In Bloom

In Bloom

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Piety

"For see, the winter is past,

the rains are over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of pruning the vines has come,

and the song of the dove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines, in bloom, give forth fragrance.

Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one,

and come!”  Song of Songs 2:11-13

“And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment, the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."  Luke 1:43-45

Study

Sitting in the cold darkness of the year’s shortest day, what exactly is there to anticipate during this last Saturday of Advent and celebrating at Christmas?

The pagans dancing at Stonehenge today are awaiting the warmth of the sunrise. Christians around the world anticipate a different “Sonrise.”

If you are reading this e-mail or web page, you likely will answer that we are waiting for the birth and then celebrating the arrival of the Heavenly Guest. Today, we encounter a pre-cursor to Christmas in the readings. The Joyful Mystery of the Visitation features Mary and Elizabeth celebrating the spirit of the Lord even though the body of the Lord is not yet upon us. But they anticipate what is about to happen. Emmanuel, it seems, is already with them. He can not resist dancing in his mother’s womb.

Our first reading today from Song of Songs features the woman anticipating the arrival of her lover. She describes a rendezvous and pictures her lover hastening toward her dwelling until she hears his voice calling her to him. We can imagine the embrace of long-separated lovers.

We also can image Elizabeth embracing the unexpected arrival of her cousin and the soon-to-be-born-Savior. Mary could not call ahead to say she was coming over to visit. She could not send a text message. Pregnant Mary just showed up on the doorstep of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Elizabeth makes room in her life for Mary and Jesus. Even John the Baptist in the womb hears the voice of Mary and feels the presence of the Lord. Do we?  

Think about the different experiences that Zechariah had with the surprise pregnancy of his wife. Elizabeth knew what was happening. Zechariah had his doubts – and paid for his disbelief with being struck mute.

By the time his son came into the world, Zechariah had not spoken for months.  Unlike Mary, he could not initially accept the angel’s announcement that his wife Elizabeth (well past child-bearing years) would finally bear him a son and heir.

When Zechariah and Elizabeth take John for circumcision at eight days old, a family dispute broke out over the baby’s name. Most wanted the traditional “Zechariah Junior.” However, Zechariah finally accepts the will of God and writes on a tablet, “His name is John,” as the angel directed. His power of speech returns.

Zechariah, like Elizabeth, embraced what is to come. Do we?

Action

Just like Elizabeth surely embraced Mary, let us embrace the coming of the Child and open the doors of our Inn to the arrival of visitors.

Recently I came across an interesting question: Seven centuries ago, Meister Eckhart asked, “What good is it for me that Christ was born a thousand years ago in Bethlehem if he is not born today in our own time?” The answer to that pressing question? He is born today and every day.  He is born in us.  He is borne in us.

Elizabeth of the Visitation did not wait for the birth to celebrate Christ in her life. She praised the arrival in the present moment.

God is about to become flesh. In only four more days. Yet, that is not a one-time occurrence. God continues to be incarnated in you and me every time we close our eyes and open our mouth and hearts to share in the Eucharist.

How does this happen to me that my Lord comes to earth? I will never comprehend the answer. Therefore, I shall embrace the joy of the moment: past, present, and future.