If we wish to prepare fittingly for the feast of Christmas, we could surely ask for no better teacher than Our Lady herself who carried Our Lord in her womb, having given her consent to be His mother after hearing the words of the angel. Her prayerful expectation of the birth of Christ is a model for us of the devout attitude we should adopt during the season of Advent.

Our Lady faithfully followed the law of God, taking part in the worship of the Jews, singing the psalms and hearing the prophecies recounted in the synagogue. She observed the great feasts in Jerusalem, aware of their meaning which pointed to the Messiah, her own child, the One who is to come.

Finally, she was able to welcome Him into the world and to look upon His holy face with delight, love and prayerful adoration.

We must also learn to rejoice in the presence of Christ when He visits us in the Holy Mass, so that we are ready to see Him face to face one day in heaven.