Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
Written by Matt Lewis
In this season of Advent, on this the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we find ourselves once again in a place of preparation. To be in a place of preparation inherently means that we know something is coming or is about to happen. We clean our homes to get ready for a dinner party with guests; we pack multiple changes of clothes for short trips just in case the weather changes; we (hopefully) put gas in our cars the night before we go to work the next day so we don’t run late (again). These are all examples of everyday things we do in advance because we are getting ready for some thing to happen.
Let’s take a look at that dinner party. Often times in a situation like this, I find myself getting hung up on the chores of getting ready for guests – trying to keep things clean for longer than five minutes with little children in the house, figuring out the timeline for an elaborate meal with only one oven, forgetting to get ice – that I forget about the joy I’ll receive from having friends over and enjoying a nice meal together. By the time my guests arrive, I’m so tired from the preparations or maybe even in a terrible mood from the work I just put in, that I enjoy the festivities less than I would like to. Or worse, I wonder if it was even worth all the work to begin with.
Our responsorial psalm today speaks of what we, through our faith, know is about to happen: the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We all know the story – we all know what it is that requires preparation. But how much preparation do we actually take part in during this season? And if we do prepare, are we focused on the end result (Christmas) or do we get bogged down in the work of getting ready and lose the joy of the season?
Fortunately for us, the season of Advent offers opportunities for both finding joy in the preparations as well as finding joy in Jesus’ birth. The “marvelous deeds” the Lord has done for us in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are what our preparations are focused on, because through Jesus we are made completely new. It is in this renewal that we can find our joy; but if we can also allow ourselves to align our preparations with that same purpose of renewal, we can find joy in them, too.
How can you prepare yourself this season with a focus of renewal?
Matt Lewis is a worship leader, singer-songwriter, and the Director of Publishing for NOVUM PUBLISHING, a modern Catholic music publisher. Matt is actively involved in Liturgy Resources, creating beautiful and fresh responsorial psalm settings and Mass settings for the Church and its liturgies. You can learn more about Matt, his music, and involvement in Liturgy Resources on Facebook and Instagram. Check him out on social media!
Pray with today’s psalm.