“Silence has a special place during Advent, a time of waiting and expectancy. Two women who are central to the unfolding Christmas story – Elizabeth and Mary – are themselves in a state of waiting. They are pregnant. And like women the world over, they are tuned to the hidden and silent life growing within them. The life cannot be hurried. Ripeness is everything, just as it is in every creative act.
So is space. Musicians know the importance of rests in music; they help us savor what has gone before. Gardeners recognize that without empty space in the garden, the vegetables and flowers could become a jumble. Athletes attest to the necessity of rest intervals to replenish energy. Space and silence are woven into the creative dynamic. In closeness to unseen life, whatever its form, we draw closer to God.”
From Grieving with Grace, by Dolores Leckey. Used with permission of Franciscan Media. www.franciscanmedia.org. ©2008. All rights reserved.
Read more reflections for Advent 2021.