Mary Is Advent Personified
Since I am placing extra emphasis on Mary’s faith this Advent season, I was recently doing some reading to reflect on her example. I came across an article that defined her as “Advent personified,” and I really appreciate the depth and truth that form that idea.
The season of Advent invites us to allow the hope of the coming of Christ to penetrate our souls. The season exists to serve as a period of preparation. Throughout this time, our Lord calls us to cleanse our hearts in order to provide a pure place for Jesus to rest. He calls us to willingly receive His outpouring of grace. He calls us to soften our hearts to bend to His will.
From the beginning of her life, God was preparing Mary to be a worthy mother of His Son. She was conceived without the stain of original sin. As a young girl, she prayed for the coming of the Messiah. She consistently chose to abide in virtue. And, her “yes” to Gabriel directly resulted in the physical manifestation of God in our world.
Once she received the message from the Angel Gabriel, she was filled with instantaneous hope. The joy of Christ’s coming sustained her with untiring confidence and radiance. At this point, she was certain that God would be using her Son to restore the brokenness of the world.
And, as we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord as well as anticipate His second coming, we should also be filled with the joy that roots from faith in His promise. Christ’s birth is not a mere possibility; we are celebrating the reality that our God humbled Himself by coming into the world in order to save us.
This upcoming Sunday’s gospel comes from Luke 1. In it, Saint Luke the Evangelist tells the story of the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. The women encounter each other with great joy because they are entirely confident in God’s intentions for them. Not only do they both feel fulfilled in their vocations as mothers, but they are also filled with joyful expectation as they await the birth of Christ. Even before His birth, Jesus is identified as Lord.
Friend, the story of the visitation highlights the first Advent. As we turn to our Mother in heaven, may we, too, emulate the joy of salvation. Let’s continue to journey with Mary this season, following her footsteps that led to the Birth of Jesus. As we enter into Mary’s response of faith, may we magnify the Lord and rejoice in His love.