Advent is a time of pregnancy in which we are patiently waiting with a pregnant Mary each year. As she prepared to give birth to Jesus so we too prepare to give birth to the Christ child in our world. Meister Eckhart, a 14th century mystic, wrote: “What good is it if this eternal birth of the divine Son takes place unceasingly but does not take place within myself?” “What good is it for the Creator to give birth to the Son if I do not also give birth to Jesus in my time and my culture? This, then, is the fullness of time: When Jesus Christ is begotten in us.”
Disciples personify the womb of God. We are a life-giving space, a welcoming cloister in which calm and silence and wonder are nurtured and shared. From that contemplative expanse we give birth to the Real Presence of God, of Mystery in our world. As we joyously nurture the new life growing within us we can be a peaceful witness when disturbances come. Even the Christmas season has its disturbances that need our peaceful witness. For example, the disturbance of commercialism. Commercialism is the willingness to make all things, even people, including Jesus, a marketable commodity. It is the spectacle of Christmas under capitalism. It suggests a different reason for the season, everything to do with plunder over people. The capitalists at Fox News are very happy to plunder Christmas of Jesus and his witness as a loving peacemaker. They are so very mistaken about a war on Christmas. It is they who have long been waging a war on Christmas. They wage a yearly war on live-giving love while they complain about a season of Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holiday greetings. We can end the plunder and we can end the warmaking. One easy way is to end the buying of guns as gifts for Christmas. Let’s stop shopping for war toys during the season that celebrates pregnancy. We can give birth to peace this Advent. We can make Jesus the reason for the season.
This is a time of frenzy and exploitation by capitalism. It is for disciples a time of stillness and grace as we prepare our hearts and homes for our birthing of the Christ child.
Prayer: Dear Spirit of all life, thank you for your Presence growing within us
Question: What and who will I nurture this Advent season?
December 1, 2013 Gospel Matthew 24:37-44 1st Sunday of Advent