Advent hope in a time of anxiety

I must give credit for this painting to the Carmelite Sisters of Baltimore, who commissioned it for their 2025 Christmas card.

I have been designing their cards for several years, and at their request, the picture on the card always relates to whatever anxiety-causing issues are going on around us.

This year, the sisters are addressing the immigration crisis in our nation and the world. The primary inspiration for this particular image is a lovely Advent poem written by the great Carmelite friar Saint John of the Cross, which begins:

“If you want, the Virgin will come walking down the road

pregnant with the Holy and say,

‘I need shelter for the night.

Please take me inside your heart, my time is so close.’”

With a Guatemalan blanket on her lap, Mary gently caresses the Light of the World waiting to emerge into our dark night. Ready to assist her, taking on the role of the shepherds and the Magi, are a Mexican farmworker and two young children, one of whom holds a bowl waiting to be filled with food. She was inspired by the horrific photos we have all witnessed on the news of children crying hysterically in the rubble of Gaza, desperate for food and nourishment.

Perhaps the farmworker can remind us of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of immigrants, who led his family safely across international borders to escape the threats of violence directed at them back home.

The next stanza of Saint John’s poem reads:

“Then, under the roof of your soul,

you will witness the sublime intimacy,

the divine, the Christ, taking birth forever,

as she grasps your hand for help,

for each of us is the midwife of God, each of us.”

Male or female, young or old, we are each called to give birth to Christ in the world, to be His gentle and loving presence in the midst of the endless streams of fear, violence and vengeful cruelty, which appear to be the overwhelming focus of our present times.

Saint Francis de Sales used to say, “Do everything through love, do nothing through fear.” There is way too much proof every day that too many folks are living in fear and acting on that fear through nasty acts of racism, misogyny, homophobia, revenge and other signs of the times dismissive of the Gospel.

May Mary, pregnant with the Light of Christ and grasping our hand for help, lead us and guide us to the hope and joy in her womb, the only source of gentleness, kindness, patience and humility that we could ever know or desire.

I would gently encourage everyone, instead of watching news in the morning, pray quietly instead with your coffee or tea at your side and welcome Christ in the morning light of hope. Even on days that are cloudy with gloom, His light will fill you with peace.

Brother Mickey McGrath, an Oblate of Saint Francis de Sales, is an award-winning artist and author who lives in Camden.