Brother and Sisters, as we come to the end of this Church year and begin Advent and then Christmas, may we open our hearts, minds, and lives more deeply to the Holy Spirit who makes Christ come more alive in each of us.
In the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel presents God’s plan to Mary, inviting her response. The angel speaks words that Jesus will use after his resurrection, “Do not be afraid”. When Mary hears the angel’s message instead of asking why she was chosen, or perhaps whether it should be someone else, she responds, “How can this be…?” Those words show something much deeper. She is asking that the angel show her way so that this can come to be and she can follow God’s will. Mary is so disposed to serving God that her response is to ask how she can participate. She has already made the decision in her life to embrace God’s will. Now she shows that.
Dorothy Day was an atheist who had a profound conversion, became Catholic, and began an apostolate caring for workers and the poor, the Catholic Worker movement. She once said, “It is no use saying that we are born two thousand years too late to give room to Christ. Christ is always with us, always asking for room in our hearts”. We can always make more space in our lives for Christ.
In Advent and Christmas, we celebrate Christ coming in three ways. First, his coming two thousand years ago to reconcile us with the Father. Second, his coming at the end of time when he will complete transforming all creation into a new heaven and a new earth. Third, his coming now more deeply into our hearts, minds, and lives. As the Spirit of God hovered over the waters at creation, and the Father spoke the logos which brought about the first creation, so the Father speaks Christ into our lives and gives us the Holy Spirit in the new creation.
There is always more in the Lord as he is infinite. We can never exhaust the love, mercy, forgiveness, new life he gives as gifts to us. When we celebrate Christmas may we see beyond the gifts to the Giver of the greatest gifts.
When we celebrate Christ’s coming at Christmas, may he find a deeper place in our hearts, minds, and lives prepared and waiting for him.
Peter Smith
Auxiliary Bishop of Portland, Oregon,
and Ecclesiastical Assistant to CHARIS
