Dear Friends, Advent looks at the coming of Christ in two ways. The first is in the completion of the redemptive reality in the Second Coming. The second is recalling the great coming in Christ’s birth. The season of Advent, like every season of the Church Year, invites us into the great mystery of the Christ event.
For us to truly understand and accept in faith the Advent message, we need to start with the present reality of the world. We live in a world that absolutely needs a savior. Our racial, ethnic and religious divisions, the brokenness of our sexuality, the rampant divisions between the poor and the rich, the pervasive de-humanizing consumerism, the gross neglect of the planet and so many other expressions of injustice scream out the need for a savior.
Add to this all the personal hurts and hungers and turmoil in our lives. We truly find ourselves ready for the Advent prayer, Come Lord Jesus!
Today’s encounter between the young pregnant unwed teenager and the older expectant mother set the scene. This was the definitive intervention of God in our broken human history. These two woman are central to the story of the Christ event. The triple blessing of Elizabeth revealed Mary’s special role. The coming Savior was the blessed fruit of her womb. Mary is blessed among women as the mother and the woman of faith. The final blessing recognized the depth of her faith: “Blessed are you who believed what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. (Lk 1:45)
Mary’s faith made her the first among the disciples. Her faithful surrender was joyfully expressed in the famous words: “May it done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) This submission modeled a life that all followers of Christ can emulate. She entrusted herself to the journey with her Son against all logic and common sense.
Elizabeth identified these gifts of faith early on with her triple blessing. If we are to imitate the will not be found in a list of teachings and doctrines. It will be in a person. It will be the event of that person’s coming among us. Like Mary, our life experience will be filled with unending questions and situations of confusion and desperation. Yet we must be open to the call to be faithful in our commitment. From the poverty of Bethlehem to the power and beauty of Cana, to the rejection in Nazareth to the ultimate mystery of Cavalry, Mary had no answers. She did, however, have an open and trusting heart. She was, indeed, the true disciple of Jesus Christ.
Advent offers us the challenge that faced Mary: an opportunity to accept the joy of the Lord or to fall into despair and hopelessness. The many questions and bewilderment of our life draw us into the same test of faith that consumed the entire life of May. Faith let Mary understand well a teaching of her Son’s Gospel: what seems to be, really is not, and what does not seem to be, really is. Jesus demonstrated this truth from his birth as Messiah with the poor shepherds in the insignificant town of Bethlehem to the total abandonment and rejection a Calvary. Mary walked in faith and love every step of the way with him. She was present to the all- powerful God and Creator of the universe wrapped is swaddling clothes and nailed to the cross.
It may seem completely out of place to speak of Calvary in this immediate approach to the Christmas event. Yet, Mary’s faith opened her heart to the profound connection between these two events. When pure love entered the world, evil and hatred immediately stirred up the plans for its obliteration. Mary understood in her faith-filled heart that the joyful sounds of Christmas would never be far from the lamentations and sighs of Good Friday. Yet, she always believed that love would win out!
Advent’s message for us is to imitate the surrender of Mary. We are called to embrace the hope and the coming of the Christ event in our Advent prayer, Come, Lord Jesus!
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