Advent: Our Time for a Baby Shower for Emmanuel, Jesus

 
When a lady is pregnant, other ladies organize a baby shower for her. They rejoice together and celebrate the expected birth of a child or the transformation of a woman into a mother. Usually held before the birth of the baby, a baby shower is held as a party of gift-giving. The expectant mother is showered with gifts for herself and for the baby.

Thanks to the progress of technology, we can now find out the sex of the baby before the baby is born. It is not God's secret anymore! Therefore, it has become easy to buy specific gifts related to a boy or a girl and to decorate his or her room accordingly. Finding out the baby's sex before delivery is an asset for the success of the baby shower party to show to the expectant mother how much you care by honoring her and her baby on the way.

There is no baby shower without a pregnant lady. There is no Advent without the Virgin conceiving and bearing a son, Jesus. That is why I think there is no better way to talk about Advent than understanding it as a baby shower time for Jesus; time to honor our Mother Immaculate Mary and her baby, Emmanuel, God with us. It is the expectant waiting time to prepare ourselves not only to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus, but also His second coming in glory even though He is always with us, especially through His Spirit, Word, Body, and Blood. “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). However, our sinful being and need of grace, forgiveness, and a new beginning still lead us to pray to the Father to renew His creation through the Holy Spirit in conforming us into the image of His Son, Jesus. He has already come, and He is to come again to fulfill all that was promised through His first coming. This is the essence of Advent, a baby shower time organized by John the Baptist who has been appointed by God Himself.

Our Mother Church is now hosting the shower over four weeks. On the first Sunday, Jesus invites us to be vigilant at all times and pray that we may be worthy to stand before Him when He will come in a cloud with power and great glory (Lk 21:25-28; 34-36). The second Sunday is the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophesy. The voice of John the Baptist crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low”. All flesh shall see the salvation of God (Lk 3: 1-6). That is why we are called, on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, to rejoice, shout for joy, and sing joyfully as we anticipate the celebration of the coming of Christ who baptized us with the Holy Spirit and fire, and called us to a life of charity, justice, and peace (Lk 3:10-18). John the Baptist experienced the joy of Gaudete Sunday in his mother's womb. He leaped for joy when blessed Mary greeted Elizabeth his mother (Lk 1: 39-45). It reminds us of the sacredness of the mother's womb. God the father chose John the Baptist from his mother's womb to organize Jesus' baby shower, to announce His coming and prepare the people for Jesus' ministry.

In this special baby shower time for Jesus, we have a great advantage of knowing not only the sex, but more importantly the nature of the baby. We are waiting for both a true human being and Son of God, the image of the invisible God and, God in person. Therefore, while we do Christmas shopping, hang lights, set out decorations, and share wishes... we are also invited to make room for Emmanuel in our lives and in our hearts. We live today in a world where Christmas is losing its true meaning. It is urgent to help our children and families to celebrate Christmas as a time to let Jesus enter our lives and homes after our spiritual preparation during Advent.

Therefore, Advent is a time of prayer, hope, joy, and love.  May the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith and grant us the grace we need to be closer to God in this Advent: Our Time of a Baby Shower for Emmanuel, Jesus.

Fr. Lambert Nieme