Advent Reflection: Keeping Watch by Proclaiming and Rejoicing

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. (The Magnificat.  The Book of Common Prayer, p.119).

Among our greatest human weaknesses is that we think that we always have to do something.  We cannot just be with God alone in our hearts and minds.  We have to have something, do something, say something, be something.

God has already given us all we need.  Everything we are and do is such because God created and redeemed us as we are.  Yet, God continues to give of God’s Self to us through God’s blessings in our lives.  All those blessings are not enough for us.  We think we are so empty.  We are so thirsty.

The Blessed Virgin Mary gave us a perfect example of how in her nothingness was given the greatest opportunity.  Yet, she completely emptied herself by proclaiming and rejoicing in God her Savior.  She received the awesome call to bear Christ within her body and give birth to Christ in human flesh.  Her response was to recognize how blessed she was because God raised her from her lowly estate, and gave her the greatest of blessings.  Her whole being was caught up in the awesomeness of God, just by being with God.

May we take advantage of these days of Advent to just be with God; to proclaim and rejoice in God our Savior.

Amen.

Br. Anselm Philip King-Lowe, n/OSB