4th Sunday of Advent - Unborn Jesus

 

      Unborn Baby Jesus, Grant All Unborn Babies Life on Earth                  May all babies be protected in their Mother's Womb.

                        Video: Mary Did You Know? Yes She Knew

With just a few days before Christmas, the Church gives us the Gospel of the Visitation to help us ponder Jesus as an unborn child. After Mary conceives Jesus in Her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit and because She learned through the angel Gabriel, Her elderly cousin, Elizabeth was about to give birth, She immediately went in haste to help her, who was 6 months with child. Due to the distance of riding on a donkey, the journey may have taken Mary about 5 days and so when Mary arrived and greeted Elizabeth, the unborn Jesus was would have been not more than 5 days old from His miraculous conception. He would not yet have had a beating heart, nor eyes nor hands. The unborn John the Baptist, however was 6 months old in his mother’s womb, from his conception.

Before His birth, the unborn Child Jesus wanted to sanctify the unborn, John the Baptist and fill his mother, Elizabeth, with the Holy Spirit and He did both of these actions through Mary.

At the moment of Mary’s greeting-- John the Baptist leapt and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and so Elizabeth came to know Mary was pregnant with the Lord, as She said, “Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me.”

The Church has long held at the moment John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb, he was sanctified. In another words, his original sin was washed away and he was filled with the Holy Spirit, which is what happens to when we are baptized.

Have you ever seen an unborn child move within his mother’s womb? When I was a child, my mother took my hand and held it to her pregnant tummy and I could feel my unborn sister moving around.

Have you ever pondered what it was like for the unborn Jesus to float around in the amniotic fluid? He could move around in all different directions, upside down, and all around like being underwater. Sometimes an unborn child can kick and the mother will know it.

As He grew and developed the unborn Jesus was comfortable and cozy in Mary’s womb, something like a bubble, as He went with Mary to the market to buy food, to clean the house, to go the well to get water, to go to the home Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anne.

In Mary’s womb, He went down the streets and by ways. The unborn Jesus went from Nazareth to Bethlehem on a donkey for the census. As Mary and Joseph, met travelers, the travelers unknowingly were in the physical presence of God. And when Mary was about to give birth seeking a place to stay, all the inn keepers and the people in the streets had no idea, within Mary’s womb was the Son of God, the longed for and waited Messiah.

Mary and Joseph could have said Inn keepers, “Within this womb, is the Son of God, won’t you let us stay in your inn?” But no one would believe them, but it would have been true.

When I go the sick, the home bound, and those in the nursing home, I carry the Holy Eucharist with me in a pyx. As I walked through the corridors of the nursing home-- the people had no idea the Savior of the world, who disguises Himself in the Sacred Host was in their presence. Just as Jesus was hidden in the womb of Mary, so Jesus is hidden in the Sacred Host, with both His human and divine natures.

I thought of saying to those in the nursing home, “Excuse me, I just want you to know, the Son of God, the King of heaven and earth is here. Your savior is traveling through these hallways. He is in this little metal container called a pyx. Would you believe me, if I told you, He is in my pocket?” “Would you bow down and worship Him, if I told you He was here?” Just like Mary and Joseph not telling the Inn Keepers, so I have not told staff who I am carrying in my pocket.

The hidden Jesus in the Eucharist is like the hidden Jesus in the womb of Mary. Years ago, it was common that as the priest went on sick calls, he would be accompanied by someone ringing a bell to remind people the Lord is passing by, so all would give respect to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Catholics would kneel as the priest walked by carrying the King of angels to the sick.

On Christmas day many will pray to the newborn Infant Jesus in the manger. They will tell Him they love Him and perhaps ask Him for some special request, especially perhaps to pray for the healing of a loved one. Have you ever thought of praying to the unborn Jesus in the womb of Mary? Mary prayed to the unborn Jesus within Her womb. She worshiped Him, who dwelt within Her. She praised Him, loved Him, thanked Him and interceded for others to Him, who was within Her.

Even though He was an unborn Child for a time without eyes, hands or a heart, as God, He knew everything, heard everything and saw everything.

With regard to the dignity of a child, it makes no difference as to how a child comes into the world. At the moment of conception, every child is created in the image and likeness of God. Every child deserves love and respect. Every unborn child is innocent and God has a plan and future for every child. As we know, John the Baptist, would later be the precursor to Jesus and to prepare the way of the Lord. He would call sinners to repentance and baptize and died as a martyr, as a witness to the sacredness of marriage.

Let us close with a prayer, “O Jesus, our unborn Savior, you who are within the womb of Mary, I love you and adore you. I ask You, O Lord, to help the world to come to know and experience the love and peace You felt in Mary’s womb. Help mothers and fathers and our nation, to respect babies no matter how small. That every mother’s womb will be a safe haven. O Unborn Jesus, I come to you, through Mary, as you came into the world through Mary. Help me and my family to be like your Holy family. Though I cannot see you. I believe you are there. I want to be dependent upon Mary as you were dependent upon Her. Help us to marvel at Your unborn life in the womb of Mary and may we experience the joy of your birth with profound awe and adoration. Thank you unborn Infant Jesus, for hearing and answering my prayers, through Mary. Amen.”