Advent Reflection Book 2024

THE2024BI SHOPI RETON ADVENTREFLECTI ON BOOKLET W RI TTEN BYTHEBIFACULTY& STAFF

The 2024 Bishop Ireton Advent Reflection Booklet Written by the BI Faculty and Staff

Thank you to all the contributors. May God bless you as you read and reflect on His word this Advent season.

Opening Message

By Kathleen McNutt, Head of School Dear Bishop Ireton Community, During this Advent, the Bishop Ireton Faculty and Staff invite you to join us in taking time to reflect on the gift of the Christ child and our preparations to get ready for His birth. In this 60th anniversary year of the school, our reflections are also a significant reminder of the precious gift of Catholic education and our daily opportunity to keep Christ at the center of all that we do in the classroom and beyond.

Whether it be finding opportunities for silent prayer and adoration, engaging in the school food drive or adopt-a-family program, participating in the advisory Christmas door decorating competition, enjoying a Christmas concert, or making technology-free time for family and friends, let us take time to feel the Lord’s blessings and reflect upon what the Lord wants to do for you this Advent season.

As you read and meditate on the reflections in this booklet, may you be drawn closer to God and be reminded of the great hope we have in Him. Let this season be a time of renewal, strengthening our faith, and deepening our relationship with Jesus. May your Advent journey be blessed, and may you find Christ anew in every aspect of your life.

Advance Always and Live Jesus,

Kathleen McNutt Head of School

Opening Reflection

By Father Noah Morey, Chaplain Amid the hope and expectation of the Advent season, we turn to Our Lady to help us prepare for the coming of Christ. The Annunciation account (Luke 1:26-38) is the most frequently read gospel of the liturgical year. The Word truly became Flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and that’s why the Church keeps coming back to the centrality of this mystery. I will highlight one aspect of this passage: the inner working of the Holy Trinity in our lives. It is often helpful to place ourselves in the scene of the Scriptures, perhaps as an observer or one of the characters in the story. That allows us to engage all our senses and to meditate more deeply on the passage. As I read this account several years ago, I found it difficult at first to relate to the two characters in this scene, being neither an angel, nor sinless. But God gave me a unique insight: all three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are mentioned specifically in relation to Our Lady.

The angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you . . . and you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son.” Our Lady had an intimate and personal relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and spouse of the Holy Spirit. But consider: the Holy Trinity came to dwell in our souls at baptism through water and the invocation of the same Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through baptism, we received sanctifying grace, which is another word for God’s divine life. It's “sanctifying” grace, because it makes us holy. And this grace is strengthened with each future reception of a sacrament. Our Lady is full of grace, completely possessed by the presence of God. Thus, she was never, at any time, under the influence of the devil. So even to say her name when facing a temptation is to call upon her presence and force him to flee, because he has no power over her or those dedicated to her. Although we are not (yet) full of grace, we are called to live holiness in all aspects of our lives, because we, too, possess the indwelling of the Holy Trinity. St. Paul once said, “Do you not know that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Cor 6:19). Sainthood is possible because God Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—dwells within us. Thus, a regular sacramental life is so necessary for our growth in holiness: God’s grace abounds within us when we receive the sacraments. During this Advent season, let us go to Mary, the Mother of God and our mother, with our prayers and our love, that she who was completely filled with God’s grace, will help us to deepen our relationship with the Holy Trinity. May we, too, carry Christ within us during Advent and always.

With Humility, Let’s Prepare the Way of the Lord

By Brother Dan Wisniewski, O.S.F.S. Within our American culture, we are ushered into the Christmas season the day after Halloween.

Retailers ignite our consumerist sensibilities to shop early and often. Social media begins to advertise holiday food, decorations, and gift ideas at the stroke of midnight on All Hallow’s Eve. Like in Monopoly, we “do not pass GO” from trick-or-treating to trimming the tree! Some of us cherish Christmas so much, and enjoy the seasonal festivities, we may not even notice this quick transition. (I admit that I can get swept away listening to Christmas music earlier each year.) But the season of Advent is an important preparation for Christmas, and the movements of this liturgical season help us to do so.

One important figure in the landscape of the Advent season is St. John the Baptist. His unique appearance and ministry of calling attention to the coming Messiah is a memorable image from the scriptures, and his call for us to prepare for the arrival of Jesus is loud and clear. In one of his Advent sermons given in 1620, St. Francis de Sales (1567-1622) draws our attention to the humility of St. John the Baptist: “Our glorious St. John was indeed armed with this virtue. …his humility is the most excellent and the most perfect…” Preaching on the Gospel story when the Jewish officials ask John if he is the Messiah or Elijah or a prophet [John 1:19-28], our patron notes that the Baptist resisted the temptation of pride or ambition, and simply said with all humility, “No.” He could have become arrogant and exalted himself, even as the messenger called to pave the way for the true Messiah, but he did not. Like John the Baptist, we are called to true humility, by which we recognize in truth our gifts and talents, but also our challenges and weaknesses; we do not pretend to be something we are not.

