“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
The word come occurs five times in today's readings from the Prophet Micah, Psalm 80, Hebrews, and Saint Luke. Advent means coming.
And, of course, "Christmas is coming!" and "Santa Claus is coming to town."
Something is about to happen. As "Tony" sang in West Side Story:
Could it be? Yes, it could
Somethin's comin', somethin' good, if I can wait
Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is
But it is gonna be great.
Advent is the season of expectation for something coming. Saint Paul, reflecting on the virtue of hope insists:
For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
Our Virtue of Hope is nothing like, "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow." That is built of reasonable predictions about the future. Unlike other clever animals, humans have a singular talent for predicting the future and investing time, energy, and confidence in those expectations. We discern cycles of night and day, winter and summer, boom and bust; and build upon that knowledge. We hope our predictions work out.
The Virtue of Hope attends a different Lord and a very different cycle. It waits upon God's promises, and remembers the Lord's final word as he ascended into heaven,
"It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority."
This divine virtue sees the power and possibility of grace in apparently hopeless situations. It lives by the power of the Holy Spirit with generosity, courage, and confidence in Nazi death camps, and Covid wards. It walks on water so long as it gazes upon Jesus.
Hope is never outlandish or absurd; it is not the insane impulse of madness, a Don Quixote tilting at windmills. Rather, it sees openings where others see obstacles. Hope is impelled by obedience, as when Peter heard a single word from Jesus, "Come!"
Can an old, barren woman bear a prophet? Can a Virgin conceive a Messiah? Only a fool would think so, or someone who sees as God sees. for nothing will be impossible for God.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.