Lighting the candle of Love

So, how’s your Advent going?  Hopefully, most of your Christmas preparations are done or cleaning or tidying up are all over and you can relax and reflect a little on where you are in life.  Perhaps, we should, not only look back on our lives, but also look ahead toward where we are going.  Our Blessed Mother was able to look forward when she said “yes” to God in today’s gospel.

“…I am the servant of the Lord.  Let it be done to me as you say” (Lk 1:36a).

That without her FIAT or  her YES  to the plan of God, who knows we might not celebrate Christmas today.  But Mary did accept God’s will for her and God’s offer to be the mother of the Savior, and so we now have salvation.

Let us be reminded again that Mary was a young teenager being visited by an angel sent from God.  That event alone would probably shock us; but, Mary is a brave young girl who allows the unknown thing to happen in her life.  She listens to the message, and is told that she ‘an unmarried girl’ is with a child.  The only question she presents to the angel is “How can this be?”  Once explained to her that it is through God, she seems to immediately accept the burden this will place on her shoulders.

In those days, an unmarried girl in similar circumstances could face serious judgment and condemnation from the public and society.  Yet Mary, who has made every decision in her life based on what God would do, once again decides to place her trust in God and do things His way.  In just a matter of moments she responds “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.”   She is literally placing her life in God’s hands.  But then what else should we expect, she has placed her life in His hands every moment of her life.

Mary is a remarkable example for us of someone who involves God in all that we do.  For many of us we go through our daily life living it as best we can.  We pray to God, asking for His help and guidance once in a while but probably not truly involving Him in all that we do.

Mary is the centre of the picture this weekend, so it gives us a chance to reflect and value the figure of mothers, sisters or women in our lives.  I am sure that not only the shopping, cleaning, or packing things away is done or will be done by the hand of these women in our families.  But also, nowadays, we can see that we have more world leaders, more inspiring women around that have accepted a greater responsibility.  Through the Plenary Council of Australia Church, there are more invitations for women who would like to take on the leadership role in the life of the church.

Mary was humbly accepted God’s extraordinary plan by carrying the baby Jesus or carrying the Saviour of the world.  So why are we not praying and encouraging more mothers or sisters that want to do greater things in their lives?

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, the candle of love is burned brightly and shining to every corner of the world through Mary.  Let us keep all women figures in our lives in the watchful care of the blessed Mary, mother of God.

Fr Trac

Image:  The Annunciation is an Early Renaissance fresco by Fra Angelico in the Convent of San Marco in Florence, Italy.