In his Introduction to the Devout Life (1609), the spiritual writer discusses false pride, the opposite of humility, by means of a descriptive example: Some men become proud and overbearing because they rise a fine horse, wear a feather in their hat, or are dressed in a splendid suit of clothes. Is anyone blind to the folly of all this? If there is any glory in such things it belongs to the horse, the bird, and the tailor. It is a mean heart that borrows honor from a horse, a bird, feather, or some passing fashion.

John the Baptist did not attempt to shine in the glory of Jesus; rather, in the words of the Canticle of Mary, he is not exalted but made lowly [Luke 1:52]. He models true humility for us.

The “little virtue” of humility may not be an obvious one to reflect upon during the Advent season.

However, as we see and hear the call of advertisers to purchase the biggest, brightest, latest, and greatest toy, gadget, or bauble, let us recall the example of St. John the Baptist, the man crying out in the wildness to prepare a way for the Lord: he who wore camel hair clothing and a simple belt, eating locusts and wild honey [Matt 3:4]. De Sales asks us to “consider his humility and mortification so that, in following his example, we also may be voices crying out that we should prepare the way and make straight the path of the Lord…”

The First Sunday of Advent First Reading Jeremiah 33:14-16 The days are coming—oracle of the LORD—when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days, at that time, I will make a just shoot spring up for David; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; this is the name they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.”

Reflection

by Stephen Crooker One of the foremost concepts in the Old Testament is the coming of the “Day of the Lord,” or the time when God will intervene in the history of the Israelites and redeem, repair and protect Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. Roughly six hundred years before the birth of Our Lord, the Prophet Jeremiah called the nation of Israel to repentance and holiness in the face of imminent military invasion and moral collapse. Amid the panic, fear, blame and corruption that ripped apart the nation of Israel in his time, Jeremiah looks forward with compassion and clarity to speak boldly regarding the birth of a Savior, a man from the House of King David, who will save the people from their sins.

For many, this savior had to be a military trailblazer, skilled in the art of war and best suited to deal with the threat of the Babylonian Empire looming down over Jerusalem like a plague. Yet, amid the darkness, there was a constant and steady voice, clear and unwavering that would eco through time to prepare a way for the coming Messiah: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, turn again to the Lord your God!” My loving Jesus, like the Prophet Jeremiah, I look forward and seek to choose You, this Advent, as my King and my God. I surrender myself to You and seek to put all my trust in Your tender care. Draw me close to You as your humble servant, free me from my sin so that I may love You with a pure and holy heart.

The First Sunday of Advent Responsorial Psalm Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14 Make known to me your ways, LORD; teach me your paths.

Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long.

Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he shows sinners the way, He guides the humble in righteousness, and teaches the humble his way.

All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth toward those who honor his covenant and decrees.

The counsel of the LORD belongs to those who fear him; and his covenant instructs them.

Reflection

by Jane Hannon On this first Sunday in Advent, Psalm 25 articulates the sense of yearning that this Liturgical Season brings: “[F]or you I wait all the day long.” Advent is not a passive time of preparation, but a chance to reflect on how we need to change in order to draw closer to God. We plead, “Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths.” Embarking on this journey requires cultivating humility in heart and mind; the Lord “teaches the humble his way.”

Having been educated by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary before working in Salesian schools, I have had decades of explicit opportunities to reflect on the virtue of humility. Still, I find it challenging. Our ability to thrive as students, as professionals, and as institutions often seems to depend on cultivating the skill of self-promotion. The coming of Advent calls us to take a break from reflexive, single-minded celebrations of strengths. Embarking on this journey requires us to look inward, acknowledge our failings, to accept that we do not have all the answers on our own, and to commit to concrete steps to do better.

Lord Jesus, As we await Your coming, help us to be honest and open about our faults. Help us also to see and to seize opportunities to better bring Your love to those around us. May we draw inspiration from the Scriptures to emulate and draw closer to You during this Advent Season. Amen.

First Sunday of Advent Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. [Amen.]

Finally, brothers, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God—and as you are conducting yourselves—you do so even more.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

Reflection

by Christopher Allen This reading reminds us that Advent is a time of preparation not just for Christ’s coming more fully into our lives like he did in Bethlehem over two-thousand years ago, but also for his coming at the end of time. We have done a good job explaining the first part of our Advent task with the analogy of the inn: no one wants to be like the innkeeper who had no room for Mary and Joseph, so we make room to welcome Christ more fully into the inn of our hearts at Christmas. That’s something understandable; we can do that! But when it comes to the second idea of preparing for Christ’s coming at the end of time, we aren’t as familiar with how to do that, and so maybe we would rather not focus on that task.

