“Advent is the best liturgical season to amplify women’s voices,” I boldly assert. I think I wanted to offer an invitation to the men in the room to settle into the joy and beauty a woman’s God-reflecting perspective offers rather than the tropes that disguise women as caricatures of femininity only.

And that is when I said if I ever converted it would be for Mary. She astounds me. In the past few Advents, I’ve gravitated to the imagery of her strength on display more prominently than her culturally-praised serenity. Last year I meditated “Let it be to me”. This year I’m meditating “He lifts up the lowly.”

More than her submission and virginity, the icons capturing my imagination highlight the prophecies about her crushing the serpent’s head under her heel.

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