There are many themes for Advent: peace, hope, joy, love,
waiting patience, desiring, preparing, expecting, longing, and emptiness. In
this reflection I would like to consider emptiness.
The experience of emptiness can bring up disconcerting/scary
feelings of fear, loneliness, alienation, and is most often avoided. However,
the emptiness of Advent offers us something different. Mary’s emptiness and
receptivity allowed her to be open to the Word becoming flesh. In Carryl Houselander’s
book the The Reed of God Mary’s emptiness opened her to be “a reed
through which the Eternal Love was to be piped as a shepherd’s song.” Mary
continually received the breath of God, embraced this breath which
guided her entire life. The melody of her life continues to encourage and
inspire us also to be conduits of God’s abiding life. 
In becoming flesh Jesus emptied himself, redeemed and
graced our lives. What he asks of us is to become partakers of his life and
channel the Divine love to one another. As the image of the empty, hollow reed
allows the breath of God to be transmitted through us; our humanity is used by
God to channel God’s goodness to humankind. How we pray, cherish one another,
respond to human needs is a manifestation of how open we are to God’s funneling
ongoing redemption through us. For as Christ has told us “whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters
you do unto me.”
Whether considering myself a “reed” or a
“channel” the need for emptying of self through patient listening, letting go of
interior clutter and chatter, and openness to the indwelling of Divine love are
essential.
Perhaps a question to consider this Advent: How can I allow my life to become a hollow reed so that
God’s love can be channeled through me? How can I open myself and be more
vulnerable to the transforming love of Christ who continually gives life?
Sr. Aileen Bankemper, OSB
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