This morning’s Advent calendar surprise was a small mirror. Reflecting on it reminds me that a mirror doesn’t just reflect the surface; it reveals what’s there, sometimes in ways we don’t expect.

I was reminded of the lyrics to one of my favorite Velvet Underground songs, I'll Be Your Mirror:
Related, Aristotle famously remarked that "friends hold a mirror up to each other" that like a mirror they can see each other in ways that would not otherwise be accessible to them, and it is this reciprocal mirroring that helps them improve themselves as persons.

So perhaps this little, tiny Advent mirror has a lot to speak to us today. Maybe it is inviting us to reflect on how we reflect God's love to others or how others help us to appreciate the presence of God in our lives. Maybe we're being asked to consider where in our lives we need to do a better job reflecting God's love.


Advent is a season of preparation, calling us to clear the way for Christ in our hearts and lives. We await His coming in two ways: remembering His humble birth in Bethlehem and anticipating His glorious return. This dual preparation requires a conversion of heart—a repentance that levels the valleys of indifference and the mountains of pride.

Like a mirror, we are called to reflect the light of Christ. But mirrors need cleaning to function well. Smudges of sin and distractions dull our ability to shine His love. Advent offers us the grace to examine these smudges and, through repentance, polish the surface of our hearts so Christ’s light can shine through us.


Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, an indigenous man in Mexico. Her image miraculously imprinted on his tilma has inspired millions, radiating God’s love and presence. Our Lady didn’t appear in grandeur but as one of the people, speaking their language and meeting them where they were. She reflected God’s tenderness and mercy perfectly, drawing hearts to her Son.

Juan Diego, too, became a mirror of God’s love. Despite feeling unworthy, he faithfully carried Mary’s message to the bishop, embodying humility and trust. His life reminds us that reflecting God’s love doesn’t require perfection—just a willing heart.


The first reading today from Zechariah proclaims: _“See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the Lord”_ (Zec 2:14). God doesn’t wait for us to be flawless; He chooses to dwell with us in our messiness. Like Mary and Juan Diego, we are invited to reflect this divine dwelling to others through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and mercy.

Similarly, the Gospel recounts Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel: _“May it be done to me according to your word”_ (Lk 1:38). Her yes, her fiat, became the ultimate reflection of God’s love, bringing Christ into the world. Mary’s example calls us to surrender our pride and fears, allowing God to work through us.


Advent is a time to pause and ask: What in my life needs cleaning so I can better reflect God’s love? Perhaps it’s a grudge that clouds your relationships, a busy schedule that dims your prayer life, or a fear of reaching out to someone in need.

Here are some practical ways to start polishing your mirror this week:

1. Examine your heart: Spend a few moments in quiet reflection. What attitudes or actions are blocking God’s light in your life?
2. Seek reconciliation: Whether through the Sacrament of Penance or a heartfelt apology, take steps to heal relationships.
3. Practice kindness: Choose one specific way to reflect God’s love to someone today, whether through a kind word, a helping hand, or a listening ear.

Prayer
As we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, let us ask for her intercession:  "Mary, you are the perfect mirror of God’s love. Help us to reflect that same love in our words and actions. Teach us to say yes to God’s call, even when we feel unworthy, so that Christ may dwell more fully in our hearts and shine through our lives. Amen."

This Advent, let’s take up the small mirror as a reminder: we are called to reflect the light of Christ. May our lives, polished by grace and repentance, become beacons of hope and love in a world longing for His presence.