I love the world; it's so backwards. Does anybody else notice this? We are currently celebrating Christmas as a world! Shoot, we didn't even get the turkeys in the oven before many stores, Starbucks and other retail areas had put up the Christmas decor. Wait, though, I'm Catholic! We still have Advent! How many of us will be sorry that Christmas is over on December 26th? Well, the Liturgical calendar has it right - we celebrate an entire 8 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS! Gotta love the idea of the octave!
This is all coming to me after listening to what is now most likely my favorite Christmas Song. Yes, I caved into the Christmas spirit a little early, as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCitZPr2oD0 You should totally listen to this...
The Lord offered me the awesome opportunity to dwell more deeply on the mystery of the Incarnation through the Blessed Virgin through this song. I love the beauty of the Child Christ. How humble! This song really captures the confusion of the world - each of our lives, really - before the birth of Jesus. Frightened, hurt, frustrated, confused, lost. I don't actually want to dwell on the idea of conversion in relation to this song. Actually, I was granted a beautiful meditation on the Blessed Mother, herself.
Recently, a friend of mine gave birth to her first child. Because of the phenomena known as social media, I was able to see pictures of the beautiful baby girl before I could meet her this past week (Thanks for coming to Kona, baby Lucy!). I thought a great deal on the idea of birth - giving life. Then Advent happened. Whoa. Hey, world!! Mary is only in her 8th month of pregnancy - bun's not out of the oven, yet, kids! Kneeling after receiving communion one morning in the Newman Center chapel, I had an amazing meditation of Mary. I have always marveled in the idea of pregnancy and birth; I'm a woman who naturally has the inclination toward motherood! I have always loved the devotions to the Baby Jesus, like the Infant of Prague. It's beautiful to think of such great humility our Lord, our Master, and most importantly our greatest ally and Savior takes upon Himself! I have rarely spent much time thinking on the pregnancy of Mary. Ok, that's not true...but what a blessing Elizabeth had to place her hands the first Tabernacle - the holy womb that held the salvation and greatest gift to all of mankind! Instead of jumping the gun and holding the Infant Jesus in my prayer to prepare for His Birth (so backwards...so worldly!), I began to remember that she had to give birth first! The truth of patience is now before my face in prayer everyday as Mary and I both await the birth of her child! What was going through her mind and heart? "My Lord! I am so greatly pleased, but I simply cannot wait to meet Him!!" If she could wait the 9 months to bear the Savior for the entirety of humankind, I think I can wait one month with her to prepare my heart, mind, soul, mission, and most importantly LIFE for the coming of my King.
Since it's only halfway through the first of four weeks of Advent, I think there will be more to come on this meditation!