Tag: #advent

ADVENT WEEK 4: The Observer of the Annunciation is in Awe Admiring Mary

As we read scripture, we find ourselves taking on the role of the observer in this magnificent scene that opened the door to our redemption. 

As we enter the fourth and final week of Advent, we can see how we have grown closer to God as we journey closer and closer to Christmas.  Our hearts are open, but we continue to prepare them for the coming of Jesus.  While we prepare to celebrate His birth, we continually pray and reflect on our openness to have room for Him in the inn of our hearts.  When He knocks, we will happily open the door to Jesus.   Celebrating Christmas comes at a set time that we can prepare for, but would we recognize Jesus if He came when we weren’t expecting Him to come?  Just as those in Bethlehem were not expecting Him, the same may one day happen to us as we busy ourselves with our daily responsibilities.  Advent helps us to reflect on our openness to recognizing Him whenever and however He chooses to do so.  

On this fourth week of Advent, I invite you to reflect with me on what it would have been like to have been with Mary when St. Gabriel came and gave his message.  

MY OBSERVATIONS 

As I place myself in the room as an observer, I see that Mary didn’t look at anyone, but God. She didn’t worry about what people would think. She didn’t worry about Joseph’s reaction. She didn’t worry about the hard journey to see Elizabeth.  She only thought of God and giving Him the desires of His heart. She knew He would take care of her needs. After all, that’s what love does. Just as she’s always thinking of Him, He is always thinking of her. As an observer I  can see that Saint Gabriel, Jesus and Mary were all in unison… Desirous of giving God the desires of His heart. God is a mystery. There is always so much more to discover of His infinite love. When Saint Gabriel greeted Mary, she was detached. Because of that, Mary was able to let go of all she knew, all the ways in which she knew God to be, and in doing so she was able to receive Him at a level none would ever expect. All she needed to kNOW was in the present moment of the NOW.  She gained so much for herself and us because she was able to let go of her way of thinking. She did not keep God in the confines of a box. 

QUESTIONS I PONDER

All this makes me wonder.  Am I, in anyway, so set in my ways of defining God and how He acts that I risk closing myself off to discovering more of the mystery of His love? Do I follow my script or His? Am I open to allowing Him the opportunity to move in my life for my good and the good of others or do I close every window because I am certain He only comes through the door? Are my eyes only open to Him coming as a king or am I truly open to Him coming as a baby, as my neighbor, as my boss, as my employee, as an outcast, in tears, in the rich soil of adversity, in the Eucharist, etc. Do I insist on using a map when He sends a star? Do I look for a star when He sends a map? Do I say yes, while in actuality hemming myself in and closing my eyes, thus making it difficult for Him to move in my life?  Do I close off in fear of the darkness and difficulties that may come my way or do I trust that God is love and His love is a mystery? Am I willing to always discover more of God for my good and the good of others? Am I willing to always work on growing in my prayer life so I can recognize He who is a continual  mystery of love? How will I live out being open to the mystery of how God comes to bring His love to me the rest of the Advent week and beyond?

PRAYERFULLY REFLECT ON:

Luke 1:26-38 

Put yourself in the room with Mary when Gabriel comes to deliver his message.  What do you notice about Mary and her reaction?  If you are having difficulty with this exercise, feel free to use my observations above.  Listen to the stirrings of your heart and talk to God about what you have reflected upon. 

What questions might you ponder about your own life after you have reflected upon Mary’s reaction.  If you are having difficulty with these reflections, feel free to use the questions I offered above.  Talk to God about what you have reflected upon.

How can you live the result of these reflections out during this Advent week and as you move forward in life?

ADVENT WEEK 3: A Message of Hope That Would Change Everything

St. Gabriel delivered a message of hope.  What type of messenger are we?

We are entering the third week of Advent.  Gaudete Sunday, Rejoice Sunday!  We are well on our way as we continue to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.  While we prepare to celebrate His birth, we continually pray and reflect on our openness to have room for Him in the inn of our hearts.  When He knocks, will we happily open the door to Him or keep it closed in fear?   Celebrating Christmas comes at a set time that we can prepare for, but would we recognize Jesus if He came when we weren’t expecting Him to come?  Just as those in Bethlehem were not expecting Him, the same may one day happen to us as we busy ourselves with our daily responsibilities.  Advent helps us to reflect on our openness to recognizing Him whenever and however He chooses to do so.  

On this third week of Advent, I invite you to reflect with me on St. Gabriel, who was given the responsibility of bringing the Father’s message to Mary.  

Saint Gabriel was the angel sent by God to deliver a message that would change the world. What must it have been like to carry that message of hope? What was it like giving a message to someone who was so loved by God? What was it like knowing his words needed to open the heart of Mary so she would say yes and yet not knowing if his words would be received. What thoughts penetrated his heart when her first reaction was one of fear? What was it like being in the middle, between the author of the message and the recipient? What must the anticipation been like?  When Saint Gabriel finished, what was his reception in Heaven like? 

There are times when all of us are in situations that cause us to carry a message of sorts that can change everything for the good if received. In big or small messages, what can I learn from watching Saint Gabriel? How do I handle delivering little messages? What about the bigger ones? How do I view the person I am giving the message to?  When someone has a difficult message to give me, am I aware of their feelings? 

