The Spirit of Advent

Advent Weekday – December 20

Isaiah 7:10-14 / Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 / Luke 1:26-38

The Spirit of Advent

I wonder what the “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit was like for Mary.

In the beginning, as God created the heavens and the earth, a mighty wind swept over the waters (Gen. 1:2). Some translations say the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. I picture this mighty wind doing for the first time what it would later do at the story of the Red Sea, as the waters are driven all night by a strong east wind, creating dry land for the Israelites to pass over, escaping the Egyptians (Ex. 14:20). In the beginning of the Church, the Pentecost event, Luke tells us that the Spirit came like a strong driving wind over the apostles and Mary, and empowered them to gather the nations into God’s kingdom (Acts 2:1-11). 

But what was this overshadowing Mary experienced? Overshadowing seems so much gentler than a mighty, strong, driving wind. It seems more like the breath Jesus breathed to inspirit his disciples on that first Easter morning, when he instilled his peace in them, and gave them the power to forgive sins (John 20:22-23). Perhaps Mary was there in John’s gospel as she was in Luke’s version of the bestowal of the Spirit; after all, she had already experienced this power, this overshadowing in a unique way.

I imagine that this overshadowing was imperceptible to her. After all, as the angle of the sun changes and shadows lengthen and shorten, often we are in the shade for a while before we know it. We only realize we are getting warm again once we have been back in the sun a while. Perhaps this overshadowing wasn’t so noticeable to Mary as a rapidly dried up riverbed, or a headwind that literally takes your breath away. 

“What was it like?” is a question that is open to much speculation on our part, be our focus on Creation, Exodus, Annunciation or Pentecost. But the question we would do well to focus on is, “What is the experience of the Spirit’s power — subtle or unmistakable — like in our life?”

·         What is your experience of the Spirit? 

·         How or when have your experienced

o   the strong driving wind over you, bringing you to life?

o   the freeing wind of the Exodus?

o   the strong driving wind of Pentecost sending you forth?

o   the gentle breath of God giving you peace or forgiveness?

o   the overshadowing of the Spirit recreating the life of Christ in you?