Each day, a special Advent-themed Daily Jolt, with an opportunity for reflection and a microChallenge. Some of the reflections come from unlikely sources, and the challenges help you to take an action, usually a small one, based on the reflection.

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December 7th, 2012

Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her. — Luke 1:38

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• http://www.facebook.com/annette.hawkins.33 Annette Hawkins

  Dear Busted Halo, Firstly I want to say how much I love your website and some of your resources and how much I enjoy the advent calander each year. I am sorry but i have to disagree with you about Mary. I am an Anglican curate, so I guess you would expect that we might disagree. My understanding of my Faith comes from the Bible and there is nothing in the Bible to even suggest that Mary was born without sin or any evidence for the assumption. Also the Bible talks about her giving birth to her firstborn son – why firstborn if she not going to have others? Surely if she had no other children it would read only son! The Bible refers to Jesus brothers and sisters and there is nothing to say that Joseph was married previously and had other children. Finally there is nowhere in the Word of God where we are encouraged to pray to anyone other than God Himself. Of course I understand that these beliefs are an important part of the tradition of your Church, but I am afraid that I struggle to see the justification for them myself. I know that you are clear that you do not worship Mary but some of the practices of some Catholics do look very much like Mary worship and I think this can be quite unhelpful.