Theme

About the Author

Megan Fox-Kelly is an Assistant Chaplain at Holy Cross and a member of the class of 1999. This reflection was delivered at a homily at the college's Advent Reconciliation Service.

Thinking Outloud

Preparation, Hope, Anticipation, Candles, Wreath, Pink, Purple, Darkness, Light...

When I have traditionally thought about Advent, these are the words and the symbols that I associate or have associated with this liturgical season. Yet this year, I find myself in a much different place. I have three visible symbols of Advent in my life. Three of my older sisters are pregnant and are expecting babies very soon. Although they may not appreciate or recognize themselves as the visible symbol of Advent, to me, they represent the true meaning of this liturgical season. They wait in joyful expectation and anticipation for the arrival of a child. They, along with their husbands and other children, prepare themselves for this new person to enter this world.

A few weeks ago, I was driving my four-year old niece Bridget to pre-school and we started to talk about the arrival of her new baby brother or sister. I reminded her that she was going to have to be a good older sister and role model. She quite quickly responded, "Aunt Meg, once this new baby arrives, no more fighting with my brother Danny...no more!" Bridget knew that when this new child arrived, things would change in her family. As a result of the birth of this baby, she would have to act differently-things would change-attitudes, actions, and behaviors would need to be different.

I think this story of my three sisters and my niece Bridget preparing themselves for something new is similar to where we may find ourselves tonight. We celebrate this season of Advent with anticipation and with hope. We are waiting for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and we wait and prepare with expectation. We are aware of the reality that things in our lives may need to change-behaviors, actions, decisions, choices. We are aware that we may have work to do in the relationships in our lives and with our relationship with God. We come to this Reconciliation Service desiring change and trusting that we come before an all-loving God with anticipation and hope.

The Gospel reading for tonight is not a typical Advent reading-the themes and symbols of Advent are not made explicit. Yet I think that this reading has a great deal to teach us about the season in which we find ourselves.

As Jesus is walking along, a large crowd is following him and they begin to press in upon him. The crowd is curious about Jesus and they have a desire to see and know him. There is a woman in the crowd who had been ill for years-we read that no doctor or physician was able to cure or heal her-she was thought to be unclean and untouchable as a result of her illness. And, she is in this crowd of people, possibly because she knows something about Jesus. "She came up behind him (Jesus) and touched the fringe of his clothes, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped." This woman is looking to Jesus for healing and she makes her way through the crowd, takes a risk and reaches out to touch him. And, immediately, she is healed.

Jesus says, "Someone touched me; for I noticed that power has gone from me." Jesus is not angry or upset but he has a desire to know this woman, to be in a relationship with her. The woman, however, is afraid and she fears coming forward to reveal that it was, in fact, she who touched Jesus. "When the woman saw that she could not remain hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before him, she declared in the presence of all people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed." And Jesus responds in love and recognition, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace."

As we gather this evening at this reconciliation service, how are we similar to this woman in this Gospel story? Some of us have arrived here tonight anxious, grateful, nervous, hopeful, curious, or scared. We all have come here tonight with the desire for healing. The woman in this gospel story trusted that Jesus could heal her and she was willing to take the risk to make her way through the crowd so that she could reach out and touch him. This evening we come before an all loving God who knows us-our faults, our mistakes, our insecurities, and our gifts-and this God loves us and desires our healing. And, Jesus wanted to know who touched him. He had a desire to be in relationship with the person he healed. Tonight, Jesus desires to know us, to be in relationship with us. When Jesus asked who touched him, the woman came forward in the presence of all of the people, trembling, afraid and scared. Similarly tonight, we have the support of the community present. We are not alone in our desire for healing-we go forward for reconciliation individually yet we have the support of all those present.

As we continue to prepare ourselves in this season of Advent, we can trust in God's love and mercy. We can trust, as this gospel passage reveals, 'our faith has made us well, go in peace..."