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In today’s podcast we have Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. There are several points in this Gospel I want to point out. We have Mary who is pregnant herself going to help her cousin Elizabeth . Mary’s sense of service is obvious.

We know that Elizabeth was likely past childbearing years. She was not able to have a child in a culture that expected women to have children, Many people looked down on women who were childless. Elizabeth is not the only one from the Bible who struggled with infertility.

Elizabeth is an excellent example of being meek. We don’t know much about Elizabeth, but I suspect she had her struggles. Being considered barren must have been hard for her. Elizabeth handled herself well and remained faithful to God despite the fact that it would appear God was not answering her prayers. She is truly an example of what meekness is all about. She is also strong; she can and does speak her truth confidently and succinctly when the time comes. Her faithfulness under pressure is admirable.

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In this podcast from Luke, we hear more about John the Baptist. John is giving advice to individuals who want to change their life to reflect their beliefs. These individuals realize that their faith is not just practiced on holy days but will also impact their behavior at work and at home.

There are a couple of key points that I want to draw your attention to. When asked what to do John doesn’t say, pray more or sin less or give more money to the Temple. Do you notice that all of his advice involves how to respectfully relate to other people?

John treats everyone the same. It doesn’t matter what their profession is. In most cultures including our own, professions are ranked from least to most prestigious. That means nothing to John. All work is honorable. The people are called to do an honest day’s work. Sometimes we are fortunate, and the job has meaning or purpose. Other times people work for the money. They work to live. They find purpose outside of work. But, even if you are working simply for the moony, there is still honor there.

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In today’s podcast we are introduced to John also known as John the Baptist not to be confused with the apostle John, the beloved disciple. John the Baptist was related to Jesus, his mother Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus were first cousins. Likely John and Jesus knew each other growing up. John is seen as the one prophesized by the great prophet Isaiah to prepare the people to receive the Messiah. Matthew 3:1-3, Mark 1:2-3 and Luke 3:4-6. The original prophecy is in Isaiah 40:3.
I wonder if Jesus would have been successful without John’s involvement. Is there is a lesson for us? We, like Jesus, have had people in our life that have helped us on our way. In a sense, our successes are not totally our own. Others have helped us along the way and by recognizing their role in our spiritual development we in turn are called to support other individuals on their journey.