Immaculata University Advent Reflection Booklet

November 30, 2011First Wednesday of AdventAs Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, castinga net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Atonce they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18-20This is Good News! It shows Christ's pursuit of us and the foundationsof His Church, His mystical body. Yet it also means thatwe ought to respond to God in the same way He pursues us. Thatis, in total self-giving love. Though the Apostles would make plentyof mistakes, here we see their immediate obedience, walkingaway from their occupation and family for Christ. Because thegrace of Christ does not destroy, Christ would transform their occupationto be fishers of men and their family to include all ofGod's children.How can we radically follow Christ as the Apostles do here? Wefirst must talk with God in order to know Him. Two people in arelationship talk frequently in order to: know each other better.They share wants and needs and have a good time. We should betalking with God for the same reasons. As a couple grows closer,they try to spend more time together, doing more and more activitieswith each other. Living a virtuous life – acting with God inmind – is similar; by God's grace, doing things according to Hiswill draws you closer and helps you do more such things. Thisleads to having holy habits of mind and body, which is virtue.Prayer helps living out all of the virtues, and vice versa. In prayer,we can best hear God's invitation and our “yes” to Him is love.Radical love for Christ is how to radically follow Him.Heavenly Father, wonderful and mighty, thank You for creating us in Yourimage and for Yourself. By Your grace, strengthen our faith and love so thatwe may abandon ourselves to Your will, which is our perfection. We ask thisthrough Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with Youand the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.Phil ListTheology I, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

December 3, 2011First Saturday of AdventFor a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weepno more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound ofyour cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And thoughthe Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction,yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, butyour eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear aword behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenyou turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:19-21In Isaiah’s words we see evidence of God’s promise to Israel, thatHe would hear their cries and be merciful. Furthermore, Isaiah tellsus of another promise: that our Teacher will no longer hide Himselffrom us, but that our eyes will see Him.The Godly mercy of which Isaiah wrote would come to life on thatfirst Christmas, when Mary bore Jesus. On that night, our Teacherwas no longer hidden, but came to dwell among us. He grew up,and we heard Him say to us “This is the way, walk in it.”Holy Spirit, come upon us and be with us in this Advent Seaon. Light ourway through the darkness, so that we may clearly see the way of our Teacher,Jesus Christ, and walk in it now and always. AmenJoseph PughAssociate Professor of Business Administration

December 4, 2011Second Sunday of AdventA voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way ofthe Lord, make straight his paths.” Mk. 1:3Imagine this: late night, driving home, getting tired, GPS broken,dark road, driving rain, gas tank nearing empty, and now yourheadlights reflect off a sign in the distance. DANGER: windingroad ahead. Surely, we have all had moments like this when weare enveloped by our worst nightmare. At that instant of overwhelmingfear, can’t you hear your inner self crying out: makestraight my path!Wouldn’t it be great to see a mini-miracle in that moment: “herecomes with power the Lord God:” “like a shepherd…He gathers…andHe leads with care.” Maybe it’s an alternate route withfewer twists and turns; maybe it’s a phone call from a friend tocalm your nerves; maybe the rain stops, and you recognize a familiarlandmark assuring you that your destination is closer than realizedin your panic. Maybe it is the voice of God speaking tenderly:“comfort!”The psalmist reminds us that the Lord is kind, offering a uniquelycrafted gift to each of one of us. If the Lord is near, then we mayfind peace. If the Lord is watching, then we might find justice,kindness, and truth. If the Lord is bountiful, then we might findour land filled with good things and right paths. The experience ofGod weaves itself into the crooked paths of our daily living. Godcalls each of us, “beloved,” and invites us to share in His promiseof a new heaven and a new earth.Lord, my day is filled with moments which are both great and small in Youreyes and the eyes of the world. Help me to trust that You are watching out forme. Send Your messengers into my life so that I might learn and understandhow Your promise is woven into these ordinary and extraordinary moments.Baptize my day, my path, with the gift of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.Sister Ann Heath, IHMVice President For Academic Affairs

