Advent never comes too soon. This season comes to us at perhaps the busiest time of the year: exams, final projects, and holiday preparations (shopping, cooking, etc.). The days seem to be getting heavier and heavier, that is, darker and drearier. This reality makes the silent and humble spirit of Mary the perfect antidote for what is coming upon us.  Mary knew the desire of her people for freedom and for something new.  Mary’s silent yet eager yearning to see the face of the child who is hidden in her womb, shows us the right path through Advent. 

 

Throughout the year we look for Jesus. We search for him in many different ways. All of creation seems to enter this search in a powerful way as our days get shorter and darker, and our nights get longer. Even the temperatures continue to fall. All of this makes us look for something bright and warm, something new. The baby Jesus himself is God’s answer to this yearning of all creation. Mary felt this longing in a particular way because she carried within herself the Someone whom she knew would bring something totally new into the world, something very good that would warm our hearts and bring new light to the human race.

 

Jesus Christ, Son of God and son of Mary, is the answer to everything we are searching for. We look for him in all the wrong places; yet he never fails to make himself accessible to us. Only in the Advent silence can we find him, or rather, can we allow ourselves to be found by him. Mary guides and prepares us for him. She helps us to empty ourselves of all the anxieties of life to receive the spirit of peace; she helps us to see what is most important in life: a life lived in humble surrender to the God who loves us. Nobody can make this surrender alone. We all need assistance from heaven; Mary provides a special help to all of us who are looking for something more in our ordinary lives. When Jesus enters us anew, our hearts grow in their sensitivity to perceive the truth of things. In this space, we are then ready to be surprised by God. 

 

Yes, God enjoys surprising us! The surprise of a young child at a newly unwrapped gift pales in comparison to how God can surprise us. Indeed the routine of life and the problems of our lives and of our world, can work to deaden our spirits. This Advent, we draw close to our blessed Mother who experienced the greatest surprise ever known: new life from God within her. God wants us to rediscover the surprise of His presence within us. Through the help of Mary we too can experience the surprise of grace. Let us patiently and diligently ask our Blessed Mother to help us to be surprised by God. God will ALWAYS answer this petition humbly made by His servants. 

 

Fr. Will