Reading:
Luke 2: 1-19
from Pope St. John Paul II:
General Audience, November 20, 1996
Reflection:
Today is the start of Advent! We all wait in eager anticipation for the arrival of the Christ child. The Word made Flesh. Incarnation. Conveniently, Day 22 is about contemplating and being grateful for Christ's birth and really entering into Mary's experience.
From today's reading, the angels let the shepherds know that the King is going to arrive. And what do they do? They heard this good news and "they went with haste" to see for themselves that the King indeed has arrived!
The part that stinks about Advent is all the preparation, anticipation, and waiting. Can't we just get to the good part where we get to see Jesus? But no, like the shepherds, they had a time of preparation before they went to go see Jesus. The angels briefed them. They were prepared so that they might be more open to see Christ for themselves.
Much in the same way, Mary went through preparation in order that she may conceive our Lord in her womb. The entire Old Testament is her Advent. And because she was so prepared, she obediently said yes in cooperation with the overabundance of graces she has from our Lord.
And that's an interesting perspective to further contemplate. As we prepare ourselves during this season of Advent, how much more interesting would it be to prayerfully put ourselves in Mary's shoes and see her perspective for the coming our Lord, Jesus Christ.
At the end of today's reading, it says
Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.What memories she must have spending all that intimate time with Jesus! No wonder it is efficacious and beneficial to properly pray the Rosary because in the Rosary I contemplate milestone moments in Jesus' life, but Mary is right there with me, showing me the way. She always kept Jesus at the center of her innermost being--her heart.
Response:
Reflecting on significant memories in my own life, and inviting Jesus and Mary into these memories.
Taking Advent pretty seriously in terms of preparation.
Daily Rosary. No excuses.
Totus tuus,
- JD
Immaculate Heart of Mary // PrayMoreNovenas.com