Fortunately this reading gives us some great insights into how we may prepare for Christ’s second coming. I would like to focus on two: conduct and love. If we are preparing for Christ’s coming, Paul reminds us that we need to be mindful of how we conduct ourselves in all our actions. That’s why St. Francis de Sales suggested we pray a Direction of Intention before each action: to offer the action to God to sanctify it, to receive His Grace to help us properly conduct ourselves during it, and do it well.

The reading includes a prayer: “may the Lord make you increase in love.” That’s the second piece of advice. Our Direction of Intention reminds us of God’s abundant love for us. Love therefore is something which comes to us from God as a gift and we receive it through the Church and through the people He puts into our lives. The season of Christmas reminds us that gifts aren’t something that we should just receive: we need to give them as well. As we move closer to Christ’s coming among us this Christmas and at the end of time, let’s be mindful that we conduct ourselves with love and that we manifest God’s love to others through our actions.

My God, give me your grace.

I offer you all the good I will do in this action and all the difficulty found in it trusting in your and your abundant love.

First Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.

People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth.

Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.

Reflection

by Mike Rauer “Be Prepared”, the motto of the Boys Scouts. Are we prepared for what is yet to come in our lives?

Having spent many Advent seasons throughout the world in a variety of different cultures and societies it seems to me that each year, as we await the coming of the birth of Our Blessed Lord, we sometimes do not really see the “Big Picture” of being prepared for the real meaning of Christmas. Over two thousand years ago, the Jews were awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, someone who they hoped would restore the political fortunes of the Jewish nation. What are we waiting for and what are we prepared for in these early years of the 21st Century? Will it be gifts or will it be an event or will it be something that reminds us of something greater? That greater thought being the “next life.” While the season of Christmas is full of merriment and celebration, are we focused on the right thing? When God does come, will we be ready to stand before the Son of Man and give an accounting of our time on this mortal coil?

Let us remember to take the time to set aside the more temporal glamor of these wonderful holidays (“Holydays”) and look at the real meaning of the coming of the Lord and the thought of what Christmas really means. In this way we will truly understand the significance and meaning of the Advent of the Lord and the Coming of the Son of Man. May God bless you all over this joyous Christmas and Advent season.

Second Sunday of Advent First Reading 1: Baruch 5:1-9 Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on forever the splendor of glory from God: Wrapped in the mantle of justice from God, place on your head the diadem of the glory of the Eternal One. For God will show your splendor to all under the heavens; you will be named by God forever: the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.

Rise up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from east to west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God. Led away on foot by their enemies they left you: but God will bring them back to you carried high in glory as on royal thrones.

For God has commanded that every lofty mountain and the age-old hills be made low, That the valleys be filled to make level ground, that Israel may advance securely in the glory of God. The forests and every kind of fragrant tree have overshadowed Israel at God’s command; For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with the mercy and justice that are his.

Reflection

by Courtney Foster Gathering together with family and friends is an integral part of our cultural notions of Christmastime. It’s an image that dominates the secularized “Holiday” songs on the radio–“I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “Home for the Holidays,” to name but a few.

We go to extraordinary lengths to make that image a reality in our own lives. When my husband and I were first married, planning our Christmas travel sometimes felt like organizing a military campaign.

Which branch of the family would we visit for which holiday? Would the weather hold? Did we have enough vacation days between us to make the full trek? Some years things went smoothly; at other times, we white-knucked our way north over snowy roads, with only a few days to spare. It was worth the trouble, though, to come home and see our parents, who had spent so much time and effort getting us to move out and launch ourselves into the world, so happy to have us back. And our siblings, with whom we used to have to negotiate an annual detente in order to stay off the Naughty List, would be excited to see us and catch up on news (and teasing). The return of the children of Israel described in today's passage from Baruch is a reminder of the reality toward which the joys of all these earthly homecomings point.

In this passage, it is God, and not we humans, who overcomes the obstacles between his children and their destination. Valleys are filled up; hills are made low. Through our Baptism, He has adopted us as his sons and daughters, wayward and wandering though we can be at times. He has opened the gates of Heaven to us through His Son’s crucifixion, and at every Mass we have the opportunity to take part in the gathering of our family both there and on earth. Whatever obstacles we may encounter in our journey toward God, as we prepare to celebrate the Nativity, we know that by Christ’s incarnation, the barriers of sin and death have been cleared out of our path.

Lord, we thank you for the gift of our family and friends. Grant that every gathering we share with them on Earth kindles in our hearts the desire for that ultimate reunion in Heaven, and help us to face the challenges on the journey there with perseverance. Amen.