December 5, 2011Second Monday of AdventWhen Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”Luke 5:20The New Testament tells us of the many miracles performed byJesus Christ during his time on earth. It speaks of our Lord andSavior healing the sick and the lame, turning water to wine, feedingthe many with only a few fish and loaves of bread, and raising thedead to new life. All He asked from them was to believe and havefaith.Many asked then and many still ask now, “How is that possible?”or even boldly state “It is not possible.” Yet as faithful followers ofChrist, we know that through Him all things are possible. Longbefore Jesus’ time on our earth, Isaiah prophesied that God wouldcome to save us and “Then will the eyes of the blind beopened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leaplike a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gushforth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” (Is 35:5-7) Asyou look at the world around you this Advent Season, be mindfulof the miracles that you see and hear each day and be confidentthat the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit can do all that Isaiahprophesied and more. Through the Trinity all things are possible.Heavenly Father, You call us to be Your faithful people. Send Your Spiritupon us this Advent Season as we prepare to the remember the coming of YourSon and our Savior, Jesus Christ so that we may be an example of our Christianfaith to all we meet here at Immaculata and beyond. In Jesus’ name wepray, Amen.Bridget Haines-FrankClass of 1996Assistant Dean of Students

Jesus said to his disciples: "What is your opinion? If a manhas a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he notleave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over itthan over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the sameway, it is not the will of your Heavenly Father that one of theselittle ones be lost." Matthew 18: 12-14Today, shepherding and sheep may not be as relevant to our timesas the were during Jesus’ time, but this parable still relates to us.We all know the story of the lost sheep, like the lost sinner thatleaves the herd and goes astray. Every time I hear this reading, Iwonder why should we rejoice over one lost soul? We rejoice togetherwith God and with the Body of Christ, that a sinner hasbeen restored to fellowship with God. He desires that all are savedand all are close to Him.Just as Jesus tells us the shepherd seeks out the lost sheep, soshould we. In our everyday lives we should strive to be seekers ofthe lost, finding those who do not see God in their lives, or thosewho seem to not have hope and faith in the one true Lord. Just thesame, we hope that if we go astray ourselves, someone will be thereto guide us back to the herd. As we approach Christmas, let usgrow closer to God and during Advent, even at all times, I encourageus all to try and be modern shepherds in today’s world.Lord, I ask You to guide me on Your holy path. Help me to find those whoare lost and have gone astray, to bring them closer to You, and show them,through my actions, with Your grace, that You are the one true way.Amen.December 6, 2011Second Tuesday of AdventAmanda MorrellClass of 2012Fashion Merchandising

December 7, 2011Second Wednesday of Advent… they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, theyshall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and notbe weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31The prophet of the Babylonian exile was called to a vocation ofconsolation. It was his role to comfort the Chosen People in theircaptivity and to strengthen their hope in a God who would releasethem from their burdens. His poetic words are fulfilled in Jesuswho reminds us today that He has assumed the burdens of thosewho are willing to come to Him and learn from Him.The Advent message touches the core of our belief. Like the earlyIsraelites, we also await deliverance. The Messiah has come andstill continues the act of coming, but His approach is often inconvenient.He is the student who knocks at the door when we arebusy; the friend who wants to chat when we have a deadline; therequest for help at a soup kitchen when an assignment is due.Christ comes and offers us new life and refreshment. He comes inthe disguise of daily opportunities, and every day He promiseshope and comfort.The days of preparation for the celebration of Christmas present uswith occasions to renew our relationship with Jesus and our neighbors.We gather all our longings and ambitions and, by entrustingthem to Jesus, “God with us,” we consecrate our waiting and rejoiceanew in the gift of Christmas peace.Come, Lord Jesus!Fill up the dark spaces of our lives with your light.Lift our burdens and strengthen our hope.Come – surprise us!Sister Marie Hubert Kealy, IHMDepartment of English

