Isaiah 7:10-14 / Luke 1:26-38
The season of Advent is a time for prayer (and penance too!) and to enter into the spirituality of waiting for Lord.
Essentially, it is this waiting for the celebration of the Lord's coming to us at the feast of Christmas.
Yet, this waiting is also to renew and develop our longing for the Lord.
As we begin to long for the Lord in our hearts, then we will also begin to open our hearts to the signs that God is giving us.
In the 1st reading, Ahaz refused to ask for a sign but that was because he had no love nor trust in the Lord.
But in the gospel, the longing of Mary for the Lord was fulfilled when the angel Gabriel greeted her with "The Lord is with you".
Just as Mary waited and longed for the Lord, we too must wait and long for the Lord in prayer, especially in this period of Advent.
Yes, the time of the Lord's coming is approaching. He has given us all the signs.
The most profound sign is the name "Emmanuel": God-is-with-us.
It is in that name that God has fulfilled His promises to us.