Judges 13:2-7, 24-25 / Luke 1:5-25
It is one thing to have visions of the supernatural, and quite another thing to have a spiritual or mystical experience.
Not many can claim to have those visions like that of the seers in the apparitions of Our Lady at places like Guadalupe and Fatima and Lourdes.
In those instances, the message of Our Lady to them was clear and they knew what Our Lady wanted and how to go about conveying the message.
In a way it could be similar to what Menoah's wife and Zechariah had encountered. In both instances, it was the angel of the Lord that appeared to them with a message from the Lord.
It was an encounter with the supernatural that had an effect on their lives. It can also be said to be a life-changing encounter for them.
As for us, we may not have those kind of encounters with the supernatural. But there is also the spiritual side of us that enables us to have spiritual or mystical experiences.
As we look back and reflect on our lives, it can be quite certain that we have had spiritual or even mystical experiences.
It could be a prayer that was answered, a need that was provided for, a danger that was averted, or a prompting that has to be addressed. In all these, we know that it was the Lord who is behind the experience.
As the days draw nearer to Christmas, let us prepare our hearts with prayers and cleanse our souls with penance.
A spiritual or even a mystical experience may be waiting for us, and it could be a life-changing experience.