The Second Sunday of Advent Responsorial Psalm Psalm 126: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 A song of ascents.

When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we thought we were dreaming.

Then our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy.

Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD had done great things for them.”

The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were!

Restore our captives, LORD, like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.

Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy.

Those who go forth weeping, carrying sacks of seed, Will return with cries of joy, carrying their bundled sheaves.

Reflection

By Caroline Duffy Advent is a time of hopeful expectation; a season in which “we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Hope is not wishful thinking, nor a cheery optimism that “the sun will come out tomorrow,” and it is certainly not “positivity”. The Catechism tells us that hope is “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but one the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC1817). So, our hope is based on God’s promises. And this is what today’s Psalm (126) reminds us: that while we look forward to our Savior’s coming in joyful hope, we also remember. We can look back in salvation history (and our own “history”) to recall how “the Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.”

Even in desolate times, when things seem hopeless – our Faith reminds us to always have hope – that there is always a reason to have hope – not because of our own strengths and abilities, but simply because we know that God keeps His promises. Sometimes He does so in strange and unexpected ways: son for elderly Abraham; trumpet blasts before the walls of Jericho signaling victory; a kingdom for the young shepherd boy David; “the greatest man born of woman” for barren Elizabeth (who speaks a word of hope in today’s Gospel); a Messiah born to a humble Virgin of Nazareth. Indeed, the Lord has done great things for us! So, as we wait for the Lord’s coming, let us be filled with hope and remember that God always keeps His promises – in ways that we sometimes don’t understand.

Today, let us take a moment to pause and remember all the great things that God has done for us – the greatest of which is sending His Son to save us. How can we not be filled with joy?

The Second Sunday of Advent Second Reading Philippians 1: 4-6, 8-11 Praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now.

I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Reflection

By Betty Loia It was Paul who first preached the Gospel at Philippi, which became the first Christian community in Europe. That’s a pretty major accomplishment! Now he urges them along the way of faith with these encouraging words, but he does not take any ongoing credit for that faith that he established. Rather, Paul places all the responsibility in God’s hands. God planted the Gospel in their hearts and God will bring the work he started to its full fruition. Paul is the cooperator, but God does the real work.

As a teacher I often feel the pressure to both begin the good work in my students and bring it to completion. If a lesson plan goes awry or half the class bombs a quiz, who is to blame but me? On the flip side, I will happily take the credit when all is going well. Those amazing mid-term grades? Thank you.

I had those students well-prepared! Those insightful essays? Yes, those too, were my doing!

Happily, with Paul's encouragement I can rest my mind and my ego this Advent knowing that God begins the good work both in me and in my students and I can trust him to bring it to completion.

Lord, during this time of business, help us to “discern what is of value” and be easy in knowing that you will bring all our good work to completion in your own way and your own time. Amen.

The Second Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading Luke 3: 1-6 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,a and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. He went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

Reflection

by Molly McGraw Between exams and finding the right gift for my mother, who is impossible to shop for, and the endless barrage of (very fun and cheerful and exciting!) holiday parties, Advent doesn’t always end up being a time of preparation, as this Sunday reminds us that it should be. Lent is always quiet, somber. Very few people are hanging up colorful lights and rocking around a decorated tree in the middle of February or March. It’s a bit easier to shut out the world and prepare my heart for Christ’s passion.

But John the Baptist swoops into our Gospel reading as a reminder that we should be preparing “the way”, preparing our hearts for Christ’s coming, and while his words leave us with lovely images of smooth and straight paths, I tend to overlook what’s necessary to make “every mountain and hill” low and to chisel down the rocky paths of my own life. That doesn’t just happen. It takes discipline and, more importantly, time in prayer to discern what areas of my life need work.

John the Baptist goes on to give clear directives about what the people should do in preparation for “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” He mentions that people who have plenty should give freely to those who have none, he tells tax collectors to not collect more than prescribed, and he instructs people to avoid extortion. This calls for me to consider what I need to do to welcome our Lord into the world. What can I do to better point others to Christ? As John the Baptist says in John 3:30, “He must increase; I must decrease.” How can we make sure that Christ increases, and we decrease in this season? I, for one, plan to do this by searching for Jesus in each interaction I have this Advent season, whether that be in conversation with a flustered student or a gracious host of one of those holiday parties. By doing so, I hope that I’m ready to recognize our Lord when he breaks through the darkness on Christmas morning.

Dear Lord, prepare my heart for your coming.

The Third Sunday of Advent First Reading Zephaniah 3: 14-18 Shout for joy, daughter Zion! sing joyfully, Israel!

Be glad and exult with all your heart, daughter Jerusalem!

The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.

On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, Zion, do not be discouraged!

The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, Who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, Who will sing joyfully because of you, as on festival days.

