Mary was called “full of grace” because she became the “vessel” to bring Christ into the world. We too must open ourselves to be the vessel to bring God to the world, to one another – becoming a vessel of God’s grace by allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, with us and in us. However, in order to be God’s vessel, we need to empty ourselves sin, pride, apathy, unforgiveness, and allow God’s grace to heal our weaknesses so that we too can be “full of grace”. Filled with God’s grace, just as John was the voice in the wilderness pointing people to Jesus, Advent calls us to become a light unto others and lead others through the “darkness” to the light of Christ.