Advent Reflection

“Why didn’t God just do it this way?” said one of my students this week. It’s a fairly common occurrence in my freshman Scripture classes for students to tell me what they think God should do or should have done in a particular situation in the Bible. When we humans don’t understand the workings of God, we think we know a better way, but the truth is that God knows what is best for us, and his ways are so high above ours.

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:9) God sees the whole big picture and His love for us is at the center of his masterpiece.
 

Faith is trusting that God knows better than us. Faith in God’s infinite goodness, love and wisdom is at the heart of Mary’s answer to the angel in today’s Gospel, “May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Mary had no idea how God was going to arrange for her to have a son, since she was a virgin. But she put herself in God’s hands, surrendered her will to His, and, because of her “yes,” God became man to save us in the most sublime act of love in salvation history.

In this last week of Advent, I invite you to ponder with Mary the ineffable love and wisdom of God, to ponder how best to surrender to God’s will like she did, to trust that our heavenly Father loves us and knows what is best for us, and to entrust ourselves to his tender care. May the peace and joy of Christmas be yours.

Mary Kelly
Rice Religion Teacher