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it bedone to me according to your word.” And the angel departed fromher. Luke 1:38As we celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Conception (the day she was conceivedwithout original sin), the Gospel tells the story of Jesus’ conception.After the angel Gabriel greets her as “full of grace”, a troubledMary’s initial response is one of silence – she takes time to ponder thisperplexing greeting. Gabriel tells Mary: “You will bear a Son.” She thenasks a question: “How can this be?” Following the angel’s assurance that“The Holy Spirit will come upon you” and that “With God nothing isimpossible”, Mary gives her assent, a “Yes” that resounds to change thecourse of history. When the angel leaves Mary, she is not alone; she nowcarries Jesus within her. This mystical experience leads Mary to go outsideof herself, bringing Jesus to the world – beginning with a visit to herelderly cousin Elizabeth.Today we remember Mary and her goodness. Perhaps this can be an Adventday when we consider what God might be asking of us and try toemulate our Blessed Mother in thought, word, and deed:Mary’s faith-filled reflection reminds us to take time to pray, to pauseduring our noisy and busy days to ponder, meditate, and whisper ourthoughts to God.Mary’s hope-filled response encourages us to acknowledge our questionsand lack of understanding, but to trust God even in times of confusion,uncertainty, or doubt.Mary’s loving service provides a model for us to follow. We strive to beopen to others, meeting their needs with sensitivity and compassion.On this Feast of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Maryand of our beloved Immaculata University, we pray:O God, through the intercession of Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus and our mother,grant prosperity to Immaculata University and peace and protection to all who live,work, or study on this campus. Like Mary, may we bear faith, hope, and love to everyonewe meet. Amen.Sister Carol Anne Couchara, IHMDissertation Support ManagerDecember 8, 2011The Feast of the Immaculate Conceptionof the Blessed Virgin Mary

What can I say about the people that live today? What are theylike? The people today are like children sitting in the marketplace.One group of children calls to the other group, “We played flutemusic for you, but you did not dance; we sang a sad song, but youwere not sad.” Because John came, and he did not eat (like otherpeople) or drink wine. And people say, “He has a demon insidehim.” The Son of Man came eating and drinking wine, and peoplesay, “Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine.He is a friend of tax collectors and other bad people.” But wisdomis shown to be right by the things it does.Would we have recognized the Messiah if we had been there with himthat day? Would we have recognized John as the “new” Elijah. The socalledspiritual leaders of Jesus’ time were spiritually dull and slow to hearGod’s voice. They were totally indifferent to the appeal of God whetherit came in one way (from John) or another (from Jesus).Would we be liken to those who are guilty of listening to the Gospeltruth and, like children, have mindless back-and forth squabbling witheach other about their meaning or their messenger? Sadly, our age ismarked by indifference in regards to the things of God. Even churchescan forget their purpose and pamper to their congregations with an entertainmentmentality that leads to biblical ignorance.The message of God is simple in that God’s love and grace is extendedto all who will simply believe that our Messiah has come and has paid theprice for our salvation! If we believe in Him and follow Him, live ourlives for Him, and share his grace to all, then we will be proving that wisdomis shown to be the Way of life.Heavenly Father, open our ears to hear the good news of Your Kingdom and set ourhearts free to willingly love and serve You. Give us receptive and believing hearts thatwe may delight in Your Word and live our lives in tune with Jesus’ simple message ofhope and salvation. AmenElisa DingerOffice of the Dean, CUSDecember 9, 2011Second Friday of Advent

