Scripture:In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ (Luke 1 26-28)Reflection:As we arrive at the 4th Sunday of Advent we are called to focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus - a young girl betrothed to a carpenter living in an insignificant backwater of the Roman Empire. There was nothing in her past that could have prepared her for what the angel Gabriel told her was to happen. She had been favoured by God and she simply had to trust that what she had been chosen for was a blessing. The experience of Mary is there to remind us that God’s blessing has no connection with human standards of acceptability, wealth or comfort - Mary had none of those. We are being encouraged to open ourselves to receive God’s blessings so that we, like Mary, can step out into the world in trust.Lyn Hayes ALM
Scripture: Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. (James 5: 7-8) Reflection: At this time of year many people are aware it’s advent. This can mean counting down the days until Christmas Day on calendars, whether the chocolate, perfume or pet variety. For the young, or young at heart, the idea of being patient is the most challenging thing imaginable. The commercial aspect of Christmas starts nice and early, and threatens to overwhelm the meaning of advent. This is a time for quiet, calm, reflection, as we get ourselves ready for the best birthday ever. The outside world tries to counter this, encouraging us to cram our calendars with social events we’ve been missing, or avoiding all year. School, family and friend commitments suddenly seem to breed, leaving little room to remember to stop and be ready. We’re impatient for the presents and visits, or perhaps for the calm after the storm once Christmas and Boxing Day have passed. This week, just stop, and try to remember what the busyness is for. The coming of the Lord will be so incredible my words won’t do it justice. Stop and imagine that, and think what you can do to be ready. Victoria Bray
