He wil rejoice over your with gladness, and renew you in his love ...

Look at the options for the first readings for today's Mass. I can't tell you how the first always grabs my attention, coming as it does far into Advent. This is Jesus joyfully bounding toward us as his incarnation becomes reality. This is his love for each of us as he comes to bring us salvation. What a lovely, personal, and evocative image. The second is so happy and joyful at finally having the time of waiting over.

Hark! my lover–here he comes springing across the mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattices. My lover speaks; he says to me, “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! “For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance. Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!

“O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret recesses of the cliff, Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.”

Song of Songs 2:8-14

or

Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.

Zephaniah 3:14-18a

This is followed by the Gospel of reading of Luke 1:39-45 where Mary goes to Elizabeth immediately after Jesus' conception. Notice how she went "in haste." From the first seconds of his time among us Jesus hurries to see us (a la the Father in everyone's favorite parable of The Prodigal Son). Also, it is impossible to miss that Mary's role as servant is always to show us Jesus, to point the way to her Son.