Advent is now my favorite liturgical season. It wasn’t always that way. In fact, I’m not even sure I was aware of it’s existence as a child, despite growing up in a Catholic household. Reflecting on my young adult self, I don’t remember any awareness of womanhood as anything especially holy. My focus and understanding of myself had much more to do with achieving, controlling, surviving. In the 1980s and early 90s, that seemed to be the norm. Today, I have a different perspective. Thank God!
God cherished her, first as a Father and then as her Son.
I am comforted with a religion that begins its year honoring a covenant between God and a young woman. She was able to lay aside her self-made plans in favor of something mysterious, scary and unsettling. He was a Father who could be trusted with her well-being. The world would be a much more peaceful place if we really embraced that story with all the love it contains. Mary agreed to take part (in a big way) in the salvation of all humanity. Mary was practiced in hearing God’s voice and well-versed in her Jewish faith. She trusted. And God cherished her, first as a Father and then as her Son.
God entrusted Himself to his creation, to a mortal woman and to a family. That is not small or insignificant. It’s huge. It can be hard to trust, to bear Christ, to be a witness to self-sacrificing Love—especially if we have experienced betrayal or grief. Will we risk the perceived security of self-sufficiency for faith in what is promised? Will we aim for “true” over convenient? Will we recognize the holiness of all women? Of the family?
All creation is waiting to see. God he never forces our hand. We always have the choice.
Something to ponder (as Mary is known to do) this Advent!
“Adoration” is painted in acrylic on canvas, 40 x 32″. $6500. It is available at The Sacred Art Gallery in Mesa, AZ.
Prints and other gifts are available on Pixels.com.