December 10, 2011Second Saturday of AdventHow awesome are you, ELIJAH! Whose glory is equal toyours? You were taken aloft in a whirlwind, in a chariot withfiery horses. You are destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD, To turnback the hearts of parents toward their children, and to reestablishthe tribes of Israel. Blessed is the one who shallhave seen you before he dies! Sirach 48: 4, 9-11In the accounts of the Transfiguration, Elijah is one of the two figureswho speak with Jesus. Luke relates that the subject of theirdiscussion is the Passion of Jesus (Luke 9:31). It is quite fitting thatthe Church puts the figure of Elijah before us as we prepare to celebratethe Nativity of Jesus Christ. While we wait with joyful anticipationfor Christmas, Elijah reminds us of the reason why we celebrate.In the Paschal Mystery, Jesus came to deliver us from sinand death and to bring to birth within us Divine Life. This couldonly be possible if Jesus truly became Man. Jesus came fromHeaven to lead us in an exodus from death to life like Moses ledthe tribes of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land. As we continueour journey through Advent, let us remember that the greatfeast we await with joyous anticipation is the beginning of a journeyto the Cross and, from there, to a glorious victory and liberation.Heavenly Father, You revealed the glory of Your Son, Jesus Christ, to Hisapostles. Grant that we who are awaiting the coming of Your Son in this Adventjourney may be consoled by the life and freedom that He offers to us. Weask this through Christ our Lord. AmenRobert SchmidTheology I, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

December 11, 2011Third Sunday of AdventBrothers and sisters: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Inall circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God foryou in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18How very true this entire passage is, yet how very often I forget tolet these words guide my daily actions. This Advent, this time ofanticipation and waiting, is a great time to work on improving thesehabits.During Advent, so often we get caught up in the daily rush of theholidays. Instead of rejoicing in this time of joy, we fight over thelast parking place at the mall. Our prayers are replaced with bakingcookies and decorating the tree. And what should be our consistentthanksgiving becomes “What I want for Christmas is…”I challenge everyone this Advent to try and live by this simple messagefrom St. Paul to “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Inall circumstances give thanks…” Through doing this and actingas God wills for us, we find true happiness and the true meaning ofthe Season.Lord God, You are the reason for glad tidings. You are my constant source ofgladness. Please help me now and always to live by these words of St. Paul andto always do Your will. In Your name. Amen.Jessica MorrellAssistant Director of Campus Ministry

December 12, 2011Feast of Our lady of GuadalupeA great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with thesun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crownof twelve stars. She was with child ... wailed aloud in pain asshe labored to give birth. Revelations, 12:1Sing and rejoice, O daughter, Zion! See, I am coming todwell among you says the Lord. Zechariah, 2:14Our Lady of Guadalupe could certainly identify with both readings,which are perfect for Advent because they speak of anticipation. Ican just imagine Mary anticipating the birth of her child and thengiving birth to Jesus on that first Christmas night, away from homeand family who could ease her pain and help her with the newbornchild. She, too, must have wailed aloud in pain as she labored togive birth. However, once Jesus was born, Mary must have beenexhausted, yet delighted, to have a healthy child.According to www.sancta.org, when Pope John Paul II was visitingMexico, he entrusted the cause of life to Mary’s loving protectionand placed the innocent lives of children, especially the unborn,under her motherly care.Our Lady of Guadalupe, please watch over all expectant mothers and thosewho are anticipating a change in life. May they, too, sing and rejoice that theLord is coming to dwell among them!Sister Denise M. Mollica, IHMFashion-Family and Consumer Sciences Department

December 13, 2011Third Tuesday of AdventAmen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are enteringthe Kingdom of God before you. When John came toyou in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him;but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when yousaw that, you did not later change your minds and believehim. Matthew 21:28-32Jesus words here may be startling to us. They should be! It is aloud reminder and call to humility. We must always be ready togive people a second chance. To listen to others fully and rethinkour first impressions. Only then, will we be able to enter theKingdom of God peacefully and with a clean heart ,with others.Lord, help me to forgive and forget. Lead me down the path of righteousness.Help me to give a second chance to everyone you gives me a bad first impression.Amen.Karly Blynn MirandaClass of 2015Music Therapy

