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If we believe in God, we have to believe that God is more powerful than we.
-Rev. John Phalen
Advent 2001
Seasonal Messageby Father John Phalen, CSC
President, Holy Cross Family Ministries
Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus, Come
The world that awaited a Savior was a world that knew suffering and injustice and oppression. It knew a God, Yahweh, but not a personal God-man, as the Word Made Flesh, Jesus the Christ. This world awaited a Savior for a great long time.
Into such a world was sent the Angel Gabriel, who announced to a young virgin that she was to be the Mother of God. Mary’s response to this gift was, “How can this be?” The Spirit’s overshadowing was the answer. Then Mary said, “Be it done unto me according to Your word.” And Mary became the Christ-bearer, the one through whom the Savior’s presence was made known. What were Mary’s thoughts and prayers as the child developed in her womb? How she must have marveled at the Spirit’s overshadowing! How she must have been humbled that God chose her. How she must have loved to cooperate with the Creator and bring into the world the Prince of Peace.
In this time of Advent, the time of joyful expectation, we too are part of a world awaiting a Savior: a world that knows suffering, injustice, oppression, and even war.
We too are called to be Christ-bearers after the example of Mary. This Advent our first reaction may be: “How can this be? How can others discern the presence of Christ through us?” The answer comes back: “Through your acceptance of others; through your forgiveness, humility and inner peace.” We can have a presence which speaks not of a harried consumer frenzy, but of the Prince of Peace. “May it be done unto us according to Your word!”
Advent for us is a time to marvel at the Spirit’s overshadowing: to be humbled that God chose us to be Christ-bearers; to cooperate with the Creator and usher into the world the Prince of Peace.
“Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus, come!”
Mary, teach us the way to welcome the Savior.