I will remove disaster from among you, so that no one may recount your disgrace.

Reflection

by Gina Garcia While the whole of Advent is in eager anticipation of the coming of our Lord and Savior, the third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Unlike the other three purple candles on the Advent Wreath, the candle that we light on the third Sunday of Advent is pink to symbolize the joy and excitement of the coming of the Messiah.

This is also underscored in the first reading, “Shout for joy, daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, daughter Jerusalem!” We are reminded of God’s plan to send us a Savior, to bring the good news, a Savior who will come to save us for, “The Lord has removed judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear.” It is the promise that God the Father has made to protect His people to bring a new light and hope to all!

As we approach this third week of Advent, we are reminded of just how close Christ’s coming is and likewise reminded of the great Hope and Joy that accompanies our Lord’s coming and all that it symbolizes for us as Christians! God has turned from his judgment and anger and has invited us to turn over a new leaf. It is an invitation to dare to hope to become renewed in God’s love for us, through Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to turn from our sinful nature and to be filled with God’s hope and promise. It is a clean slate and a chance to begin again, with the arrival of Our Savior Jesus Christ.

The Third Sunday of Advent Responsorial Psalm Isaiah 12: 2-3, 4, 5-6 God indeed is my salvation; I am confident and unafraid.

For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation.

With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation, And you will say on that day: give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; Among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.

Sing praise to the LORD for he has done glorious things; let this be known throughout all the earth.

Shout with exultation, City of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!

Reflection

by Jeanne Bliss In this third week of Advent, I am filled with joy at the reminder that God is with us. He is here, in our midst, each and every day. Not just on Sundays and Holy days; not just when we are in need; not just when we seek Him out: “Shout with exultation…for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!” (Isaiah 12:6) I am also reminded of this year’s Salesian quote: “Whatever may happen, Lord, you hold everything in your hands…you will always be my hope and my salvation.” Isaiah reminds me that with God as my savior, “I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD” (Isaiah 12:2) God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid.

My strength and my courage is the LORD How beautiful and freeing is it that while in my human form, I will experience fear and I will lack confidence, and I can lean on God for both. I can ask HIM to provide that which I lack and long for. I do not have to muster that which I lack by myself, but rather rely on HIS strength, HIS might, HIS confidence, and HIS great power.

I am also reminded of the great glory that is the season of Advent - the time when we reflect on and prepare for the coming of a great love that would change the world forever. The opening words of the song, “For God is With Us” by For King and Country capture this great love beautifully: “Dare to imagine Dare to believe in A true love that gave us A brand-new beginning No room for a king No celebration and no ceremony In that little town, no, nobody would think This is the story of the coming glory Can you hear the prayers that people prayed?

Can you see the skies begin to break?

When Heaven and Earth were face-to-face Oh, how the world forever changed For God is with us.”

I lift my heart up to you, Lord, to thank you for the blessings you shower on me each day. You are the 'joy of my soul.' I know that in your great love, I am held and protected by you. I pray and listen to the good news you send; I ask and feel the healing. I am freed by you from the things in this world that let me hide from you. I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul. Help me to prepare my heart to be open and able to receive your immense love.

The Third Sunday of Advent Second Reading Philippians 4: 4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection

by Joseph Jacobeen Father Kieran was a monk at Belmont Abbey, where I attended college. He was an avid Notre Dame fan and a kind soul. I recall his friendly greetings, “Hello, Joe!” in his accent, a mix of Irish and old southern.

Father Kieran was one of the most joyful people I knew, even as he fought a long battle with cancer. One day I asked him, “Father, how do you do it? How are you so joyful all the time?”

He replied, “Well, Joe, sometimes ya’ just gotta’ choose it.”

“Rejoice!” St. Paul tells us. It is a command, a duty, a responsibility. When I find myself in a difficult situation—a distracted or unruly class, a stack of papers to grade, a difficult day, in short, when I would rather wallow and complain—this is God’s instruction to me: “Ya’ just gotta choose joy!”

Why? “The Lord is near!” As we draw close to Christmas, it is a reminder that God has drawn close to us. “The Lord” says the psalmist, “is close to the broken-hearted. The crushed in spirit he saves.” (Psalm 34:18) We can choose joy if we have trust in a Savior who meets us in our difficulties. Choosing joy is an act of the will, an act of trust, and it dispels the pain of my burdens. “Consider it joy,” writes St. James, “when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3) So, rejoice! “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

The Third Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading Luke 3: 10-18 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do?” He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.

Reflection

by Nicole DiLorenzo This passage resonated with me, especially as we approach the Christmas season. Our society has grown more and more materialistic, with each holiday season bringing a flood of advertisements urging us to spend, often leading to unnecessary debt. We lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas and our reason for celebrating Jesus.

