A journey into Advent through the eyes of Mary
By
Fr Jude C. Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
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...
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).
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.
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.