“I am the Lord, there is no other; I form the light, and create thedarkness….Turn to Me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for Iam God; there is no other.” Isaiah 45:7, 22Our God is a powerful and loving God. He creates each person with aunique purpose in mind and knows who we will become before we haveeven been formed in the womb. He knows what we will accomplish andwhen we will fall short of His call. He knows the greatest fears we havein life and the weaknesses we struggle with. He also gives us all we needto overcome these things and truly enter into an intimate relationshipwith Him. He is “the Lord” and there is nothing He will not or cannotdo to draw us into the love he wishes to lavish on us. Nothing is toogreat for Him.Because God is Love, we can know that all He does is out of love for usand we can trust that the struggles He sends our way are meant for good.They have a greater purpose we do not realize. He says in Isaiah that He“forms the light and creates the darkness.” God sends us those times ofpure joy when we see God’s work in our lives and realize the blessingsHe has bestowed on us, but He also states that those times when we feelthat we are not strong enough, when life’s trials seem too much to bear,that He is still in these moments of “darkness.” He is still showering Hisblessings on our lives and there is a purpose for our suffering. He callsout to us, “Turn to Me and be safe! I will be your shelter!” He only waitspatiently for us to call on Him so that He may rescue us. There is nothingHe longs for more than to comfort His children and overwhelm themwith His love, but we must first come to Him and trust Him with ourlives. So my challenge for you today is to completely release control ofyour life and entrust it into the hands of the One who loves you morethan you can imagine and Who knows the plans He has for you. Youcould not be safer or in better hands!Heavenly Father, we thank You for all the blessings You bestow on our lives and forall the times You come to our aid when we are in need of Your presence. We thankYou for Your faithful friendship and unconditional love and pray that we may alwaystrust You with our lives and allow Your goodness to shine through us so that we maybe a light to others. Amen.Victoria ZirolliClass of 2015Elementary EducationDecember 14, 2011Third Wednesday of Advent

All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, whowere baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged therighteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of thelaw, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of Godfor themselves. Luke 7:29It is ten days before Christmas and many of us are beginning to gettogether with our families which span across generations. It is oftenduring the holidays we hear about the “good ole days” and howour generation has it so easy compared to “way back when I was akid and walked uphill both ways to school in the snow.”As I watch my uncle battle the debilitating disease of ALS, I, morethan usual, look forward to listening to the stories of when he wasmy age. I want to know what it was like for him when he wasyounger. As much as I do enjoy these stories, it saddens me becauseI know that someday he will not be around to share thesememories with me. I most enjoy the stories of him and his brother,my other uncle, who passed away many years ago. These stories ofmy uncles relate to my brother and me and how the two of us inthis modern day are really not all that different from them. It is importantto hear the stories of other generations. They help in puttingour own lives into perspective and value the time we spendwith our loved ones. I encourage everyone to ask their grandparents,parents, aunts, uncles, or friends this holiday season to tellthem a story of when they were younger and what it was like to be“your age.” What were their trials and how did they overcomethem and learn from them? We can learn a lot by listening.I should like to bring my daily drudge before You, O Lord - the long hoursand days crammed with everything else but You. Look at this daily drudge, mygentle God, You who are merciful to us men and women. Look at my soulwith Your mercy Lord, with it’s innumerable trivialities and grant me Yourpeace.AmenAndrew CarterClass of 2013Physical TherapyDecember 15, 2011Third Thursday of Advent

