Today, Mary goes to visit her elderly cousin Elizabeth, whom everyone said was sterile, but who, instead, had reached the sixth month of a pregnancy given to her by God. The Virgin carries in her womb the recently conceived Jesus. She is a young girl, but she was not afraid, for God was with Her, within Her.

When she entered Elizabeth’s house, her greeting was overflowing with grace: John leapt in his mother’s womb, as if he was aware of the coming of the One whom he would one day proclaim to Israel. At this meeting the silent protagonist is Jesus. Mary carries Him in her womb as a living Tabernacle and she offers Him to us as the most sacred gift. Wherever Mary goes Jesus is present.

—Our joy has to be always transmitted and shared: St. Mary immediately went to pass it on to St. Elizabeth. This is my true commitment in Advent: to transmit to everyone the greatest joy of all: Christmas.