Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. — Psalm 80:4

Mass Readings: Micah 5:1-4a/Hebrews 10:5-10/Luke 1:39-45 

The Bouncing Baby 

It’s funny how everyone loves to watch a baby. On visits home when my brother’s kids were tiny, and later (somehow, it doesn’t seem so long) when his grandkids were tiny, I remember the whole family watching the youngest one — all of us happy whenever the little one smiled or burped or yawned or gurgled. (And happy, too, when that child did things less entertaining, to leave it to its parents’ care.) 

In today’s Gospel, quite the opposite, we find the baby, even in the womb, observing the adults. Now it’s the baby’s turn to be delighted — to leap with joy — at Mary’s happy voice as she greets her cousin Elizabeth. Perhaps we also need a child’s heart, ready to bound with joy at every fleeting glimpse of the joyous love of God as we encounter it each day. 

Prayer: Lord, teach me again the joy of love.