Luke 1:56-60: a reflection

56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house. 57Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”

When Elizabeth, long barren, gives birth to a son, her neighbors and relatives rejoice with her, for they see that the Lord has shown her great mercy. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, the account says, and they rejoiced with her. God had shown Elizabeth great mercy, giving her a son in her old age after long barrenness; and those around her, seeing this mercy, did not envy her or remain indifferent, but rejoiced with her, sharing in her joy at the mercy God had shown. This shows the grace of rejoicing with others in the mercy and blessing God shows them. Rejoice with others in the mercy God shows them. Elizabeth's neighbors rejoiced with her in God's mercy. Sharing others' joy at God's blessing is a grace. Rejoice with those to whom God has shown mercy.

Notice the response of Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives to God's mercy toward her. They saw that the Lord had shown her great mercy, giving her, long barren and now old, a son. And their response was not envy, not indifference, but genuine joy: they rejoiced with her. They shared in her gladness at the mercy and blessing God had given her. This is a gracious thing, and not always easy. When God shows mercy and blessing to others, gives them what we ourselves might long for, we can respond with envy, resentment, or indifference, rather than shared joy. It can be hard to rejoice at others' blessings, especially when they receive what we lack. But the gracious response, modeled here, is to rejoice with those to whom God has shown mercy, to share in their joy, to be genuinely glad at the good God has done for them. Rejoicing with others in their blessings, rather than envying them, is a mark of love, and a sharing in God's own goodness. We do well to cultivate this grace: to rejoice with those who rejoice, to be genuinely glad at the mercy and blessing God shows to others. Rejoice genuinely at the mercy and blessing God shows to others. Do not envy others' blessings, but rejoice with them. Shared joy at others' good is a mark of love. Cultivate the grace of rejoicing with those God blesses.

That is worth taking to heart, for it is a grace to rejoice with others in the mercy and blessing God shows them, as Elizabeth's neighbors rejoiced with her. We can respond to others' blessings with envy, resentment, or indifference, especially when they receive what we lack; but Elizabeth's neighbors, seeing the mercy God had shown her, rejoiced with her. Rejoicing with others is a grace. When God shows mercy or blessing to others, do not envy them; rejoice with them, sharing in their joy. Rejoice genuinely with others in the mercy and blessing God shows them, rather than responding with envy, resentment, or indifference, as Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives, seeing that the Lord had shown her great mercy in giving her a son after long barrenness in her old age, rejoiced with her; for when God shows mercy and blessing to others, giving them what we ourselves might long for, we can respond with envy, resentment, or indifference rather than shared joy, and it can be hard to rejoice at others' blessings, especially when they receive what we lack, but the gracious response, modeled here, is to rejoice with those to whom God has shown mercy, to share in their joy and be genuinely glad at the good God has done for them, since rejoicing with others in their blessings rather than envying them is a mark of love and a sharing in God's own goodness, so that we do well to cultivate this grace and rejoice with those who rejoice, genuinely glad at the mercy and blessing God shows to others.

Lord, when Elizabeth, long barren, gives birth to a son, her neighbors and relatives rejoice with her, for they see that you have shown her great mercy. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, the account says, and they rejoiced with her. You had shown Elizabeth great mercy, giving her a son in her old age after long barrenness; and those around her, seeing this mercy, did not envy her or remain indifferent, but rejoiced with her, sharing in her joy. This shows the grace of rejoicing with others in the mercy and blessing you show them. Show me the response of Elizabeth's neighbors and relatives to your mercy toward her. They saw that you had shown her great mercy. And their response was not envy, not indifference, but genuine joy: they rejoiced with her. They shared in her gladness at the mercy and blessing you had given her. This is a gracious thing, and not always easy. When you show mercy and blessing to others, give them what I myself might long for, I can respond with envy, resentment, or indifference, rather than shared joy. It can be hard to rejoice at others' blessings, especially when they receive what I lack. But the gracious response is to rejoice with those to whom you have shown mercy, to share in their joy, to be genuinely glad at the good you have done for them. Take that to my heart, for it is a grace to rejoice with others in the mercy and blessing you show them. When you show mercy or blessing to others, keep me from envy, resentment, or indifference; help me rejoice with them, Lord, sharing in their joy and being genuinely glad at the good you have done for them, cultivating the grace of rejoicing with those you bless.