Celebrating family life | Seasonal Reflections
A while ago, I cleaned out some mystery storage boxes and came across an old shoebox. The contents included dozens of postcards my mother had received over the years. Several were postmarked before my time. I suspect she had collected these, not only because she delighted in the senders’ brief descriptions of travel adventures, but also because of the joy she found in the relationships with friends and family.
A classic phrase that postcard messages often contain is “wish you were here.”
We are traveling through the third week of Advent. The Advent Wreath rose candle reminds us that we wish for joy.
Reflection on the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the Visitation (Luke 1:36-56) invites us to consider how God’s Spirit gives joy.
After announcing the birth of Jesus, the angel tells Mary of her elder relative Elizabeth’s pregnancy. More amazing news! The angel proclaims that God can make the impossible possible. We might imagine that the angel gave this news to the young Mary before leaving, to assure her that she was not alone.
Mary hurried to visit Elizabeth. We can imagine that travel to the hill country of Judah would have been challenging.
Elizabeth, “filled with the holy Spirit,” celebrates Mary’s greeting. “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Luke 1:43) The meeting of the women is a jubilant celebration of faith and joy. Elizabeth sees in Mary, yes to the hope yearned for and yes to the promise fulfilled.
The Lord comes to us; He is among us. The challenge of our travel through life is to recognize the many ways the Lord visits us.
In our more reflective moments, I think we can feel a deep inter-connectedness between all human beings. Relationships with family and friends celebrate this universal human experience. It is God’s loving, creative design that we need other people to help us become who we are.
Mary and Elizabeth saw in each other the life-giving, loving faithfulness of God.
Our travel through Advent prepares us to greet the Lord who comes, the One to whom we say, “wish you were here.” He is already. We are not alone.
In our family prayer, let us ask God’s Holy Spirit to inspire us to witness to the world faithful love and joyful hope.