Today’s first reading is taken from the book of the Song of Songs: “Arise, my beloved, my dove, my beautiful one, and come! … Let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.” Is this language, and these words of someone who is in love, appropriate for Advent? If we look at the second option for today’s reading, we may find an element to answer that question. We read in the prophet Zephaniah: “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! … The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love…”
Advent is a time of conversion. Advent is a time to anticipate. Advent is a time to love Christ more. He is the spouse of our souls. Then, yes, this language is suitable. The human soul, eager to encounter again its Savior at Christmas, anticipates his coming with love and joy. Thus, the Lord invites us to arise and to come to him, which we normally do through prayer, penance, works of mercy, and through a sincere conversion of mind and heart. We come to him in the solitude of our contemplation and He comes to us in the peace of our hearts. We come to meet him when we assist our brothers and sisters who are in need, and through them He comes to us.
At the same time, we can say that the Lord is already in our midst. At the beginning of Advent, Saint Bernard reminded us of the three comings or presences of the Lord. The first took place at the plenitude of times, when He was born. The last will be at the end of times, when He will return in glory. And the third coming? Saint Bernard explains that the third is invisible: He visits us with his divine grace. And for that reason, He can always be among us: He “is in your midst” the prophet says. What does the Lord do when He is in our midst? He renews us “in his love”.
Advent, then, is the time to become new again in God’s love. The anticipation of this celebration brings joy: “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! …” But this beautiful season of Advent is almost over. In less than four days we will celebrate the actual coming which we anticipated! Christ will be born again, in our midst, spiritually in each soul that opens to his visit. But did we prepare? Are we eager to sing him a lullaby when He is born in the Bethlehem of our hearts? Let us spend the next few days in contemplation and anticipation as Mary did. Saint Augustine says that Mary conceived first in her heart through faith, then in her womb; and She gave birth to her Savior and ours. Let us conceive him in faith as She did, and then receive his Body at Mass in the Holy Eucharist. Christ-mas is Christ’s Mass. There is no Christmas without Christ. Let us bring his Eucharistic Body to our souls this Christmas.
