During Advent, we have been attempting to reflect on Rejoice, a letter to consecrated women and men based on the teachings of Pope Francis. During this fourth week of Advent, when we proclaim the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), we would do well to ponder the final portion of Rejoice, "Hail, Mother of Joy," which references both the Annunciation and the Visitation.
Additionally, we might consider another question of Pope Francis included in Rejoice. In his homily for the opening of the General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine in August, 2013 in Rome, Pope Francis referenced the "restlessness of love," that is, "ceaselessly seeking the good of the other, of the beloved, without ever stopping, and with the intensity that leads even to tears." The Holy Father's question included in Rejoice is: "The restlessness of love is always an incentive to go towards the other, without waiting for the other to manifest his need. The restlessness of love gives us the gift of pastoral fruitfulness, and we must ask ourselves, each one of us: is my spiritual effectiveness healthy, is my apostolate fruitful?"
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