Tuesday, December 17, 2019

ADVENT WITH MARY

A journey into Advent through the eyes of Mary
By
Fr Jude C. Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Image result for Advent with Mary
1.0.Introduction: Mary, the Embodiment of Advent
The season of Advent is the period we celebrate in hope the second coming our Lord Jesus. This is done through commemoration or a solemn liturgical ‘re-living’ of the first advent, in which the people of Israel waited for the birth of the Messiah. This expectant period, stretching from the fall of man to the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, was marked with series of events. This generational expectation of redemption can be summarized and viewed in a deeper contemplative way through the Blessed Virgin Mary’s nine months pregnancy period as she looked forward to her own delivery. She became, therefore, the culminating point of all who looked forward to the deliverance of God’s people (cf. Lk 2:38). Further, in this Advent liturgy, we celebrate in thanksgiving Jesus’ coming to us today in grace. He is present at every moment of our lives. And Mary, full of grace, intercedes for us that we might have an encounter of grace today.
Mary is the Mother of our Advent—our expectation of the Messiah is given a living hope through her. Our longing for Jesus at all times and in every situation, radiates with joy when in silence and faith we connect it to the Virgin Mother, whose expectation for Jesus ranked highest for all generations.
LET US PRAY
v  Pause:........(Brief Silence. End the Silence with a deep breath)
v  State your intentions...
v  Our Father
v  Hail Mary x3
v  Glory be to the Father

2.0.   THE WOMAN
“I shall put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers” (Gen 3:15). This passage is popularly recognized as the first pronouncement of good news after fall. Once Adam and Eve disobeyed and fell from grace, they did not see all the glamour that Satan promised them, instead they were confronted by guilt, shame, loss of dignity and self-esteem. Definitely, the consequences of the fall awaited them. They longed for that which they had lost, but no more! In attempt to ‘save’ themselves, Adam and Eve sewed fig-leaves and hid under the trees...(Gen 3:7-8). But the trees could not hide the shame of their ungraced nature! God called out to them...
Image result for the offspring of the woman will crush the head of serpent
The Lord God announced the defeat of Satan by the Offspring of the Woman. I guess Adam from his hiding place, hearing this good news, would probably long for that day when the enemy’s tricks would be exposed. From that time the development of the history of salvation looked forward to this Offspring that will redeem humanity. “But when the completion of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman...” (Gal 4:4-5). Jesus Himself confirmed this title, ‘woman’ for the Virgin Mary at the wedding in Cana and at Calvary (Jn 2:4; 19:26).
“Reminiscences of Gen 3:15 are echoed in Revelation 12:9 which identifies the serpent with the Devil, Satan”[1] The defeat of Satan by the Offspring of the Woman announced since the foundation of the world was fulfilled in Rev 12: 10-12, “Salvation and power and empire for ever have been won by our God...now that the accuser...has been brought down. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb...” Since the Woman escaped the clinch of Satan, and her Offspring crushed his head by the Cross, “Then the dragon was enraged with the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, who obey God’s commandments and have in themselves the witness of Jesus” (Rev 12:17).
Therefore, the Woman, the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the universal mother. Her birth pangs equally embodies the yearnings of the Children of God to have their prayers answered and be saved (cf. Jn 16: 21-22; Rm 8:19). All who are born anew in Spirit and in truth, who hear the word of God and keep are given power to become the Children of God—i.e other offspring of the Woman, who are equally destined to crush the head of Satan by the Blood of the Lamb. So we make our advent with Mary as we look forward in hope to share in the saving joy of Christmas.
LET US PRAY
v  Pause:........(Brief Silence. End the Silence with a deep breath)
v  State your intentions...
v  Our Father
v  Hail Mary x3
v  Glory be to the Father

