Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

Advent Prayer

Father, all-powerful God, your eternal Word took flesh on our earth when the Virgin Mary placed her life at the service of your plan. Lift our minds in watchful hope to heart the voice which announces his glory and open our minds to receive the Spirit who prepares us for his coming. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.
Isaiah 7:7

Reflection:
What a prophecy at the time of Isaiah of the Blessed Virgin Mary's calling from God. In today's reading we reflect upon her "YES" to the angel Gabriel's request to bear God's son. It was foretold long ago, yet it seems as if it were yesterday.

We take this time of year to reflect upon God's will in the life of a special woman whom he chose to bear his son. A son who is named Emmanuel which the name implies "God with us." Mary found favor with God because she loved him and kept him always within her sight.

Our Blessed Mother has also become a mother to us throughout the years, for her love and goodness. We all cherish her in our hearts, for her love for God and her love for her Son. What mother would not go to the ends of the earth to bring peace for the sake of her Son. And Mary does exactly that.

She had the courage to say yes to an Angel, to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. Could we do that if it was asked of us? If we were asked to do God's will by his messenger what would our answer be?

Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

Advent Prayer

God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Sirach 48:1

Reflection:
Elijah is a powerful figure in the Old Testament, and John the Baptist was referred to him by Jesus as Elijah that came before him. Elijah's name means God. Yet in this sense Jesus meant that John the Baptist was a powerful prophet as close to God as anyone can get. And it is quite possible with God that John the Baptist was Elijah.

His words scorched the ears of those who listened to him preach repentance. Make way for the Lord. God in his goodness was paving the way for His Son, to show us the truth. He tried to bring about faithfulness in us and we didn't come about.

God tries in many ways to bring us closer to him, to the point of coming to us as a man, a powerful prophet. He even came to us in His Son, because when we see the Son we see God. If you ever get to see Veronica's Veil you will see not only Jesus but God too, for he is the image of his Father.