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Sunday, December 6, 2020

Sunday Meditation: Mary is the Icon of Advent

Mary's womb: the first Tabernacle
Advent words: waiting, preparation, hope, expectation, longing, promises, light and dark, redemption...

But the one word that, for me, encompasses all the others and summarizes all that is Advent leading up to Christmas when Jesus Christ is born to us, that word is Mary.

Mary's lap: the first altar of worship
Mary is advent's icon.
She represents the hope, the expectation, the longing for a Messiah. It is Mary whose "yes" begins the fulfillment of God's promise to send a Redeemer. Mary waits while the Word Made Flesh dwells in the darkness of her womb. She prepares for his coming lovingly sewing His swaddling clothes. She longs for the day when the Son of God will be born like the sun rising in the East to bring light to the world. Mary, the Mother of God, is Advent's icon.

Sister Lucia of Fatima loved Our Lady profoundly and she presents her to us in Eucharistic language
fitting for Advent meditation:
Mary is the first living Tabernacle where the Father enclosed His Word. Her Immaculate Heart is the first Monstrance that sheltered Him. Her lap and Her arms were the first altar and the first throne upon which the Son of God made man was adored. There the Angels, the Shepherds, and the wise men of the earth adored Him. Mary is the first Who took the Son of God in Her pure and Immaculate hands and brought Him to the Temple to offer Him to the Father as a victim for the salvation of the world.
If you want to live advent well in fulfillment of the hope of salvation -- walk the advent journey with Mary.  Mary, Mother of the Savior, pray for us.

Mary's arms: the first Monstrance

3 comments:

  1. MARY, THE MYSTICAL CITY

    Mary, Mystical City
    where Jesus, our Savior, resides
    look down on us with pity
    who are carried with the tides

    Will we ever fathom
    the greatness of Your being
    satan spitting his venom
    to prevent our souls from healing

    But You, God’s living Tabernacle
    are constantly pointing to Your Son
    to prevent us from sudden debacle
    to bring us the Victory already won

    We cry out to You, Oh Mystical City
    to pull us out of the dangerous sinkholes
    we are willing to be gritty
    to save our eternal souls

    Mary, our Mother spread Your Mantle over us to keep us safe in Your City.

    Rita Biesemans written 11-29-2013

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  2. MARY, SWEETEST OF ALL MOTHERS

    Oh Thou,
    most beautiful a woman
    most tender of all mothers
    most brilliant STAR of DAVID
    Masterpiece of God's creation
    to the Holy Trinity
    most precious Pearl
    towards your Son the Golden Bridge
    Golden Gate
    to the Holy City
    thru which our Savior
    came and comes
    Most sacred Vessel
    ever
    containing the most Holy
    My soul,
    is drowning
    in the beauty of your eyes
    in the sweetness of your smile
    in the burning oven of your heart
    in the greatness of your littleness
    in the eloquence of your silence
    in the mystery of your simplicity
    Oh Thou,
    safest of my earthly havens
    dearest hiding-place of mine
    truly my refuge
    my sweetest, sweetest mother
    keep me with your Son Divine
    save me from the worldly evils
    strengthen my so fragile faith
    cover me
    with your motherly mantle
    Oh Mary, you most gentle
    Your child I am FOREVER !!!

    Rita Biesemans
    August 10 1999 Feast of Saint Lawrence

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  3. I read somewhere that of course Joseph had made a beautiful crib for Baby Jesus and they had to leave it behind in Nazareth. All their preparation - the work of their hands - had to be left behind but that they thought they'd be back after the census counting was over. Instead they went to Egypt.

    ReplyDelete