Advent is more than halfway over. This is when the weariness can settle in. Will Christmas ever come? Is the Lord really coming? Our hearts ache and long for it yet it can feel like it will never happen. In our day to day lives we might be asking questions like: can I get all my shopping done? Is there enough for everyone? Am I giving enough? Am I enough? We are called in this season to not merely give gifts (which is a good thing to do!) But to give of our very selves. Christ gave himself to us. He came as a helpless infant and Mary gave her self to him to care for him. 

Servant of God Cora Evans recounts in her private revelations collected in The Advent Story an encounter in Bethlehem between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the innkeeper's wife, Rachel. These women are both models of the generosity to which we are all called. Rachel gives physical goods to Mary and Joseph whom she has had to turn away from the inn. She offers them, perfect strangers that they are, something more. She makes more work for herself by offering them the stable and setting it up with fresh hay and bedding for the travelers. She notices something different about Mary in her preparations. She has seen many different kinds of people come and go but Mary is unique and Rachel tells her, 

"You are beautiful! I've never seen anyone like you." 

Mary answered, "You could become beautiful and enjoy the richness of God's peace if you would only love all your friends. That peace would give you the poise and refinement God desires all women to possess. Try raising your standards of womanhood to a more lovely state. Other women will follow. I'll ask God to help you." 

Rachel generously offers Mary physical goods. Mary generously offers Rachel a great spiritual good: the truth that love will make her more beautiful. People need both physical and spiritual goods. There is a great need for both corporal and spiritual works of mercy in this world. May we learn from both Rachel and Mary how to give generously physically and spiritually. May we give of our selves generously as our God did when the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. It is not too late to give generously this Advent!