The Lord is with you!

By Julie Heinen

After a whirlwind romance, a couple was married. The woman agreed to move across the country with her new husband, leaving behind family, friends and all things familiar. Barely a few weeks had passed when her husband’s true character was revealed, a criminal and cruel man. After another shocking episode, he left, locking her up in the home. The woman collapsed to the floor, physically suffocating from the intense anxiety. In her anguish, she called out to God. She immediately felt his presence as He drew in deep, peaceful breaths to fill her lungs. For several moments, she remained there as He simply breathed for her. She later told a friend that this was more intimate and powerful than if God had shown up and picked her up off the floor. She knew she was deeply loved and that God would take care of her.

As we honor Mary’s Immaculate Conception today, we ourselves are also present to the God of intimacy and surprises. In general, we tend to expect the best things in life to be grand and cinematic. So also, the people of Israel were awaiting the mighty action of God. Like this woman, they were in desperate need of God’s help. They knew how God saved their ancestors and that the prophets had foretold an incredible event of Redemption. This time, God lit up the sunrise of Salvation with Mary, a humble handmaid.

Instead of a miraculous event or political salvation, God begins his most majestic plan through something that appeared to be so ordinary: a birth of a child. We are reminded of the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, “The Lord is with you” (Lk. 1:28), which is charged with significance.  This phrase is used at key times in the Old Testament when God is giving a great mission. This phrase is spoken to Jacob in a dream, to Moses at the burning bush, to Gideon to commission him to battle, and to call Jeremiah as a prophet. Each of these people were entrusted with a mission that would decide Israel’s destiny. How much more did the destiny of Israel depend on Mary!  Not only did God wish to be with Mary, but this salvific work ordained that He remains with each of us, dwelling among us (Jn 1:14, Mt. 1:20-23) and within us (1 Cor. 3:16). This points us to the principle theme of Advent: we are waiting on the Lord with the people of Israel, “O come, O come Emmanuel!”

Sometimes we can slip into thinking of Mary as a static figure, as if her sinlessness meant that it wasn’t really “that hard” to experience the trials of life. But when we look at the Gospels with fresh eyes, we sense the experience of her heart as she walked the unexpected ways of God. Mary gave God her Fiat, her “Yes” to this great mission, which would include the deepest of joys as well as profound sorrow. Let’s each give God a gift this Advent. Like Mary, let us give Him a new “Yes“, perhaps to let Him into a difficult area of our lives. Let us choose to trust Him and allow Him to surprise us with his joy.  “Come, Lord Jesus!”

For the Catholic Church’s teaching on Mary’s Immaculate Conception click here.

Julie Heinen holds a master’s degree from the John Paul II Institute in Marriage and Family Studies, and she is keenly interested in positively engaging modern culture. She lives in Houston with her husband and three young children.