Advent: Our Time for a Baby Shower for Jesus Christ

When a woman is pregnant, other women 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 gender of the baby before the baby is born. It is not God's secret anymore! This is why 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 gender 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 in order 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.

In this special baby shower time for Jesus, we have a great advantage of knowing not only the gender, but more importantly the nature of the baby. We are waiting for both a fully human being and Son of God, the image of the invisible God and, God in person. Therefore, while we do Christmas shopping, lights, decorations, sharing wishes... we are also invited to make room for Emmanuel in our lives and in our hearts. 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 Baby Shower for Jesus Christ.

Fr. Lambert Nieme