December 16, 2011Third Friday of AdventYou have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. Notthat I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you maybe saved. John was a lamp that burned and gave light andyou chose for a time to enjoy his light. I have testimonyweightier than that of John. For the works that the Father hasgiven me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testifythat the Father has sent me. John 5:33-36Jesus claimed His Divinity; He tells the Pharisees that He doesthings only God can do. Jesus says in Vs 19-20 He is equal withGod; Vs 21 as God, He is the Giver of Life; Vs 22-23 He is thefinal Judge; Vs 24 He will determine the eternal destiny of humanity;Vs 25-29 He will raise the dead; Vs 30 He is always doing thewill of God. In Vs 31 Jesus bows to the rabbinical demand for witnessesoutside Himself as to His true nature. He tells us, “John wasa lamp that burned and gave light…” Jesus didn’t need John’s testimony,He says, “I have testimony weightier than that of John.” Yetelsewhere in the Gospels Jesus tells us, our works and our livesshould testify to what we believe. We are to be that light to others.Almost sounds like a contradiction, but it’s not. Jesus in our Gospelsays that He doesn’t need our witness for Himself. So, could itbe that we are the ones who need a witness of the Lord in our dailylives? Indeed, we need the witness and authentication of other’sespecially when we are weak, fearful, or in doubt. When we proclaimJesus as eternal God, it is faith, hope, and love that give usstrength to continue to believe in good times and in bad.God, our Father, John the Baptist pointed to your only begotten Son, Jesus, asMessiah and Lord. Let the light of truth shine forth in our lives that will directothers to Jesus. In this Advent Season, as we await Jesus' coming, may wemore deeply give ourselves in the loving example of Jesus Christ who is Lordforever and ever. AmenDr. Thomas F. O’BrienAssociate Dean, College of Graduate Studies

December 17, 2011Third Saturday of AdventJacob that father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her wasborn Jesus who is called Christ. Matthew. 1:16Upon first reading today’s Gospel about the genealogy of JesusChrist, I wanted to say, “Who cares?” I mean obviously it is importantto know that Jesus can be traced back to Abraham, butwho wants to sit through a whole reading of the ancestors of Jesus?But upon further reflection, I realized that it is not necessarily importantwho the ancestors of Jesus are, but rather that He had ancestors.Jesus was human. He too had a family, just as we havefamilies. Just as we have families who annoy one another, supportone another, and love one another unconditionally, so too did Jesus!Beyond our own individual families, the Gospel reading today remindsus that we are all one family. Under God our Father, we areall brothers and sisters. During this Advent Season, let us remember,pray for, and be thankful for our biological and spiritual familymembers.Dear Lord, we thank You for both the biological and spiritual families Youhave provided for us. We ask that during this holiday season that we rememberthat family is a blessing, despite differences and stresses. We ask that You blessthose in our families for whom we are concerned and ask that You give ushearts to accept and appreciate those brothers and sisters with whom we haveproblems. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. AmenCourtney SahmClass of 2012English MajorCommunications Minor

December 18, 2011Fourth Sunday of Advent“I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to meas you have said.” Luke 1:38Today we hear and reflect on the Annunciation of Mary. A simplegirl, without credentials and without power, is transformed byGod’s grace to participate in the Christ-event, which will change allof history. Mary’s response, “I am the (maid) servant of the Lord”is often misinterpreted as encouraging passivity. Yet, when welook through the Old Testament, the word servant describes significantfigures in salvation history: Moses, David, and Isaiah. Theyouthful maiden, Mary, stands like Moses, in awe of God. Like theprophets, she accepts God’s commission to live out her faith in theservice of God’s Word. Down through the ages, Mary has been amodel of faith for all believers. She is preeminent among manymen and women who, overshadowed by God’s Spirit, also hear thecall. Like her, they stand in awe of God, and offer their lives, liveswithout credentials, in the service of God’s Word. In doing so,with Mary, they help to bring forth the fulfillment of God’s plan ofsalvation.Come, Lord Jesus, save Your people. Fill our Advent waiting space with thesense of Your presence and the spirit of Mary’s Annunciation. Our world andeach of our hearts need Your healing touch. Help us to support and challengeone another to prepare Your way in our lives and in the world around us.Meet us in the quiet as we look for Your coming. Meet us in the people andcircumstances of our lives. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Amen.Sister Cathy Nally, IHMExecutive Director of Mission and Ministry