While we should be able to enjoy some comforts, we should also be mindful of doing it in excess. In the Gospel, John advises the tax collectors and others not to indulge in excess but to give to those in need.

Living in an area with a visible homeless population, I am reminded of the importance of gratitude and humility. I frequently encounter homeless people who own just the clothes on their backs, which humbles me and breaks my heart. These frequent encounters have instilled in me a calling to offer support in any way I can, making even a small difference in someone’s life. This, I believe, is the very spirit of what John and God encourage us to do.

I often keep a box of clothes and other items in my car to offer to those in need. I also hand out unused gift cards, recognizing that they will serve the homeless better than they would me. John’s message is clear: The message was not to hoard and to only take what you need. It is our calling to share what we have with those who are less fortunate.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent First Reading Micah 5: 1-4a But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah least among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.

Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, Then the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel.

He shall take his place as shepherd by the strength of the LORD, by the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall dwell securely, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth: he shall be peace.

If Assyria invades our country and treads upon our land, We shall raise against it seven shepherds, eight of royal standing.

Reflection

by Kathleen McNutt My earliest memories of the Mass as a very young girl include the Sign of Peace. I learned quickly as I was sitting in the pew that the Lord’s Prayer was followed by the invitation to share a sign of peace – a handshake and the sharing of the word “peace” - with others. Turning to your neighbor in greeting, even with people I had never met before, was both educational and spiritual. Christ was teaching me to find Him in others, and to find peace in those exchanges. These early moments taught me the importance of a smile; that we are all part of God’s family; that Christ calls us to connect with others; and that He calls us to be and bring peace to one another. As an adult, it becomes more challenging to find the peace amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives. We can become consumed with anything but peace, whether it be an overload of social media, the frustrations of work or home needs, or struggles with finances or medical issues. How important it is for us to recognize the great distance that these material issues place us from God. We need peace – we need Christ, and thus, we need to remember to look for signs of peace throughout each day or be that sign of peace for those around us.

I am focusing this season on finding the Christ child in all situations, for through Him, we find peace. In Advent, we wait with longing, much like Israel waited for the promised Savior. This prophecy in the book of Micah is a reminder to me that God often works through unexpected places, people and situations, and that the gift of His Son is true peace. Let us welcome peace – the peace of Christ - into our lives, trusting that God’s greatness and His love extend to every corner of our world and every corner of our hearts.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Responsorial Psalm Psalm 80: 2-3, 15-16, 18-19 O Shepherd of Israel, lend an ear, you who guide Joseph like a flock!

Seated upon the cherubim, shine forth upon Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.

Stir up your power, and come to save us.

Turn back again, God of hosts; look down from heaven and see; Visit this vine, the stock your right hand has planted, and the son whom you made strong for yourself.

May your hand be with the man on your right, with the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.

Then we will not withdraw from you; revive us, and we will call on your name.

Reflection

by Lonnell Battle Psalm 80, written by Asaph, depicts a desperate plea for help from the chosen people of Israel, who have suffered a military defeat, this time at the hands of the people of neighboring lands. They feel God has turned away from them in anger. They long to have God’s shining face look down on them, save them, and light their way again. The vine is a metaphor for how God led them out of Egypt and planted them in Israel where their vine filled the land and grew strong, but now is unprotected and breaking down as others strip away its fruit. Because of their suffering, the speaker feels abandoned and seeks the return of God’s grace, saying, “Revive us and we will call on thy name,” and “Lord of hosts, restore us; let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” This psalm from the Old Testament speaks of the Davidic king as the man at the right hand of God who will lead them into battle. This foreshadows the birth of Christ, who will come to save all of mankind from his sins, die for our sins, and be seated at the right hand of the Father. Thus, it is well suited for the last Sunday of Advent, as we await the birth of Christ, our Savior.

Prayer: “Lord God, eternal shepherd, you so tend the vineyard you planted that now it extends its branches even to the farthest coast. Look down on your Church and come to us. Help us remain in your Son as branches on the vine, that, planted firmly in your love, we may testify before the whole world to your great power working everywhere.”

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Second Reading Hebrews 10: 5-10 For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in.

Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.”

These are offered according to the law.

Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Reflection

by Megan Brown During Advent, we all await with great anticipation for the manger, the angels, the shepherds and the wise men. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews invites us to think about the meaning and purpose of Jesus’s life and mission. The baby in the manger will eventually grow to become the suffering servant who takes on the sins of the world. In this way, the image of the crucified Christ serves as a reminder that Advent is not just about looking forward to Christmas, but about preparing us for the Incarnation, which will eventually lead to Jesus’s death on the cross and Resurrection.

