Fourth Sunday of Advent

12-18-2022Weekly ReflectionFather John Muir

A seminary professor of mine once said, “Don’t confuse enthusiasm for a virtue with the virtue itself.” How easy it’s been in my life as a priest to talk about the greatest of virtues — love — and totally fail to live up to its concrete demands!

Fortunately, our religion is not mainly about ideas or virtues but about persons. The angel of the Lord says to Joseph, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Mt.1:20).

We don’t know exactly why Joseph was scared to receive Mary and therefore Jesus. We do know the solution: take Mary home. It’s so concrete. Look at her. Listen to her. Talk to her. Protect her. Help her. Laugh with her. Eat with her. Rest with her. Christianity begins here for Joseph, so it must with us, too.

New year challenge: This week I challenge you to choose a concrete way to “take Mary into your home.” Praying a weekly or daily Rosary is a proven way. Perhaps for you it’s making a little shrine with a statue or image. Maybe it’s praying a weekly Litany of Our Lady on Saturday night. Whatever it is, make sure it is a concrete action and do it. She will be there. Soon her virtues will follow, especially love.