On that day,
the branch of the Lord will be luster and glory,
and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor
for the survivors of Israel.
~Isaiah 4:2
Ave Maria! We begin Advent with the promise of life. This life will be most beautiful -- full of luster and glory, honor and splendor! -- because the Child to be born is the Beautiful Savior, our Fairest Lord Jesus. And the Virgin Mary who gives birth to Him is the Beautiful Mother. All her paths are beautiful, and all her ways are peace (Proverbs 3:17). Of her the Father says, "You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7). Our Lady's beauty is all from within. It is "the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious" (1 Peter 3:4). Hers is the beauty of faithful obedience and steadfast love, of a life lived happily under the shadow of the Most High and ruled totally by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And this is our life, too, if only we say "Fiat!" with the Virgin of Advent when the angel Gabriel comes to us as he did to Mary. Like our Beautiful Mother, we also have found favor with God, so let us not be afraid. Rather, let us confidently surrender as Mary did to the beautiful life that God so greatly desires for us. Then her holy Child, our Beautiful Savior, will be born in us for the life of the world.
Dear Mary, Virgin of Advent, help me to be beautiful like you! Amen.
