Dear People of Our Lady,
The season of Advent is upon us, but what does that mean?
Advent means "arrival", and is the name given by the Church to that special time of year in which we prepare ourselves to celebrate the coming of Christ into the world at Christmas. Because of this we look back in time to the first Advent when God broke into history in the person of a defenseless infant, lying in a manger in Bethlehem. From that moment the rift between humanity and its Creator was closed, in the union of God and Man in the Christ child.
What a tremendous mystery of divine power, that God should choose the most powerless of beings, a baby, to accomplish so great a thing! But choose He did, and we look back with awe and wonder, with worship, to that moment when the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us.
But as we do, we find ourselves drawn forward in time to another Advent, the future coming of Christ, when He shall appear upon the earth with glory to consummate His reign. We do not know the time or the hour, though Our Lord assures us that it will come at the very moment we least expect it. Knowing this, we see that Advent is an urgent call to repentance, a season in which we turn from all those habits and ways of life that stand against the goodness of God. To put it simply, we must aim to stand pure and holy before Him when He comes again.
Then, as we reflect on the past and future comings of Christ, we find that Advent is here and now, in the present. For the truth of the Christian life is that Jesus lives in His faithful people and has come to us in grace. Our task is to nurture His life within us, but how? We find that the first and second Advents show us the way. Beginning with worship and adoration we then move out to Him in humble repentance for our sins, and the Lord, finding purified souls in love with Him, will have the space to live and grow in us.
May that be our goal this Advent, to prepare a living manger for Jesus, so that He might be made Flesh in us.
With love and every blessing,
Fr. Michael
A Marian Advent Reflection
"Behold,” Mary said, “the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to your word.” The virtue of humility is always found closely associated with divine grace: for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Mary replies then with humility, that the dwelling of grace may be prepared. How sublime is this humility, which is incapable of yielding to the weight of honors, or of being rendered proud by them! The mother of God is chosen, and she declares herself his handmaid. It is in truth a mark of no ordinary humility that even when so great an honor is given her, she does not forget to be humble. It is no great thing to be humble when in a low condition; but humility in one that is honored is a great and rare virtue.
Bernard of Clairveaux
The season of Advent is upon us, but what does that mean?
Advent means "arrival", and is the name given by the Church to that special time of year in which we prepare ourselves to celebrate the coming of Christ into the world at Christmas. Because of this we look back in time to the first Advent when God broke into history in the person of a defenseless infant, lying in a manger in Bethlehem. From that moment the rift between humanity and its Creator was closed, in the union of God and Man in the Christ child.
What a tremendous mystery of divine power, that God should choose the most powerless of beings, a baby, to accomplish so great a thing! But choose He did, and we look back with awe and wonder, with worship, to that moment when the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us.
But as we do, we find ourselves drawn forward in time to another Advent, the future coming of Christ, when He shall appear upon the earth with glory to consummate His reign. We do not know the time or the hour, though Our Lord assures us that it will come at the very moment we least expect it. Knowing this, we see that Advent is an urgent call to repentance, a season in which we turn from all those habits and ways of life that stand against the goodness of God. To put it simply, we must aim to stand pure and holy before Him when He comes again.
Then, as we reflect on the past and future comings of Christ, we find that Advent is here and now, in the present. For the truth of the Christian life is that Jesus lives in His faithful people and has come to us in grace. Our task is to nurture His life within us, but how? We find that the first and second Advents show us the way. Beginning with worship and adoration we then move out to Him in humble repentance for our sins, and the Lord, finding purified souls in love with Him, will have the space to live and grow in us.
May that be our goal this Advent, to prepare a living manger for Jesus, so that He might be made Flesh in us.
With love and every blessing,
Fr. Michael
A Marian Advent Reflection
"Behold,” Mary said, “the handmaid of the Lord. Be it unto me according to your word.” The virtue of humility is always found closely associated with divine grace: for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Mary replies then with humility, that the dwelling of grace may be prepared. How sublime is this humility, which is incapable of yielding to the weight of honors, or of being rendered proud by them! The mother of God is chosen, and she declares herself his handmaid. It is in truth a mark of no ordinary humility that even when so great an honor is given her, she does not forget to be humble. It is no great thing to be humble when in a low condition; but humility in one that is honored is a great and rare virtue.
Bernard of Clairveaux