“Advent is also a Marian season”
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord. . . He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever” Luke 1: 46. 54-55.
In this song Mary, the daughter of Zion, sings with joy, full of gratitude because in her God has filled Israel with the greatest good, the long-awaited and hoped-for messianic good. He whom she bore in her womb, the only begotten of God, is the new Israel. He will gather all believers to be united with him and his mother. The new Israel experiences God’s mercy and faithfulness in service.
Here too we perceive in the piety and life of the Blessed Virgin Mary the dimension of solidarity and a splendid conscious vision of history. She intensely lived the memorial of the great deeds accomplished by God, promised since the time of Abraham. Mary lived the history of her people and anticipated that of the new Israel. In Abraham his descendants are blessed, blessed is Mary among all women and blessed is the fruit of her womb. The promise and blessing given to Abraham is therefore verified in the Virgin. Mary, even more than Abraham, becomes a model of faith for the new people of God.
During the season of advent, the Blessed Virgin serves as a model and example for us, learning how to accept and receive the Redeemer in humility of life, gratitude and contemplation. In extreme poverty but in faith and trust, which are true wealth, the Blessed Mother lived the moment of the birth of the redeemer of the world.
The Blessed Mother is a model and teacher of gratitude to God. Mary’s gratitude, who exalts the greatness of God in her life, was able to discover the deeds God accomplished in her and for her. Only a false humility can make a sinful person so blind that he is unable to grasp the many things that God has done in him. Mary received the greatest gift that can be given to a creature. She is full of grace and faith, she is mother of the Lord, she is a new creature - the new Eve - and in her the new Adam comes to us: Christ. “The Almighty has done great thing for us holy is his name”.
By living intensely with the Blessed Virgin Mary, singing her joy and gratitude in a special way during these remaining days of Advent, we too like her will discover more and more clearly the true meaning of our life. We will discover the vocation to holiness.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mirror that reflects God’s graces without shadows. For this reason, each of our acts of veneration becomes a program and purpose for the humble service of God. Let us ask for this gift, the gift of humility, so that the mystery of the kingdom may be revealed to us too.
-Father Justus