The angel said to Zechariah, “Zechariah, do not be afraid, for yourprayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son andyou shall name him John. He will be your joy and delight andmany will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of theLord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother'swomb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bringback many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. With the spiritand power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers totheir children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright,preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.” Lk 1:13-17Luke began Jesus’ story with the prediction of the birth of His cousin,John the Baptist. According to Luke, an angel of God came down to achildless priest Zechariah, and predicted that his soon to be born sonwould be in God’s favor. The angel told Zechariah that this would bringhim and his wife great joy since they have not been blessed with childrenbefore; and many others also would rejoice at his birth. The angel proclaimedthat John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from the momentof conception. Then later in his life he would turn many children of Israel’shearts to God. The angel also said John would go before the peoplewith the spirit and power of Elijah, to help prepare them for the Lord.This story gives us many lessons that are important to remember in theseason of Advent. It reminds us that God answers prayers even though itmight not be in the way we expect, thus we should never give up hopebecause nothing is too hard for God. Faith in this fact, during many differentdifficulties, pleases God. If we remember those things, we in turnwill be in blessed.Loving God, by Your grace John the Baptist was born, and sent to prepare the way ofYour Son, our Savior. Help us to follow His teaching and holy life, that we may followHis example and have courage to speak Your truth. In this season of Advent,help us remember that You are most important in our lives. Amen.Heather RasnakeClass of 2013December 19, 2011Fourth Monday of Advent

December 20, 2011Fourth Tuesday of AdventTherefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virginwill conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.Isaiah 7:14Immanuel is a name that means “God with us.” And “God withus” is Jesus, the child born in Bethlehem. He is the Immanuel, agreat mystery of One who is both fully human and fully divine. Inthe birth of His Son, God has given Himself completely to us, in alove that is infinitely sacrificial. God could do no more than comeHimself into our humanity, and give Himself entirely to us — andthat is exactly what He has done in Jesus. His act of love is boundless.In a world when humans are so easily lost and exist in a bankruptstate, where we have sold ourselves into slavery of sin, and we arebroken and damned, God has joined Himself to us! He has refusedto let us go. He has insisted on making Himself one of and with usin order to return us to Himself in love. That is the meaning of thewhole life of Jesus from His birth to His death. It was God takingupon Himself living out our human life from beginning to end, inorder to redeem it, and change us from a lost cause to His cause.Almighty and Eternal Father, help us to see Christmas as a time of love.Shower us with Your grace and aid us in sharing Your love with all thosearound us. We thank You for Your love and sacrifice, and ask this throughJesus Christ, the Immanuel, Whose coming we await with joyful hope. Amen.Christine KerrClass of 2014English – Secondary Education

Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a threeyear-oldbull and one ephah of flour and a jug of wine, and brought himto the house of the LORD in Shiloh, although the child wasyoung. Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. Shesaid, “Oh, my Lord! As your soul lives, my Lord, I am the woman whostood here beside you, praying to the LORD. For this boy I prayed, andthe LORD has given me my petition which I asked of Him. So I have alsodedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to theLORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. 1 Samuel 1:24-28Dedication is the theme of this Scripture passage, as the woman, so grateful forher child, dedicates her son to God. This story calls us on to dedicate our-selvesto God in a similar way. When we think of our lives, most often we think ofwho or what we dedicate ourselves to. Students are dedicated to schoolwork,teachers are dedicated to their students, and parents and siblings are dedicated tofamily. If we are truly to live our lives for God, we must dedicate ourselves toHim. God gives us the opportunity to choose whether or not to give ourselvesto Him in any calling. And although He gives us that choice, here is somethingto think about. One of the many definitions of dedication is this: “A personal,hand-written inscription on a piece of work by an author.” If God is the Author,we are His piece of His work whether we take the form of poem, short story orresearch paper. And because He loves us so much, He gives us a hand-writteninscription dedication to Himself. Growing up I was told this story: If you’veever truly looked at your palms, you can see many lines running every whichway. But look harder. If you start to trace the lines, you will find that some connectin the shape of an “M.” Some are more prominent than others, but we allhave those lines that connect to make the letter “M.” But why an “M”? BecauseGod has labeled and dedicated us as, “Mine.”O God, You search me and You know me. You have called me into life and have been theAuthor of my story. You have called me to be dedicated in whatever my calling whether it bestudent, teacher, friend, or family member. Yet, You have also called me to dedicate myself toYou. You have written my story and dedicated me to Yourself be giving me the “M” of“Mine.” Father, help me, through the grace of Your Son and guidance of Your Spirit to trulygive myself to You in all that I do, in all that I am. In Your great name, oh Lord, I give myselfto You. Use me as You will.Rebecca L. GuthermanEnglish/Secondary Ed./TheologyDecember 22, 2011Fourth Thursday of Advent