In this reading, Christ tells us that, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”. Christ’s obedience to God’s will as opposed to the ritual sacrifices of the Jewish Law are emphasized. Instead of the Law, we must look to the cross, to see the best example of love. As Advent comes to an end, let us pray to grow in obedience to the will of God just as Jesus lived His entire life in faithfulness to the will of God. May we have the courage to say to our heavenly Father, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”

The Fourth Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading Luke 1: 39-45 During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to the town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Reflection

by Catherine Boyle This passage from Luke 1:39-45, holds a beautiful lesson for us as Catholic educators seeking to guide students spiritually. When Mary journeys to meet Elizabeth where she is, we see the power of meeting students to meet our students where they are—recognizing their unique paths and challenges. By doing so, we help them feel seen, supported, and valued, creating a foundation for them to explore their faith more deeply. Just as Mary’s presence brings joy and comfort to Elizabeth, we too can offer our students encouragement, helping them see God’s presence in their lives, even when it might feel distant.

Elizabeth’s response, filled with joy and recognition of God’s work, reminds us how powerful it is to help students recognize moments of grace in their own experiences. Many students may not yet fully grasp how God is moving in their lives. By creating a space for them to reflect and explore, we help them see that divine presence more clearly, often in the ordinary moments.

Mary’s deep faith in God’s promises can inspire us to encourage students to trust in their own journeys, especially when the road ahead feels uncertain. While we may not hold all the answers, we can offer our students an example of trusting fully in God and his plan, even during trying times.

The bond between Mary and Elizabeth highlights the importance of community. We’re called to create an environment that models the Holy Family - a community where students feel they can find strength in each other. By creating this environment, we help students understand that they are part of something bigger–a community of believers who encounter God in one another. In our role, we are more than educators; we are companions on their spiritual journey, helping them discover and nurture the divine within themselves and others.

Loving God, Thank you for the gift of guiding young hearts, especially during this Advent season of hope and expectation. Help me to meet each student with compassion, reflecting Your love and presence in their lives. May I create a space of faith, trust, and joy, where they feel safe to grow closer to You and to prepare their hearts for Your coming.

Amen.

Christmas Day First Reading Isaiah 52:7-10 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the one bringing good news, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, saying to Zion, “Your God is King!”

Listen! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, For they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD’s return to Zion.

Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem!

For the LORD has comforted his people, has redeemed Jerusalem.

The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; All the ends of the earth can see the salvation of our God.

Reflection

by Rebecca Vaccaro In a letter to a friend written from Tegel Prison in 1943, Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes Advent thus: “Life in a prison cell may well be compared to Advent: one waits, hopes, and does this, that, or the other – things that are really of no consequence – the door is shut, and can only be opened from the outside.”

This sense of being trapped and helpless, but of also waiting in hope for the gift of a joyful release, is echoed in the Psalm 52. Jerusalem is in ruins, a city seemingly under siege, whose sentinels search the distance for a salvation they cannot bring about on their own. And then they see Him, “the one bringing good news, / announcing peace, bearing good news, / announcing salvation.” Their patience has been rewarded; their hope is replaced with knowledge and sight of a long-awaited salvation.

This salvation, which brings joy, comfort, and redemption with it, is the message of Christmas. Yes, our lives may be in ruins. We may feel desolate, besieged, helpless, abandoned. But the reality of Christmas is that there is still good news for us, not somewhere out in the distance or sometime in the future, but now. And that good news is not simply a hope or a dream, but a reality.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember that You are our hope and our salvation. You have already saved us, even when it feels like we are alone. Allow this Christmas season to be a time of spiritual freedom and joy for us all. Grant us the ability to recognize and accept the truth that “because of His salvation, we may no longer desire God as if He were lacking: our redemption is no longer a question of pursuit but of surrender to Him who is always and everywhere present. Therefore at every moment we pray that, following Him, we may depart from our anxiety into His peace.” – W.H. Auden, For The Time Being: A Christmas Oration

Christmas Day Responsorial Psalm Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done marvelous deeds.

His right hand and holy arm have won the victory.

The LORD has made his victory known; has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations, He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness toward the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth; break into song; sing praise.

Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy to the King, the LORD.

