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Sustaining Grace
When Willy asked me to ponder how we can sustain the graces we have received during Advent and Christmas throughout Ordinary Time and into Lent and Easter, I began by asking myself what it is that makes the Christmas Season particularly grace-filled. In spite of the frenzy of socializing, baking, cleaning, and shopping that we get caught up in, most of us can still honestly say that our faith grows through it all.
Why is this? What makes Christmas special? If we can define the cause, we can latch onto it, embrace it, and thereby sustain the graces received by that means.
I believe there are two graces which make Christmas particularly Holy for each of us. First of all, there is Hope (the anticipation we experience that Our Lord and Saviour is coming to atone for our sins); and secondly, Faith (which is wrapped up in the fulfillment of His coming). If we can hang on to these two things: the ‘hope’ of His coming and the ‘belief’ in His having come; each day will be a grace-filled Holy day! Therefore, to keep our spiritual equilibrium we much cultivate and enkindle faith and hope in our daily lives, applying them to each situation in each moment of each day.
If we awake each morning filled with hope and anticipation that Jesus will be coming into our lives and when evening comes our faith allows us to see how He indeed came to us and was with us throughout the day; then, we will be living in His promise, “I am with you always...”Matt 28:20.
Today, I can give a little example of the application of this principal of living in hope and faith. We had a power failure from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., due to stormy conditions. I had hope upon rising that Our Lord would come to me throughout the day. Even though I seem to be coming down with a cold, my plans were to do some heavy chores which needed electricity. However, with no electricity or running water I was able instead to deal with some correspondence and even have a nap (which was needed for my health). So He came to me. I saw His hand in the situation and I could thank and praise Him for it.
It is this hope and faith that allowed Our Blessed Mother to offer her ultimate fiat! I do not believe this was her first or her last fiat, for I believe she said ‘yes’ to God a thousand times each day in as many circumstances. Therefore, like her, we must offer our constant fiat to God. Thus, through the aid of Our Blessed Mother’s prayers, we will be perpetually prepared for His coming into our hearts every day during Ordinary time, just as we are prepared at Christmas to receive Him.
God bless you all, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Grace Devine.
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