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Until Christ be Formed in You

The Advent Season is a time of hope and of waiting. The liturgy is inviting us to “fly to our beloved homeland” , the place where the heart waits. And there in the silent land of our inmost self we listen to “the Word” that is asking to become the very “flesh” of our life.

We are being called to be silent and to rest in our prayer of watchfulness and peaceful desire. The Christian mystics teach us that there should always be more waiting than striving in our prayer. And, so we have been gifted this Advent Season as a time for concentrated stillness. In fact, knowing how to wait is the beginning of knowing how to love.

In his Maxims on Love, St. John of the Cross says, “The Father spoke one Word, which was his Son, and this Word he speaks always in eternal silence, and in silence must be heard by the soul.” Our greatest need is to learn to be silent, for the only language that love hears and truly understands is that of deep silence.

Mary, the womb of the Word was a person of deep stillness and silence. The encounter between her womb and the Eternal Word was one of mutual silences and from that point of stillness came forth the gift of unconditional love.

We too, have been called to allow Christ to be born in us. Like Mary we are being called to enter into our own nativity scene and there to patiently learn the virtues that prepare for the birthing of Christ. In our soul will be reenacted as for the first time the birth of Christ; a new star of hope will shine in our darkness. We will receive the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. As shepherds, we will accept the task to guide and wait lovingly, as the angels sing a new song of peace and love to all.

Thank you, and may the Peace of God that passes all understanding be with you.