Letting Go

Mater had to let go of her expectations when the angel appeared to her to ask her to be the mother of God! How unexpected, how terrifying, and yet how simple was the entire experience. Mary "let go" and trusted God.

We, too, must learn to let go. John Gallen says: "An important part of the Advent experience is letting go--of not being in control--of waiting. Advent is a time when we wait upon the Lord. We are not waiting for his coming to Bethlehem. That already is our treasure, and he is already with us. It isn't that we forget or disregard Bethlehem. The gift of Bethlehem draws the focus of our waiting beyond that small town to his brimming presence about to be shown in all its transfiguring fullness...The dynamics come to this: Experience of God occurs and flowers only when the God who aboundingly transcends every form of human experience and human imagining uncovers himself to us...We need to wait on God. Advent shapes our prayer as a prayer of letting go of expectations."