Today’s readings focus on barrenness and the life that can spring from it. While the readings speak to the births of Samson and John, I can’t help but think about another form of barrenness: how our spirits can be barren.

How often do we live life in a trace-like state, vanquishing our spirits to a stillness that seems incapable of loving, of feeling, of fully embracing Christ? Perhaps it is something that grips us all too often. In those times we should pray that we are visited by angels as in today’s readings who can be messengers for Christ’s loving spirit.

During Advent, during this time of anticipation, let us recognize those times we find ourselves spiritually barren and let us pray for spiritual re-birth. Amen.