Advent Through The Eyes Of Mary
The Blessed Virgin Mary gave us the greatest gift by accepting the honor of bringing God’s only Son into the world. Imagine her anticipation during those days of uncertainty. As the Mother of God she provides us with a great example of acceptance and love. Mary found peace in God’s presence, and so can we!
Amidst all the chaos of this world we have the ability to seek God’s love through the gift of our faith. There are many people struggling with real life issues, and during Advent we have the perfect opportunity to help them understand that contentment is not as elusive as they may think. Advent preparation is not just about the birth of the Christ child; it is also awaiting His second “Coming”.
In God’s plan for the salvation of humanity, he desired the help of a pure and unstained vessel. We celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Dec. 8. “In the sixth month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Hail O favored one, the Lord is with you!’” (Lk 1:26-28). Mary was preserved from sin as the Mother of God in order to give Jesus, the Son of God, a human nature equal to her own. In her obedience, she assisted God’s plan for our salvation in Jesus Christ.
On Dec. 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the apostolic constitution “Ineffabilis Deusis,” defining the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He stated that every human being needed to be redeemed by Christ. We are all born in a state of original sin, and we receive redemption through our Baptism. Mary instead was created and redeemed in the same moment of her conception. She was free from the inclination to sin and remained pure until her Assumption into heaven. Her Immaculate Conception allowed her to be completely open to God’s grace. In Genesis 3:15, God confirmed,“There is to be an enmity between the ‘woman’ and the serpent, and this enmity is shared between her seed and its seed. Her seed is the messiah, who stands in opposition to the seed of the serpent.” Praying through the Advent Season with the heart of Mary may provide a new perspective in our lives.
On the first weekend of Advent I decided to make a conscious effort to observe these four weeks with the expectation Mary must have experienced waiting for the birth of Jesus. I witnessed an angel providing comfort to those in need; I met a woman buying hundreds of yards of fleece to make blankets for a homeless shelter. I experienced joy while visiting and taking food to our daughter and her coworkers over the Thanksgiving Holiday at the ER in the hospital. I encountered the innocence of children, as my grandsons painted Advent Angels to remind them that an act of kindness is a great way to prepare for Christmas. I quickly realized that when looking for goodness, it is easily found.
These past months involving the election of a new president to lead our country have made the ending to the year difficult. On Nov. 27, the New Liturgical Year began in the Church with the Feast of Christ the King, I have great hope for the New Year coming, and the blessings God will shower on those who believe! This Advent, bring Jesus into your heart through the eyes of His Mother, Mary. Peace will follow! Amen!
