Advent Prayer Experiences 2016 – Page 7

Daily Advent Prayer Experiences for 2016 by DailyGraces.net

December 7, 2016 – Waiting in Faith

Published on December 6, 2016November 28, 2016 by KateLeave a comment

I hope you were able to find someone to serve in a special way yesterday. I also hope that you saw the value in serving others, especially as you considered how Mary’s response to God’s Will is one of service.

When Mary arrives at Elizabeth’s home something special happened. As Mary approached, Elizabeth’s child (John the Baptist) “leaped for joy” in her womb and Elizabeth proclaimed the following profound words:

“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?… Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:42-43; 46)

Now, I know that the details are rather sparse in the early days of Jesus’ life. Part of reading the Bible is using what we know about the culture, the people, the author and historical context to help us see the passages in a fuller light. We know Elizabeth lived approximately 80 miles away based on our geographical knowledge of Judea. So by donkey, or on foot and early in a pregnancy which for most women means nausea and naps Mary chooses to travel to Elizabeth. Mary was a lot tougher than I will ever be.

Now consider this. As far as we know and I would argue, we can infer with a high degree of certainty, at this point no one has affirmed Mary in this pregnancy. A child conceived out of wedlock was a death sentence for the mother, literally. It is likely Mary could have been stoned if Joseph took her to court. This was a girl’s worst nightmare. Depending on how quickly she left for Elizabeth’s Mary may not have even had any physical confirmation that she was pregnant. All she has to go on is the words of the angel.

She arrives dusty, dirty, probably feeling sick, definitely exhausted, and probably unsure of what kind of greeting she will receive. Then Elizabeth speaks. She not only welcomes Mary, she says exactly what Mary needed to hear. Elizabeth blesses Mary, she affirms her as a woman and as a mother, and then goes on to say those most important words that we all long to hear:

Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.

We all have moments of doubt. We all wonder or question what God’s plan is for us. While we may not all have Elizabeths who can affirm us so well, we do have her words to encourage us.

Sometimes we have to wait for the Lord, just like we are waiting for Christmas this Advent season. Elizabeth tells Mary, and us, that we are blessed while we wait in faith and hope.

Take some time today, perhaps before you go to bed, think about something you are waiting for. Are you waiting in faith and hope, as Mary did? Or are you anxious, worried, or despairing? Recite Elizabeth’s blessing and find comfort and support while you wait. And if you are struggling with doubts about something this Advent, keep in mind that we have a God who keeps His promises.

***What did it feel like to intentionally serve someone? Did you find that the moment of service pushed you a little out of your comfort zone? Please feel free to share your experience, thoughts and offer support to one another in the comments, on Twitter with the #DailyGraces or on the Facebook page.

December 6, 2016 – Looking Outward

Published on December 5, 2016November 27, 2016 by KateLeave a comment

Mary is a great example for us in Advent, especially her fiat and all that follows. We saw yesterday how Mary said yes to God and His Will for her life. Today, let’s look at what follows.

When Mary says yes to God, her life changes course and she begins to move along a different trajectory than the previous day. She went from being one Mary among many (Mary was a common name) to Mary, the Mother of God. Talk about a life change.

In her discussion with the angel, Mary is told that her cousin Elizabeth is also pregnant. This is a big deal because we are specifically told Elizabeth was too old to have children. In my opinion Mary is told this information for two reasons. First, to help her understand what was happening and what was being asked of her. Mary is, after all, completely human.

Second, it’s for all of us. From her first moments as the Mother of God, Mary is teaching us what it means to fully follow Christ. Mary could have stayed home. She could have begun sewing clothes for Jesus while trying to make Joseph and her family understand what had happened to her. Instead, she looks outside of herself and chooses to serve her cousin.

Uniting our will as Mary did with God’s involves looking less to our will and focusing on God’s. Part of Original Sin is an inclination to put ourselves first and others second, or third, or never. Mary’s choice to visit Elizabeth concretely displays for us the attitude or posture that comes from uniting our will with God’s.

Who is one person you can serve in a special way today? Perhaps there is someone who you have noticed needs your time, attention, generosity or random act of kindness. Take the time today and serve that someone.

***Were you able to find 3 opportunities to more fully unite your will to God’s? What was your attitude like when you found an opportunity? Did you find that you already unite your will to God is some areas of your day, but avoid it in others? Please feel free to share your experience, thoughts and offer support to one another in the comments, on Twitter with the #DailyGraces or on the Facebook page.

December 5, 2016 – Fiat

Published on December 4, 2016November 27, 2016 by KateLeave a comment

Whew, yesterday’s readings were quite the rollercoaster. Still, I hope you were able to find something insightful in them, especially when we started connecting the idea of producing good fruit with Mary’s acceptance of God’s Will.

The word fiat is Latin for “let it be.” When the angel approached Mary and asked her if she would be the Mother of God, Mary responded “Let it be done unto me according to thy word.” When we refer to Mary’s fiat, we are talking about this whole phrase, attitude and posture of Mary as she submits herself to God’s Will.

We all have the ability to make our own fiats, our own yes’s to God. Every morning we make a choice, consciously or not. We decide and continue deciding throughout the day to do God’s Will or our own. When we choose to think of others first, like offering to make our spouse their breakfast, we are doing God’s Will. When we choose patience over anger when we are stuck in traffic we are doing God’s Will. Is God’s Will for me today to continue holding a grudge against a coworker or friend? Would God want me to take 3 minutes of my afternoon to pray a sign of the cross and reflect on His goodness or spend that time on Facebook? Should I go to bed at a reasonable hour so that I get proper rest to rejuvenate and care for my body or should I stay up too late and suffer the consequences in the morning?

When you break your day down, the majority of these situations are pretty clear what the right choice would be. Practicing following God’s Will in our everyday ordinary helps to train our wills for those times when things aren’t so cut and dry. Is it God’s Will that I pursue a vocation of marriage or priesthood? Is it God’s Will for our family that we adopt? How do I know if this job is where God wants me to be? How do I discern my finances and budget? Am I where God wants me to be right now? How can I possibly bear the weight of this cross (i.e. illness, loss, pain, loneliness, etc.) God is asking me to carry?

Tackling these big questions is difficult, no question and many times there isn’t a clear cut answer. But, if we have built a habit of little fiats in our daily life we will find that these larger questions less imposing. How do you think Mary was able to stand at the foot of the cross? By standing on a life of yes’s to God. We are to follow in her footsteps. When we say yes in our everyday we will find the strength to say yes on the day we receive a new cross to bear or find ourselves facing a complicated decision.

Today, find 3 little moments that you can say “Yes” to God and His Will. Maybe you will refrain from gossipping or petty anger. Perhaps you will deny yourself a second slice of pie because caring for our bodies is part of caring for God’s creation. You might consider the kind of music you listen to and what sort of influence it has over your thoughts and subconscious. You may discover that you already are making these choices, which is great!

3 opportunities to choose God’s Will today. Where will He surprise you?

***What fruits of prayer have you found growing in your life since we started this journey together? Please feel free to share your experience, thoughts and offer support to one another in the comments, on Twitter with the #DailyGraces or on the Facebook page.