Hello Ladies,
Have you ever been in a situation when you didn't know that you needed help? You're just chugging merrily along and then somebody gives you a word of encouragement or affirmation and then, Boom! Somehow something deep inside of you changes.
Something like that happened to me the other night. (The first night of advent come to think of it. I wonder if it's significant?) I was sleeping when I started dreaming of Our Lady. She came to me, took me by the hand, and told me that she wanted me to see her son. In my dream I was extremely nervous. I tried to imagine what Jesus would look like and if I was wearing the appropriate clothes to meet my Lord. (Yeah, I know. Clothes. Pathetic.)
Mary let me to a garden. I stood nervously when I heard a cry of sheer joy and delight. I looked up in time to see a small child running to me with arms wide open. I sat down in time to catch Him in my arms. He snuggled comfortably in my arms just as my own children had done countless times. Once again I felt awkward. What was I supposed to do? Then He smiled up at me, wrinkled up His nose, and shook His head. I leaned over and rubbed noses with Him and He squealed with sheer joy. Ah, now this was something I recognized! So I tickled Him and kissed Him and He put His fingers in my hair. We continued like this for a few moments more. When it was time He got up from my lap. Now He appeared older, perhaps around six years of age. He turned to me and said "you do this for the least of my people. You give them joy. When you kiss them you're kissing Me. Thank you. Tell the others." He then skipped off.
Ladies, I woke up with a profound need to share this because I know that the 'others' are you - simple mothers like me. We cannot do everything. We shouldn't even try. But perhaps what we manage to do we can do with great love.
This advent season, let's keep in mind whose birthday we are celebrating. There is nothing wrong with Christmas gifts and decorations. But make sure that Jesus would feel comfortable at His own birthday party.
Sit Deus Nobis - May God Be With Us.
2 comments:
Today, the second Sunday of Advent, the church's sermon was the story of the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary; the Annunciation. My minister, still struggling with the recent passing of his 29 year old son in law, talked about the importance of the quiet times in life and religion. The moments of contemplation. He tried to imagine what Mary was doing when Gabriel came to visit her with such profoundly life altering news. Was she involved in a moment of quiet contemplation, or immersed in a household chore?
I was only half listening to this very beautiful sermon. I was sitting on a sofa off to the side of my vary large church, my back to the congregation and my vision obscured by a pillar. I was desperately trying to breastfeed my crying 9 week old son without my usual breastfeeding pillow while trying to communicate with my husband what logistics were required for this to be successful.
Not the best scenario to fully appreciate such a sermon.
Your vision, itself a kind of annunciation, has given me a quiet moment of contemplation and a very clear and wonderful message. It has filled in the gaps of today's sermon I missed in tending to my baby. And I realize now that in caring for my baby, that is in itself a form of blessed work and contemplation. Thank you.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your beautiful comment.
I believe that in Orthodox tradition Mary was sewing a curtain for the Temple. This was a task that was assigned to the unmarried girls of the region. One could argue that she was immersed in a moment of quiet contemplation while involved in a household chore. Isn't that the story of our lives? :)
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