Let’s cup our hands this Advent season
Advent is a season of waiting, of longing, of preparing to receive Christ in a whole new way. The Lord wants to imprint his divine heart onto ours, so let’s cup our hands and be ready to receive the many gifts he wants to give us - deeper faith, hope in the midst of suffering, greater love for others (including those who have hurt us), and a steady supply of patience, which is often in short supply this time of year.
It’s often easier to give than to receive; we want to be in control. But Advent invites us to become lowly with the Christ Child - to prepare our hearts to welcome the God who comes to pitch his tent right alongside ours. Our journey of faith is less of a conquest and more about allowing ourselves to be “conquered” by the One who is love itself. But to receive him, we must keep our palms open, ready to welcome his presence.
The Advent season prompts some reflection…do we keep our hands in our pockets, indifferent to the spiritual and material needs of those around us? Do we keep our fists clenched, determined to do things our way instead of God’s way? Are we wringing our hands with worry, not fully trusting that God has a good plan for our lives? Or maybe our hands are too busy to even notice God’s invitation to friendship - clicking on the next enticing news story that piques our interest. Regardless, the good news is that we have an amazing mother who can show us the way.
Mary is our model - she’s the ultimate blueprint for how to receive Christ. When God invited her to play a leading role in our salvation as the bearer of his only begotten son, she bowed her head, cupped her hands and proclaimed, “Let it be done unto me according to thy word.” Her fiat allowed God’s Word to literally and figuratively blossom within her.
May her example of humble obedience inspire all of us to willingly and joyfully receive her son this Christmas. Let’s slow down, quiet our hearts and cup our hands to receive the greatest gift in all of human history - the gift of Christ the Lord, ever present, ever caring, and ever ready to lavish us with the gifts we truly need - divine grace, unconditional love and endless mercy.