December 24Fourth Saturday of AdventWhen King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from hisenemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am living in a house of cedar,while the ark of God dwells in a tent!" Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever youhave in mind, for the LORD is with you. “But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan andsaid: “Go, tell my servant David, "Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house todwell in? “'It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commanderof my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyedall your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. Iwill fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their placewithout further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did ofold, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest fromall your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that He will establish a house for you. Andwhen your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you,sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and heshall be a son to me. Your house and your Kingdom shall endure forever before me; yourthrone shall stand firm forever.” 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16God scolds David for trying to build Him a house of gold, when, for years, Godsays He has been perfectly satisfied to live in a tent. This tent (called the Ark ofthe Covenant) had poles attached so that it could be easily carried from place toplace. When the Israelites went into battle, the Ark of the Covenant was carriedby Levites, students for the Jewish priesthood. In later times, it rested in theHoly of Holies in the Temple that David's son, Solomon, built. But that waslater. In today's readings, God says, "Not yet!" Through the prophet, Nathan,God tells the King that He'll let Solomon do the building of the temple.This reading was chosen for Christmas Eve to show that tomorrow, God isgoing to do something truly awesome. He is going to send His Son, Jesus, andJesus will choose for His Temple a human person called Mary. We may ask how,then, is it possible for Jesus to be set on the throne of David as the Father hadpromised. The answer lies in the fact that Jesus' mother, Mary, and His fosterfather,Joseph, are both descendants of David. In this way, the promise will befulfilledHeavenly Father, You can only build on life. All else is sand. You cannot build on fear,guilt, coercion, or even idealism. You cannot build on death, un-forgiveness, repressed hurts,denied feelings, or unconscious anger for they will eventually show themselves as unfit foundationsfor community. They might appear to be energy in the short run, but they will in timeshow themselves to be negative energy, incapable of sustaining real life. Wisdom has builtherself a house, says Proverbs 9:1. And Wisdom knows that you can only build on the foundationof life. Thank you for helping me to journey into an ever deeper life this Advent whichis the essence of faith community.Sister Agnes Marie Cummings, IHMNursing Faculty

December 25The Nativity of the LordToday is born our Savior, Christ the Lord. Psalm 96…Responsorial Psalm for Midnight Mass.On this Christmas Day, let us sing with joy to the Father for sending usHis Son, Jesus. With Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds and kings, let uskeep watch over Jesus, Emmanuel, now present and living among us.Praise to the holiest in the height,And in the depth be praise,In all his words most wonderful,Most sure in all his ways.O loving wisdom of our God!When all was sin and shameA second Adam to the fightAnd to the rescue came.O wisest love! That flesh and bloodWhich did in Adam fail,Should strive afresh against their foe,Should strive and should prevail.And that a higher gift than graceShould flesh and blood refine,God’s presence and his very selfAnd essence all divine..O generous love! That he who smoteIn man for man the foe,The double agony in manFor man should undergo;And in the garden secretly,And on the cross on high,Should teach his brethren, and inspireTo suffer and to die.Praise to the holiest in the height,And in the depth be praise,In all his words most wonderful,Most sure in all his ways.

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