December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Our world needs the feminine spirit more than ever today. Mary responded at a time of great fear and uncertainty. She was open to encounter and possessed a freedom of heart. However, this is not easy, and it is not passive. Receptivity is a form of resistance. To truly receive something is not to absorb it unquestioned – it is to let it touch you, and to decide how it shapes you. Mary's 'yes' was not naïvely given. She interrogated, discerned, and then received.
Mary dared to question. She dared to utter words in a culture that conditioned women to be silent. In today's world, women may have more of a voice, yet the feminine spirit is often silenced. What would have happened if Mary's 'yes' had been silenced? Her 'yes' led to the transformation of hearts through the life of Jesus. Her 'yes' led to a people of resistance, as Jesus challenged the systems of the day and the status quo. Mary's 'yes' is spiritual and political.
Sr. Linda Buck, CSJ
Member, Board of Directors
Providence St. Joseph Health
Pause
What would Mary say 'yes' to today? During Advent, what will we interrogate, discern, and then receive? What is our 'yes'?
Pray
God, who is hope, shine Your light in our darkness so that we may continue to build Your kingdom. Let us be reflections of Your brilliance, always working to make Your goodness known. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.