# A Melody of Hope: A Time for Change
*2008-12-10*

> Bill Young introduces Rev. James Field’s Advent reflection “A Time for Change,” linking the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the hope and transformation Advent calls us to.

## Opening Prayer

We begin with the prayer Bill has been using for weeks, given to him by his aunt, Sister Mary Teresa:

“Hail, blessed be the hour in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin at midnight in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, O God, hear my prayer, and grant my desires through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.”

## Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Message of Hope

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a powerful image of a barefoot, poor, native girl that has touched the hearts of Mexicans worldwide. Her humble appearance shocked the privileged elite of the New World, showing that God’s love reaches the poorest and most marginalized. The apparition ended the practice of human sacrifice and transformed the native peoples through Mary’s affectionate love.

## Unexpected Sources of Insight

Sometimes insight comes from unexpected places—an enemy may voice a truth we need, a teacher may praise our work, and confidence can arise from those moments. In Advent we are given time to make changes, to “crush the serpent” of sin, and to open ourselves to the Incarnation, Emmanuel, God with us and for us.

## Advent Practice: Lighting the Candle

When you light your Advent candle today, you are more than halfway through the season. Yesterday you named what you feared; today, name what you must love. If you are waiting for God, look in the right places and pray:

“Stir my heart, God, to see how you have blessed my life and steady my steps that lead me to you. Amen.”

*Advent invites us to let the humble love of Mary of Guadalupe inspire real change in our hearts.*