Before we celebrate Christmas, we reflect on the Annunciation in this week’s gospel. Austin Kleman, SJ, takes us through an exercise of imagining Mary at the Nativity as she recalls all that has taken place. Based on the readings for Sunday, December 24, 2023.
Before celebrating Christmas, let’s go back to the beginning.
Hi, my name is Austin Kleman, and this is my One-Minute Reflection.
Today we celebrate the 4th Sunday of Advent and hear the Annunciation story. Yet soon, we will be celebrating Christmas. So, you may wonder why we are meditating on the Annunciation, an event nine months before the Nativity, right before Christmas.
Well, I want to offer a meditation for you. Close your eyes and imagine you are Mary; your child is about to be born, and you find yourself reflecting on all the moments that led to this, especially the visit of the angel. By now, John the Baptist is six months old, and God has blessed you abundantly in the last year. As you begin this journey with Jesus, you have no idea what wonders God will work in your life. Now, returning to this moment, I ask: As we begin Christmas and the New Year, where has God blessed you these twelve months?
