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The 4th Sunday of Advent draws our gaze toward Mary, the woman who said yes to God even when the path ahead was uncertain. Her quiet courage, her openness to God’s plan, and her willingness to carry Christ into the world become a mirror for our own journeys—especially for Filipinos living and working far from home.
Mary’s Yes and the Filipino Migrant Heart
For many Filipinos in Austria, migration began with a difficult but loving “yes.” A yes to sacrifice. A yes to responsibility. A yes to hope for a better future for family back home.
Mary’s fiat—“Let it be done to me according to your word”—echoes in every Filipino who left familiar shores, trusting that God would walk with them in a new land. Like Mary, migrants often carry both joy and fear in their hearts. And like Mary, they continue to believe that God can bring forth something beautiful even from uncertainty.
The Candle of Love: A Light for the Diaspora
The final Advent candle symbolizes love, the love that becomes flesh in Jesus. This love is also visible in the daily lives of Filipinos abroad:
- in the long hours of work done with quiet dedication
- in the remittances sent home with care
- in the prayers whispered for children, parents, and spouses across oceans
- in the small communities formed here in Austria that become family
Every act of love becomes a way of preparing a manger for Christ in the world.
Homesickness and the Holy Family
As Christmas approaches, the longing for home becomes stronger. But the Holy Family also knew what it meant to be far from home— to travel, to seek shelter, to trust God in unfamiliar places.
Their story reminds Filipino migrants that God is closest to those who feel displaced, and that holiness is found not only in Bethlehem but also in Vienna, in Linz, in Graz, in every workplace, apartment, and parish where Filipinos gather.
Becoming Bearers of Christ in Austria
Mary carried Christ in her womb; Filipinos carry Christ in their faith, joy, and resilience. In a society that can sometimes feel individualistic or cold, the Filipino spirit—masayahin, matatag, mapagbigay—becomes a living testimony of God’s love.
Every Simbang Gabi attended before work, every choir practice, every shared meal after Mass, every gesture of kindness to a kababayan or Austrian neighbor becomes a way of saying: “Christ is coming. Let us prepare the way.”
A Prayerful Invitation
As we stand on the threshold of Christmas, the 4th Sunday of Advent invites Filipinos in Austria to:
- Embrace Mary’s courage in facing the unknown
- Nurture love in the midst of distance and sacrifice
- Recognize Christ in the people we serve and work with
- Become light in a land that has become our second home
May Mary, the Mother of Advent, continue to walk with every Filipino migrant—guiding, comforting, and reminding us that wherever we are, God is already there, waiting to be born in our hearts.
- Mag. Hector Pascua/picture: canva.com
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