and Mary. When Mary greets Elizabeth, the infant John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth affirms and recognizes the revelation Mary has received: "Most 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."

Elizabeth’s jubilant cry is also the first testament to the presence of Jesus in the world, while he is still in Mary’s womb. The examples of John and Elizabeth call us to respond to the presence of God in our lives with joy. In Psalm 33, we sing, “Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and our shield, for in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust.” As we try to remain patient this Advent season, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christ in the world, we trust, like Mary and Elizabeth, that what God promises us will be fulfilled. This gospel reading reminds us that in our encounters with others, especially the most vulnerable, we can come to see God at work in our lives. Where do you notice the presence of God in your community and relationships? What can we do to respond to God’s presence with joy, however unexpected it might be? How can we, like Mary and Elizabeth, share our testimony of God’s grace with one another?