Dear Friends,
"Angels Among Us" is our Advent Theme. In the New Testament, four people were visited by angels, and each, in their own way, was terrified. Zechariah was overwhelmed with fear, Mary was perplexed, Joseph tried to avoid it all by going to sleep, and the shepherds were frightened.
The only people who are not terrified today are those who don't pay attention!
God favours Mary. However, being favoured by God always means challenge, never ease. Let's learn from her: she found her purpose, accepted her calling, and took the risks. endured her pain (she watched her son's execution). But …
…But she found eternal peace. Mary was there on the first Easter morning and watched as her precious child became the very first of a resurrected humanity. She did her part in a miracle that continues to lead humans toward a divine future.
We are terrified because we do pay attention. We can find eternal peace when we trust that the mystery of God's presence meets the terror of this moment.
Grace and peace,
Peter
