My hometown is Proserpine. Where? I have lost count of the number of times people look at me, nodding politely but knowing they have no idea where this wonderful town is. Well, Bethlehem – ‘who are one of the little clans of Judea’ – from you, little unimportant town – from you ‘shall come forth the one who is to be ruler in Israel.’

The whole Advent journey has been one of growing into eyes that truly see and ears that truly hear. The whole Advent journey has not been about great ones, great signs, great Kings, great cataclysmic events. Instead, we have John the Baptist – the locust-eating, hair-mattered prophet from the desert; Isaiah, a prophet from the 8^th Century BC; and Mary, an unknown maiden from a small, unimportant village – have all pointed to the ‘one who is to come’.

Our clearer eyes and hearing, like those of John, Isaiah and Mary, now are more highly attuned to see and hear Emmanuel – God with us. One of the sayings that Mother Teresa of Kolkata was famous for was, ‘Christ, in the distress and the disguise of the poor.’ Teresa of Kolkata grew into Christ’s eyes as did the other Teresa – the 16^th Century Spanish Carmelite Nun – Teresa of Avila: ‘Christ has no body now but yours, no eyes, no feet on earth but yours.’

So, what do our ‘new eyes’ and ‘clearer ears’ call us to do and be? Look no further than the example of Mary. Forgetting her own needs, she sets out for the hill country of Judea to visit Elizabeth. It is all about mission. It is all about bringing about the Reign of God within our world.

It is all about extraordinary love coming forth from ordinary people who now see and experience Emmanuel!

by Br Damien Price cfc