I think of Wednesday’s Gospel reading (Lk1:39-45) as a picture of the first Christian Charismatic meeting. Mary rushes in brimming with the Spirit of God. Her very greeting precipitates a series of “anointed” events. The baby John begins to dance with joy within his mother, and Elizabeth prophesies, ” filled with the Holy Spirit”. Mary goes on to proclaim her own prophetic, heroic prayer, the Magnificat ( Lk 1:46-56). Her acclamation echoes that of Hannah in 1 Samuel ( 1:24-28), but it also gives us a glimpse of the deep thoughts in her heart, her concern for the human condition, as the Holy Spirit helps her crystalize these thoughts into beautiful poetic form.

Our Charismatic Prayer Group meets every Sunday at the Passionist Monastery Chapel in Jamaica, N.Y.. One of the things I love the most about our group meeting is the moment when the members first greet each other in their own special ways. I can feel the Love and Light that radiate from their interaction. The prayer has already started. In  those hugs and “hello’s” we recognize the Presence of our Lord among us, right then and there.  It’s even a little hard to get their attention so the Praise and Adoration can formally begin.

But just the same, the most important member of this “prayer group”, the One who is the true cause of this chain of blessed events, rests quietly within Mary’s womb, waiting in His own Advent for the moment when He will bring us our salvation.

    Orlando Hernández