Behold I am the haindmaid of the LORD be it done unto me according to your word!

Andvent is a season of waiting, a pause before the messiah is born. We need to sit and wait and prepare our hearts. The Angle asked our Lady to be the mother of God, she paused and then declaired..

Behold I am the haindmaid of the LORD be it done unto me according to your word!

Mary teaches us the pattern: Listen. Believe. Receive. Give praise. At the Annunciation, she offers her FIAT — a yes that lets God's life enter the world. One hand of the Pietà cradles Christ, the other stays open. So must ours. How and where is God calling you to give him your FIAT?

Spiritual motherhood means emptying ourselves so we can receive divine life and nurture it through the Holy Spirit. We take souls to Our Lady, hide under her mantle when afraid, and offer ourselves as a total gift. The world needs good moms — women who radiate Christ's love and suffer with one another. The feminine genius is vulnerability, staying soft when life tries to harden us.

Mama Mary, make me a virtuous woman like you. Help me give my FIAT, be a light that cannot be dimmed, a heart that stays soft, and a soul that radiates Christ's love. Amen.