4th Advent
Luke 1: 26-38
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| Fra Angelico |
During the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from
God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth to a maiden engaged to a man named Joseph
of the descendants of David, and the maiden’s name was Mary. And coming in, he
said her, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”
But she was confused at those words, and wondered what
kind of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,
Mary; for you have found favor with God.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son
and you shall call him Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the most
High,
And the Lord your God will give him the Throne of David
your father.
And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever;
And his kingdom will have no end. “
And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I
have never known a man?”
And the angel answered and said to her,
“The Holy Spirit
will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
And for that reason the holy offspring shall be called
the Son of God. And behold, even your kinswoman Elizabeth has also conceived a
son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
For no word is spoken in the worlds of the spirit that does not have the power
to become reality on earth.”
And Mary said,
“Behold, I am the Lord’s handmaid; may it be to me according to your word. “
And the angel departed from her.
4th Advent
Luke 1: 26-38
As
the great day approaches, we remember back to how it all came about: the angel
announces to Mary that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the
Most High God will overshadow her like a cloud. And thus she will give birth to
the holy.
Mary represents
the soul of each of us. Ever and again there come to us moments when the holy,
healing spirit of the Father’s love comes over us. His power surrounds us,
overlights us in a bright cloud; and we are enabled to bring forth something,
perhaps a kind, encouraging word, a rescuing deed, a creative solution,
something holy and healing.
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| Descent of Holy Spirit |
This
comes about more easily through our contemplative openness of soul and our
willingness to serve. This is how the Son of the Most High is born through us;
how His kingdom is extended in and through our lives; how His glory and power
work in us. In the words of Wendell Berry:
A child unborn, the coming year
Grows big within us, dangerous,
And yet we hunger as we fear
For its increase: the blunted bud
Grows big within us, dangerous,
And yet we hunger as we fear
For its increase: the blunted bud
To free the leaf to have its day,
The unborn to be born. The ones
Who are to come are on the way,
and though we stand in mortal good
The unborn to be born. The ones
Who are to come are on the way,
and though we stand in mortal good
Among our dead, we turn in doom
In joy to welcome them, stirred by
That ghost who stirs in seed and tomb,
Who brings the stones to parenthood.[1]
In joy to welcome them, stirred by
That ghost who stirs in seed and tomb,
Who brings the stones to parenthood.[1]
