Spending Advent with Our Lady

 

Life is like Advent—a time of preparation to let all God’s glory through.  It is also a time of expectation and longing—often waiting in darkness—preparing for the enchantment of lights, gifts to be given and received, and gatherings with loved ones.  Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas, but even moreso a season to dispose our hearts to welcome Jesus in all the ways He comes to us.  
 

The Liturgy focuses on each of His comings:  in the past, in the ‘today’, and in the future.  During the four weeks of Advent we relive the past 4,000-plus years of the advent of Christ through salvation history.  The Church gives us a short-cut for this in the Liturgy through the scripture readings from both the Old and the New Testaments.  We are also invited to prepare for the final coming of Christ, both in history at the end of time and at our own death.  

 

One beautiful way to journey through these four weeks, is to walk with our Lady as we live the present moment.  We can ponder four qualities of her response to God’s will when she was told she would be the Mother of Jesus:

 

1.  First, her response was immediate.  When God’s Will was made known to her through the angel, she did not hesitate to give her ‘Yes,’ and she went in haste to visit her cousin, Elizabeth.    
 

2.  Our Lady’s response was humble.  Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord!  By calling herself a handmaid, our Lady showed that she knew who she was before God.  In a spirit of loving service she offered herself to Him to fulfill His plan.

3.  In addition, her response was joyful.  To fulfill God’s Will was the deepest desire of her heart and the cause of her joy.  Her joy overflowed in the Magnificat after greeting Elizabeth.  My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.  My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

 

4.  Lastly, her response was total.  She freely gave herself over to God saying, “Be it done unto me according to Your word.”  She put no limits, stipulations, or conditions on her response.  She simply responded in a spirit of trust.

 

If we imitate Mary’s unhesitating, humble, joy-filled and total response to God’s plan in our own life, our hearts will be ready to welcome Jesus this Christmas!