3.0.  The Virgin Mother
“The Lord will give you a sign in any case: it is this, the virgin is with child and will give birth to a Son whom she will call Immanuel” (Is 7:14). From the beginning, the message of Salvation for God’s people included within it the mother of the Saviour. As the time drew near, the Prophets began to re-assure the people of the fulfilment of God’s promise. There were several prophetic signs given to them to re-enkindle their hope. The sign of the Virgin Mother was the most ‘immediate sign’ to clear all doubt that the Saviour is at hand. Thus, the messianic prophecy included within it, the prophecy about the Virgin Mary. In other words, the Virgin Mary formed the most intimate among the ‘cloud of witnesses’ that would announce the dawn of Salvation.
The unique character of the Mother of Jesus as ‘Virgin’ is so important that it featured in the Advent prophecy! Matthew 1:23 cites the verse of Isaiah 7:14 as a proof that the prophecy about the messiah is being fulfilled. That Angel Gabriel visited a virgin whose name was Mary places his message in line with the prophetic tradition about the coming messiah (Lk 1:26-27). The title ‘Virgin’ sets Mary apart as ‘blessed among women’ (Lk 1:42) and preserved totally for the mission. Her virginity concretely expressed her purity, humility, faith and undiluted love for God. Above all, it is a sign that the child to be born will be great and will be called Son of the Most High (Lk 1:32). He will be “born not from human stock or human desire or human will but from God himself” (Jn 1:13). As the Angel revealed to Joseph, “She has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:20). And the Child to be born “Is the one who is to save his people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).
Image result for Virgin and mother
Therefore, as we await our Saviour this Advent, we look out for the Virgin who is with Child! This is the ultimate sign that our salvation is nearer that we ever thought (cf. Rm 13:11). So we contemplate Advent with the Blessed Virgin Mary that our hearts be flooded with grace, and our petitions be answered.
LET US PRAY
v  Pause:........(Brief Silence. End the Silence with a deep breath)
v  State your intentions...
v  Our Father
v  Hail Mary x3
v  Glory be to the Father
4.0. The Daughter of Zion
    “Shout for joy, daughter of Zion, Israel, shout aloud! Rejoice, exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!” (Zeph 3:14). In announcing the coming Messiah, the prophets addressed Jerusalem as ‘daughter’ and proclaimed ‘joy’ to her. Jerusalem is asked to rejoice because of God’s dwelling within the city (cf. Joel 2:21-23; Zeph 3:14-15; Zc 9:9)[2]. The formula of greeting addressed to ‘daughter of Zion’ was used by Angel Gabriel when he visited Mary. “Rejoice, full of grace. The Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28). “What in the prophecy is said to daughter of Zion is now directed to Mary: She is identified with daughter Zion, she is daughter Zion in person.”[3] She becomes a total embodiment of the expectant people, the remnant of Israel, poor and humble, who kept faith and waited for the fulfilment of God’s promise.
Image result for Virgin and mother“After a long period of waiting the times are fulfilled in her, the exalted daughter of Zion and the new plan of salvation is established...”[4] So Mary stands before humanity as the ‘Universal Mother’, the ultimate personification of God’s chosen people. In her, Zion enters into personal relationship with her Saviour. Also, as daughter of Zion, Mary stands before God as the humble handmaid, faithful and recollected; surrendering herself to be the mother of her Lord! So Mary’s life is such that she is a place for God, the most pure Temple of the Most High, a sort of ‘holy city, in person.
The Blessed Virgin Mary did not live a self-enclosed life; she lived for God and for others. The joy of Mary—the joy of Christmas—comes to us as grace, and must be open for others to share in it. In Mary the daughter of Zion, openness to this joy is personal and communal. Our advent season is flooded with joy—the joy that the Lord Jesus has come to save us—the joy of the Daughter of Zion.
LET US PRAY
v  Pause:........(Brief Silence. End the Silence with a deep breath)
v  State your intentions...
v  Our Father
v  Hail Mary x3
v  Glory be to the Father

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Friday, December 13, 2019
Memorial of St Lucy, Virgin & Martyr.



[1] Bertrand Buby, SM, Mary of Galilee, New York: Alpha House, 1995, p.32.
[2] Cf. Bertrand Buby, SM, Mary of Galilee, New York: Alpha House, 1995, p.18.
[3] Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger in Mary: The Church at the Source, Transl. Adrian Walker, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1997, p.65.
[4] Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 55.

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