Counting the Days: December 21, 2025

Open Hands, Open to Grace

Maj. Steven Royse
Instructor of Military Science/ROTC

Read: Luke 1:46-55

“The Lord never tires of forgiving; we tire of asking.”
– Pope Francis (AD 1936 – AD 2025)

Mary’s Magnificat is the Church’s oldest Advent hymn — a canticle prayed during Vespers each night in the Liturgy of the Hours. In it, the Blessed Virgin expresses not only her own gratitude, but the longing of all humanity for the Savior. Her song rises from a heart entirely open to God’s grace: “My soul glorifies the Lord… for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.”

Mary stands before us as the model of discipleship. In her humility, God accomplishes what she never could have on her own. She receives the Divine Word in faith before she carries Him in her womb. Her open hands become the doorway through which the mercy of God enters the world. Pope Francis captures this dynamic beautifully: “The Lord never tires of forgiving; we tire of asking.” Advent invites us to rediscover the courage to ask, like Mary, with trust, simplicity, and holy boldness.

The Magnificat is not merely a private prayer; it is a proclamation of God’s justice and fidelity. Mary announces a Kingdom where the proud are scattered, the humble are lifted up, the hungry are fed, and God’s promises are fulfilled. In her, Israel’s hope becomes flesh. She is the first to believe, the first to receive, and the first to rejoice. Through her fiat, we learn that openness to God is not passive resignation but active cooperation, the surrender that allows grace to bear fruit.

As Christmas draws near, Mary invites us to pray with open hands: to release our fears, our sins, our self-reliance, and to receive the mercy that never grows tired. When we make room for Christ as she did, God can do great things in us and through us for our families, our students, and our entire community.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant us hearts like Mary’s — humble, trusting, and open to Your grace. Teach us to ask for Your mercy without fear, to rejoice in Your faithfulness, and to welcome You with the same love that greeted You in that Bethlehem stable. Amen.