Nothing is impossible for God

Advent Reflection for Week of December 21, 2014

And Mary asked “How can this be? While the angel assured her, “Nothing is impossible for God.” (Lk. 1) The Virgin Mary was perplexed in trying to match God’s desire for her with the reality of her life’s physical circumstances. Sometimes it is hard for us as well to believe in a future that seems out of reach or seemingly impossible given the present reality. And yet… How deep is your trust in God’s invitation to you?

Sister Mary Maher, SSND, the general superior of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, addresses this same question to the entire congregation: How can this be? Given our current and projected reality, how can we realize the vision, the mission, for which we are called? That is our congregational question! Sister Mary went on to say that, if he were here with us, Gabriel, the angel of the Lord, would do for us what he did for Mary:

1. Gabriel would give us the answer to the question, “How can this be?”
(He would be very practical.)

2. And then, he would become very quiet and still, and wait for the movement
of grace in us.

Pope Francis as well urges us to trust in the mystery of God’s power at work within us and within the world:

“Let us believe the Gospel when it tells us that the kingdom of God is already present in this world and is growing, here and there, and in different ways:

“… like the small seed which grows into a great tree (cf. Mt. 13:31-32)

“… like the measure of leaven that makes the dough rise (cf. 13:33)

“… like the good seed that grows amid the weeds (cf. Mt. 13:24-30) and can always pleasantly surprise us.

“The kingdom is here, it returns, it struggles to flourish anew. Christ’s resurrection everywhere calls forth seeds of that new world; even if they are cut back, they grow again, for the resurrection is already secretly woven into the fabric of this history, for Jesus did not rise in vain. May we never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope! (Joy of the Gospel #278)”

As we prepare our hearts for the miracle of the Incarnation in time and space, both then and now, what movement of grace is occurring with you?

Click here for the daily readings for the fourth week of Advent.

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