Painting of the Expectant Mary greeting the Expectant Elizabeth, 

photographed in Saint-Saveur Church in Aix-en-Provence, France.

Today, December 18th, is "the feast of Our Lady's Expectation, which the Church has established and sanctioned as a new means of exciting the attention of the faithful during these last days of Advent. Most just indeed it is, O holy Mother of God, that we should unite in that ardent desire thou hadst to see Him, who had been concealed for nine months in thy chaste womb; to know the features of this Son of the heavenly Father, who is also thine; to come to that blissful hour of His birth, which will give glory to God in the highest, and, on earth, peace to men of good will...Make us redouble our attention to the great mystery; complete our preparation by thy powerful prayers for us, that when the solemn hour has come, our Jesus may find no obstacle to His entrance into our hearts."

~ Abbot Gueranger, OSB, "The Liturgical Year, vol. 1 Advent", originally published in 1867.

The world would have our anxiety level increase this week: Have I done all my shopping for everyone on my list? Have I sent all my cards? Have I chosen a tie/dress/outfit for the office party? Have I planned my Christmas entertaining? Are all the bulbs working on the Christmas lights on my house? Have I baked a dozen different kinds of holiday treats?

But internally, deep in our souls, let us "excite the attention" in recalling this great mystery, that 2016 years ago (or so :), a young woman in Palestine was almost nine months pregnant, and she was awaiting with great eagerness and joy the Son who would redeem the world...