Become a 'Welcoming Cave' for the Messiah to be Born In (Mother Gabriella)

 

Mother Gabriella (center) and sisters at Holy Dormition

 

 Dear Parish Faithful,

I "lifted" this wonderful reflection from the latest issue of The Burning Bush, the small monastic journal of the Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI, over which Mother Gabriella is the abbess. With few words, Mother Gabriella reminds us of the "life in Christ," so that we can spend this Nativity Fast in fasting, prayer and repentance, amidst the tumult of the season.

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Greetings from Mother Gabriella

Following the Liturgical season of the life of the Church gives great meaning and richness to life. As we begin this Advent season we cannot help but reflect on the end of life—as nature enters a period of “rest”—and on the spiritual level, on the purification of the soul through fasting, prayer and repentance, so we can better be “born anew” with Christ and in Christ, as we reach the feast of the Nativity.

Father Roman, of blessed memory, reminded us repeatedly, that we are to be born with Christ, live, suffer, die and resurrect with Him, as our own personal experience, not a simple commemoration of the historical facts. God came to teach us how to prepare for the heavenly banquet, by offering Himself as the eternal food, and as the One Who offers “Thine own of Thine own.”

This is the hospitality He teaches us to practice, in our relationship with one another and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. Here at the monastery we have many opportunities to offer and receive God's gifts - the life and work of the monastery.

We thus enter the season of Advent, Nativity and Theophany as an opportunity to reflect on our own life with gratitude for the many blessings God bestowed on us through you who chose to be travelers and co-workers with us on the journey to the heavenly Kingdom.

No matter where you are working your salvation, know that you are not alone. We accomplish everything with Christ and in Christ, or rather, Christ accomplishes His work through each one of us.

Thank you, fellow travelers, for helping us on our journey, and we pray and hope that we are of some help to you. We thank you all for your love and generosity. We humbly pray God to make Himself present in your life the way He knows best! We pray that you will be a welcoming “cave” for the Messiah to be born in.

+ Mother Gabriella