(Cosmos image by Reni Becker from Pixabay)

By Sister Michele Morek

First, you have to trust me: this will eventually turn into an Advent reflection.

We all find our paths to God and pray in our unique ways – our experience of God comes out of our own “internal environment.” For example, several spiritual directors I have had assured me it is OK to pray out of my biology background.

In fact, Saint Angela Merici gave us the go-ahead in Chapter VII of her Rule. While she was commenting about the importance of daily Mass, she added,

“On the other hand, it would be better … if you wish to pray at length, go into your room, close the door, and pray in the way and length of time that the Holy Spirit and your conscience dictate.”

In a recent meditation, I was sitting on a rock with God, marveling at the process of evolution of life on Earth, which was playing out like a movie in front of us. God was acting as Director/ Chief Cheerleader, with comments like this:

“Oh yes, let’s have everything organized into cells – very efficient! Or even better, into groups of cells working together.”

“Legs and lungs? What a great idea.”

But when the mammals came along God got really excited.

“I see where this can be going – with the invention of that placenta, the embryo can develop long enough to have a really good brain!”

And when the first humans were finished, God exclaimed, “At last! We have a vessel for consciousness – perhaps the world (through the humans in it) is ready to hear and understand my words – perhaps it is ready for my Son, The Word.”

I marveled as I considered all those eons of development and preparation it took; I could almost see the cosmos holding its breath, waiting in anticipation. And now at last we were finally ready for that contact—for the answer to our prayer:

                        Come, Emmanuel!

•  How have your images and experience of God been shaped by your “internal environment” and life experiences?
• How are you going to celebrate and welcome God-With-Us?