As I prepare for Advent how can I use both great and small messages that I may need to deliver to help me understand Gabriel at the annunciation?  How can this help me draw closer to God?  In disturbing news, can I recognize the difficulty while at the same time delivering it in a hope-filled way knowing hope is a powerful prayer that can change everything? Much to pray and ponder… Saint Gabriel, pray for us.

PRAYERFULLY REFLECT ON:

Luke 1:26-38 

Reflect on each of the bolded questions above as they pertained to how St. Gabriel may have felt as he presented the Father’s message to Mary.  Talk to God about what you have reflected upon. 

Reflect on the bolded questions above as they pertain to your life and how you can relate them to your relationship with Jesus.  Talk to God about what you have reflected on.

How can you live the result of these reflections out during this Advent week and as you move forward in life?

ADVENT WEEK 2: JESUS AWAITS MARY’S YES JUST AS HE AWAITS OURS

Jesus waited in great hope for Mary’s yes.  What must have that wait felt like?  

Advent is well on its way as we continue to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.  While we prepare to celebrate His birth, we continually pray and reflect on our openness to have room for Him in the inn of our hearts.  When He knocks, will we open the door to Him or let our hearts be filled with fear that the world begs us to focus on?   Celebrating Christmas comes at a set time that we can prepare for, but would we recognize Him if He came when we weren’t expecting Him to come?  Just as those in Bethlehem were not expecting Him, the same may one day happen to us as we busy ourselves with our daily responsibilities.  Advent helps us to reflect on our openness to recognizing Him whenever and however He chooses to do so.  

On this second week of Advent, I invite you to reflect with me on possible thoughts of Jesus as He waited for the Father’s plan for our salvation to unfold.  

Jesus must have been filled with hopeful anticipation as He waited for Saint Gabriel to deliver the message to Mary.  Would Mary want Him? Would she say yes? God the Father had prepared her for this moment, but would she recognize this message as coming from Him? Would the fear of man and the stoning prompt her decision or would she trust in the mercy of God? Would she meet the desire of God’s heart even though by law it could cost her her life?  Would she trust God or man?  In waiting, how did Jesus feel knowing the Father had chosen Mary, someone who was full of grace, to make the decision that would change everything? 

There are times when our next step is determined by someone’s yes or no and we are powerless to do anything, but wait. How do I handle that? Who do I choose to be a part of my life? Are they people I would feel safe about putting my life into their hands?  Can the answer to these questions help me to understand how Jesus may feel when He is awaiting my yes?  What can I learn from sitting with Jesus in His hope filled anticipation? Can I see hope as a powerful prayer?  How can I use what touches my heart through prayerful reflections to practice hope filled anticipation in my life this Advent week as I prepare for Jesus’s coming?

PRAY REFLECT ON:

Luke 1:26-38 

Reflect on each of the bolded questions above as they pertained to how Jesus may have felt as He waited.  Talk to God about what you have reflected upon. 

Reflect on the bolded questions above as they pertain to your life and how you can relate them to your relationship with Jesus.  Talk to God about what you have reflected on.

How can you live the result of these reflections out during this advent week and as you move forward in life?

ADVENT WEEK 1: Are you ready to lovingly give God your yes?

Mary’s heart was open to receive Jesus with love.  Are our hearts open to lovingly receive Him too? 

Advent is a special time.  It is a time when we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.  While we prepare to celebrate His birth, we prayerfully reflect on our openness to have room for Him in the inn of our hearts.  Are we ready?  Celebrating Christmas comes at a set time that we can prepare for.  Would we recognize Him if He came when we weren’t expecting Him to come?  Just as those in Bethlehem were not expecting Him, the same may one day happen to us.  Advent helps us to reflect on our openness to recognizing Him whenever and however He chooses to do so.

This Advent, I invite you to reflect with me on those who played an active role in the coming of Jesus.  This week I reflect on Mary, the woman chosen by God the Father to be the mother of Jesus.

Mary – one who was unaware that from the moment of her conception, God was preparing her for the moment when St. Gabriel would deliver the message that would change everything.  She only needed to ask one question, a question that would protect the virtues of chastity and obedience and she asked it with the virtue of humility.   Why did Mary think that those virtues that would both keep her pure of heart  be so important?  When the answer to that question was given, she recognized it to be God.  How did the virtues of chastity, obedience and humility prepare her to be open to hearing God’s will for her life?  Do I do all I can to protect those virtues?  Do I see the value they hold in helping me too hear God’s will for my life?

What must it have been like to have suddenly understood to some extent all she had previously pondered in her heart about the coming of the Lord?  Am I aware that God is always with me, preparing me so that I recognize Him when He reveals Himself to me, when He wants to make His presence known?

Do I work on having a relationship with God so that I could recognize Him, cooperate with Him and give Him the desires of His heart that He chooses to gain through me? 

With her eyes on God she said yes, knowing that the perception of man could be that she committed a grave sin.  She put God’s desires, which were also her desires, and our salvation ahead of her own reputation in life. Do I love and honor her for doing that for God and me?  Do I model her by trusting that God’s desires, which are mine, can be fulfilled for the good of all in spite of what it may look like?  

We know from the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56) that followed, that Mary’s heart must have been rejoicing. What can I learn from sitting with Mary as God revealed that He desired for her to be a part of His plan to redeem us?  

PRAY REFLECT ON:

Luke 1:26-38 

Reflect on each of the bolded questions above.  Talk to God about what you have reflected upon. 

How can you live the result of these reflections out during this advent week and as you move forward in life?