Reflection

by Paige Johnson Psalm 98 appeals to an English teacher because there is so much to unpack: plot and context, imagery, foreshadowing, and just about every other literary device. Sing to the Lord a new song… is familiar to most of us, like the Magnificat (My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…) Maybe it’s because they both exclaim the greatness of God, and both have the phrase “holy arm” in them. Mary’s tone in the Magnificat is one of surprise, wonder, and humility. Psalm 98 was written by some psalmist in the desert, praising God for victory in battle, or for the Jews returning from Babylonian exile. The psalmist might even be David. Much like a modern song with verses, a refrain, and a bridge, Psalm 98 is a call to action (sing a new song to God), a reminder of how great God is and all the things he has done or will do, then a call to action again (break into song, sing praise), and then–and if this were a modern song there’d be a key change here–the amped-up repeat of the call to action: get out a harp, a lyre and a trumpet and just go crazy. The thing that stands out the most is just how happy it all is– David, or whoever wrote this, was just so incredibly thankful and awe-struck. And unlike Mary, David was a pretty flawed person. Still, he loved God and he didn’t just say a discreet thank-you prayer and get on with it, he wrote thank-you poetry that had no equal in the ancient world, and it called us to “burst” into song. Bursting into song isn’t passive, perfunctory, or obligatory, like so many of our thank-yous to God. And it wasn’t just a private act of devotion, either: the psalmist here commanded others to join him. I think sometimes we have the idea in our heads that worship should be private, discreet, and quiet. I love how the psalmist, in this psalm that is in the Christmas Mass in all three liturgical cycles, says: “Be Joyful! Praise God with everything you have and really make some noise!”

Lord, help us to be grateful and awe-struck, and to encourage gratitude in others, especially our students. When we are tired or overwhelmed, help us to want to burst with praise and thanksgiving.

Christmas Day Second Reading Hebrews 1:1-6 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

The Son Higher than the Angels Messianic Enthronement.

For to which of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?

Or again: “I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?

And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says: “Let all the angels of God worship him.”

Reflection

by Mary Briody This is it! Christmas Day—Jesus’ Birthday! On most birthdays, the celebration centers around the individual, but today, it’s more than just about celebrating Jesus. Christmas is a gift for all of humanity. By entering into human life, Jesus gave us all the opportunity to experience God's love firsthand. As believers, we receive this gift with gratitude, benefiting from the birth of Christ, who is the ultimate “team player.”

This reading from Hebrews reminds us that, just as teachers strive to find many ways to reach their students, God also used various ways to communicate His message before the birth of Jesus. In ancient times, God reached out through visions, voices, and other signs. Although these were partial glimpses of His divine message, they were enough to guide humanity forward. This reminds me of a lesson I learned early in my teaching career from Sr. Pat McCormack, IHM, EdD, who encouraged us to “throw lots of mud at the wall” in the hope that some of it would stick. Her advice was a call to persevere, reminding us that no student will absorb everything all at once, but progress is still progress. Just as God used various ways to communicate before Christ, we teachers must persistently reach out, knowing that each small connection can help students understand.

However, unlike those earlier messages, Jesus is not a mere messenger or intermediary—He is the perfect image of God! He embodies God’s full message without the need for interpretation, free from any “image editing.”

As Catholic educators, we are called not only to impart academic knowledge but also to model lives of faith. When my children were younger, my husband and I developed a habit of reminding each other with two simple words posed as a question—role model?—whenever one of us was about to act in a way we wouldn’t want our kids to imitate. It was our gentle reminder that our actions speak louder than our words. In the final verse of this reading, we are reminded that angels and saints offer us models of holy living, but Jesus stands above them all. Though superior, He humbled Himself to walk in our shoes, showing us how to live in a way that brings us closer to salvation. Through His humanity, Jesus brought God’s love down to earth, deepening our relationship with Him in a way only Christmas could make possible.

Dear Jesus, Happy Birthday! Thank you for showing us how to live with love, humility, and faith. Help us to be role models for our students, not only in our words but in our actions. May we build meaningful relationships with each of them, treating them as we would wish to be treated. Amen.

Christmas Day Gospel Reading John 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said,l ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.

Reflection

by Tim Guy Where does the story of our salvation in Jesus Christ truly begin? Do we begin, as Luke’s gospel does, with the angel’s appearance to Zechariah and Elizabeth, announcing John’s birth? Or perhaps we start later, as in Mark’s gospel, with John’s encounter with Jesus at the Jordan River. Maybe the story begins somewhere in between, with the birth of Jesus, as Matthew’s gospel suggests.

Or do we begin even earlier?

Each of these three gospel’s include lines of prelude that harkens back to a time before the events unfolding in each of these first chapters. For example, Matthew’s account of “how the birth of Jesus Christ came about” begins with a genealogy stretching back through a lineage of Abraham and David in three times fourteen generations. And Mark’s recounting of the announcement of John’s birth first recalls Isaiah’s prophecy of a messenger “crying out in the desert ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’.“ But John goes even further—further back than the Jordan, further than the birth of Jesus, further than the angel’s visit to Zechariah, Isaiah’s prophecy, or Abraham himself. John’s gospel reaches into the infinite and unchanging, setting the stage for a narrative that goes beyond our human comprehension.

John’s opening lines are among my favorite passages from all of scripture. John begins at the beginning.

“Glory be to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”