Dear Friends,
The Advent and Christmas seasons are times of anticipation and fulfillment.
They are also seasons of people moving from one place to another, traveling by foot or in groups or in their minds and in their hearts. In this swirling world of ours, we have only to think of the times before and after Jesus was born to see fruitful movement everywhere.
Zechariah went up to Jerusalem, leaving his wife behind in the village of Ain Karim, where they lived. Zechariah was a high priest. It was his turn to enter the Holy of Holies to burn incense. There he came face to face with the angel Gabriel, sent by God, who told him he was soon to be a father, but Zechariah did not believe. He left the temple mute, rendered speechless by his unbelief, a long way from his former self-confidence. Back in their home, Zechariah somehow communicated the news to Elizabeth. They came together. Zechariah's seed passed into her womb. Together they waited.
Later in Nazareth, Gabriel came again, this time to Mary. The movement of her heart was so profound that as she said “Yes!,” the Word of God leapt into life, as a human in her. In the face of his own anguish over a love seemingly lost, Joseph moved between two ways of thinking: either to accept the pregnant Mary or to follow the law. In the end, he was moved to pay attention to the dream that came to him convincingly. Do not be afraid, Joseph. They married.
Still later, when Elizabeth and Mary met, John leapt for joy in his mother’s womb at being in the presence of his God/cousin. No one, nothing was still. Everything moved divinely inspired.
From Ain Karim to back to Nazareth and then to Bethlehem, Joseph, Mary and the babe in her womb travelled along dangerous routes. When Jesus was born, the angels travelled to the shepherds and they in turn travelled to see the newborn Jesus. Still later, the star that had been going before the Magi brought them at long last to His presence. The hatred of Herod caused the Magi to flee home. Joseph, Mary and the infant fled too, travelling down to Raffa, and from there along the coast road to Egypt. Nothing was still for long.
Eventually, the holy family went home to Nazareth for a brief respite.
How about you? Where in this season of overwhelming distraction do you find yourselves in these sacred biblical travels of body, mind and heart?
In your life, have you felt yourself being moved, drawn to make moves and accept situations that you had not previously considered? How do you respond when your world is turned upside down? Have you discovered grace in what appeared to be chaos?
As you have gotten older, do you believe that new, unexpected things can happen in your life? What do you still hope for, dream about, believe in? Have you experienced a dream?
Where have you found the strength to be sure that nothing is impossible with God?
Where do you and I feel God’s movement in each of us, calling us individually and together, encouraging us to recognize Jesus, newborn in our world today and everyday?
~ Sister Joan Sobala
