Christmas is a season of love.  In secular forms of celebration, gifts are carefully selected for loved ones, parties are hosted to bring those we care about together, homes and offices are decorated to bring joy to others, special sweet treats are prepared with love.  And Christmas is a very popular time for couples to become engaged to be married.  There can be so many manifestations of love and joy.

Today’s readings invite us to pray with love and joy.  The beautiful imagery from Song of Songs reminds of us to be open to the gift of God’s love: “Let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely.”  The invitation to love is present in the other suggested first reading from Zephaniah: “The Lord your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.”

In this season of Advent as we anticipate the arrival of the baby Jesus, the Gospel from Luke reminds us of the beloved story of Mary visiting Elizabeth who is also miraculously expecting a child.  The love these two women feel for one another and for their unborn sons is profound.  To be reminded of that love manifesting in joy is a true gift.  At a challenging time, Mary made the effort to travel to visit her cousin.  Upon hearing Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth proclaims: “Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”  These familiar words fill me with awe of the deep faith embodied by these women.

As I pray with these images of joy and love, I feel gratitude for this season of Advent and for the moments where I find joy and love.   I explore how I can travel, either physically or metaphorically, to be available to others.  I pray for peace and comfort for those who are not feeling love or joy during this Christmas season.  I ask God to help me find deeper meaning in the familiar as I embrace God’s love.

This season of love recalls another familiar prayer, Fall in Love, by Joseph Whelen, SJ and often attributed to Pedro Arrupe, SJ: 

Nothing is more practical than finding God, than falling in Love in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, whom you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.