As you know, Advent literally means “coming toward” (ad– toward + venire– to come) Traditionally, it is the season when we pay special attention to the coming towardness of God, the divine presence in our midst.

First, by entering again into the story of Miryam of Nazareth giving birth to Yeshua Ben Joseph (a.k.a.Jesus), the Awaited One.

Secondly, by wholeheartedly praying for the coming of the Cosmic Christ and the consummation of the dream of God for all people and all creation when we will be drawn into the fullness of grace and the Divine embrace. We pray for this (did I say mumble this) every time we utter the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kin(g)dom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” How consciously and fervently do we pray this? And when we do, are we aware of how radical these words are? Do we realize what we are invoking: the reconstruction of the world so that life on earth would be as God would have it, which is great news for many but bad news for those who have had things their way, world go hang.

Along these lines, have you ever noticed that the Mary who prays the Magnificat of Luke 2: 46-55 doesn’t much resemble the demur, baby blue cloaked, anemic, cosmetically pious looking Mary of so much bad religious art? This is a grounded, gracious, self-assured, prayerful, and prophetic woman who minces no words when she proclaims God

has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
God has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
God has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.

Are we on to what Mary of Nazareth is on to: the subversive nature of God’s love, the reversal of positions, the special place in God’s heart for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged while the proud, powerful, and privileged are sent packing?

Thirdly, by opening the eyes of our hearts to the “quotidian mysteries” in and through which the ingress of the Divine takes place each day in ways as unexpected and surprising and subversive as the Prince (of peace) being born among farm animals and laid in a feeding trough to be adored by those wise enough to see the foolishness of God – from local shepherds down the pike to star-struck wise guys from the east.

Most importantly, we celebrate the incarnation, which is the embodiment and self-disclosure of Divine love for the world. And for humans, in particular, this mystery is communicated in and through the withness and forness of God as embodied and symbolized by Jesus.

REFLECTION:

How do I experience the withness and forness of God?

How and to whom do I convey the withness and forness of God?