The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I remember sitting down earlier in the year to create the illustration for the Advent season. It was early in the pandemic days when we all expected a much shorter timeline. Meditating on the image of the Holy Family, I marveled at Our Lady -- her deep humility, her acceptance of plans that were not her own, her peace through uncertainty. I thought about how the angel Gabriel’s announcement must have changed any expectations she had for her life. I thought about Joseph’s feeling of helplessness as he probably wished to provide for his family yet he was called to surrender control of the situation.
As this year has unfolded I keep coming back to the word “receptivity.” Despite the fact that Mary was deeply troubled by unexpected news, she was receptive to a plan different and bigger than her own. I wonder if I am also receptive to a year that has not gone the way I planned. Am I receptive to the life that is now being given to me rather than a life of my own expectations? Have I asked God what His plans are for me rather than trying to convince Him of my own plans?
Christ was revealed to the world in the seemingly unexpected, the unprepared, and the unseen. As we enter Advent, we have a beautiful opportunity to encounter the story of the Holy Family in perhaps a more intimate way than ever. We are invited to share in Mary’s fiat and total abandonment to God’s will: to unite ourselves to the uncertainty of plans that are not our own, the hardships of the journey across the desert, and the complete wonder of the Savior’s birth. God’s plan for us starts when we surrender our own expectations -- and we see this perfect example in the Holy Family. They are a guiding light for darker days.
Father, I pray that we open our hearts to the unplanned and unexpected, to surrender control, and rest in the joyful anticipation of our Savior King.
Christie Peters is an art teacher turned full-time artist and co-founder of Every Sacred Sunday. She has illustrated the last four Every Sacred Sunday journals as well as writing and illustrating for other independent projects. Her favorite things include soup, taking aerial dance classes, and spending time with her pup named Peaches. Come say hi to her here.