During the first three weeks of Advent, we have prepared for the Coming of the Lord from three different perspectives:
- In the first week, we meditated on the historical coming of Jesus into the world through biblical texts and liturgy, which attest to the advent of the Redeemer.
- In the second week, we reflected on the birth of Christ in our hearts, so that the biblical event might also become a reality within us. For the Lord not only wanted to be born in Bethlehem, but also desires to live truly in our hearts.
- In the third week, we focused on the theme of the Second Coming of the Lord, which should awaken us to make the most of our time and prepare the way for Him.
For Christian life to be complete, these three aspects must go hand in hand and remain in our awareness. Without the historical reality of Redemption, our faith would be a myth; without its internalization, it would lack depth; and without the prospect of Christ’s Return, it would lose its focus on the goal and its dynamism would diminish.
To lead a life attentive to following Christ—nourished by the Word and the Sacrament, open to the mystical dimension, and focused on the goal—we need the special presence of the Holy Spirit. He is the living memory of what Jesus said and did (cf. Jn 14:26); he has been poured into our hearts (cf. Rom 5:5) and never tires of reminding us that the Lord is coming again, so that we may remain sober, vigilant, and prepared.
Let us now turn our gaze to Bethlehem, where Mary and Joseph are headed:
“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirin′i-us was governor of Syria.And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child” (Lk 2:1–5).
There was no room for Mary and Joseph in the inn (cf. Lk 2:7c), so they had to settle for a poor cave. Perhaps their hearts felt a certain anguish when they saw the crowded inns and the nearness of the birth. Yet the cave offered them shelter. Mary and Joseph must have waited joyfully, grateful to have found a place—even if simple—for the birth of the Son of God.
Surely the Virgin Mary meditated again and again on the words the angel had announced to her:
“And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Lk 1:30–33).
Saint Joseph, whom Scripture describes as a “just man” (cf. Mt 1:19), must have contemplated with amazement what was happening to the woman entrusted to him and to the Child she was expecting.
Understanding God’s ways, which far exceed our own way of thinking, is a constant process. Every hour, every day spent close to his divine Son—who would soon become visible—must have filled Joseph’s heart with great joy. The anticipation of the birth, all the preparations, every gesture—however small—was a service to the Lord.
Now, we too can consciously join in this anticipation. It is always something new, since day by day we can come to know the love of our Redeemer more deeply. In the Child of Bethlehem we will find the Lord Himself, and we can learn to understand Him better each day. His love and wisdom are unfathomable (cf. Rom 11:33), to the amazement of angels and men. Not everything can be grasped with words. It is enough to look at the Child and let Him look at us, as a mother gazes lovingly at her child.
Let us ask the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph for the love with which they awaited Jesus and the tenderness with which they prepared for His arrival.
Meditation über die O-Antiphon vom 21. Dezember:
