His point was that a mundane action, carried out in a disciplined way, can be transformative. So it is with prayer.

Dec. 10, Second Saturday of Advent

A child cannot be grasped, like an object. A child can only be caressed, which is to touch without possessing.

Ultimately, the jobs, the degrees, the nice houses, are all chaff in God’s eyes—they do not make us virtuous or worthy.

Mary shows us qualities to seek in our prayer life: receptivity to the divine word, thoughtful reflection and finally, the subordination of our wills to God’s wisdom.

Confidence in God makes Jesus sinless for us. Hope in humanity, in ourselves, does the same for Mary.