Advent Reflection Book 2024

ADVENT 2024

100 Years of Faith A Father Ryan Journey Through Advent

Father Ryan High School

Introduction As we enter the Advent season, we invite you to prepare your heart for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

We have gathered a series of daily reflections from our students, faculty, and staff, accompanied by the daily readings, to guide you through this season as we await Christmas.

Over the past 100 years, the Father Ryan High School community has been centered in our Catholic faith. This Advent Reflections book allows our community to grow closer in our faith every day, continuing to live out our mission -- to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging our students to reach their spiritual, academic, and personal potential.

The Father Ryan Prayer Written by Father Luke Wilgenbusch ’11 Heavenly Father, we gather as Your loving children, thankful for the many blessings and relationships forged in these 100 years of Father Ryan High School. Grant us always the grace to nurture faith, to pursue knowledge, and to serve others with charity.

May Your light continue to inspire and guide the entire Father Ryan community in this time of honoring the past, embracing the present, and looking to the foundation for the future with hope.

Amen.

ADVENT 2024

2

Daily Readings December 1 - Jeremiah 33:14-16 | Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 | Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 December 2 - Isaiah 2:1-5 | Matthew 8:5-11 December 3 - Isaiah 11:1-10 | Luke 10:21-24 December 4 - Isaiah 25:6-10a | Matthew 15:29-37 December 5 - Isaiah 26:1-6 | Matthew 7:21, 24-27 December 6 - Isaiah 29:17-24 | Matthew 9:27-31 December 7 - Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 | Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8 December 8 - Baruch 5:1-9, Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 | Luke 3:1-6 December 9 - Genesis 3:9-15, 20 | Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 | Luke 1:26-38 December 10 - Isaiah 40:1-11 | Matthew 18:12-14 December 11 - Isaiah 40:25-31 | Matthew 11:28-30 December 12 - Zechariah 2:14-17 | Luke 1:26-38 December 13 - Isaiah 48:17-19 | Matthew 11:16-19 December 14 - Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 | Matthew 17:9a, 10-13 December 15 - Zephaniah 3:14-18a | Philippians 4:4-7 | Luke 3:10-18 December 16 - Numbers 24:2-7 | Matthew 21:23-27 December 17 - Genesis 49:2, 8-10 | Matthew 1:1-17 December 18 - Jeremiah 23:5-8 | Matthew 1:18-25 December 19 - Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a | Luke 1:5-25 December 20 - Isaiah 7:10-14 | Luke 1:26-38 December 21 - Song 2:8-14 | Luke 1:39-45 December 22 - Micah 5:1-4a | Hebrews 10:5-10 | Luke 1:39-45 December 23 - Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 | Luke 1:57-66 December 24 - 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 | Luke 1:67-79 December 25 - Isaiah 9:1-6 | Titus 2:11-14 | Luke 2:1-14

ADVENT 2024

3

Week 1 December 1 - December 7

ADVENT 2024

4

December 1 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars...” (Luke 21:25)

Reflection Author: Mary Caitlin Spining ’15 English Teacher | Campus Ministry What comes to mind when you think of God’s justice? Fire consuming poor sinners in hell? God smiting sinners with an illness or some misfortune to force them to repent? Unfortunately, we are conditioned to live in anxiety about God’s justice.

However, it is God’s justice that is the source of peace. Who wants to live in a world where injustices are dismissed, a world where good deeds are overlooked and evil deeds are rewarded? Perhaps that is how the current world operates, but that is not how God intended it to be.

God is a just judge who takes all of our life circumstances into account. God’s justice is so perfect that He sees the evil committed against us and has pity on us. He sees how we have been hurt by others; thus, He knows that we sin because we are hurt.

When others hurt us, God isn’t sitting up in the sky and complaining, “Look at My Son on the cross. He forgave the people who crucified Him. Why can’t you forgive the person who hurt you? What they did is not even that big of a deal.”

This is certainly not the voice of the Lord. He is so perfectly just that He never minimizes our sorrows.

He gives us permission to be upset. While He does ask us to forgive those who hurt us, forgiveness is only possible by recognizing that the action was indeed unjust and selfish. In prayer, take a moment to imagine the Lord sitting beside you. Lay out all of the hurts of life to Him, all the ways that others have hurt you.

Picture Him looking at you with eyes full of compassion. He reassures you, “That was not okay. I did not want that to happen to you. I will give back what that person has taken from you; I will restore peace and wholeness to your entire being. Turn to me, and you shall dwell in safety.”

ADVENT 2024

5

December 2 “He said to him, ‘I will come and cure him.’” (Matthew 8:7)

Reflection Author: Francisco M. Espinosa, Jr. Father Ryan High School Principal As we enter into the season of Advent, a time of great preparation in our lives, we are called to be open to the Spirit with great anticipation as we plan to welcome the birth of Christ.

In today’s Gospel passage from Matthew, we hear a story of the Roman centurion who approaches Jesus with great faith, asking for healing of his paralyzed servant.

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”

The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”

In my desire to ascertain a deeper relevance and meaning of this Gospel passage, my initial focus is on the vulnerable action of the centurion. Despite his position of authority and his role in the Roman army, he approached Jesus with unabashed humility, saying, “I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.”

Indeed, it was providential for the centurion to recognize the need to elicit God’s help for his ailing servant and not allow his status to get in the way of his evolving faith. And as a result of his faith-inaction, it was evident that his formation was rooted in the belief that Jesus could heal his servant with just a word; he did not need physical proof or even Jesus’ physical presence in his home.

As we journey through our season of Advent, let us focus on the humility and faith of the centurion.

The expression of faith in Jesus invites us to trust in God’s power, even when we cannot see or feel it directly. Certainly, this season can be filled with great labor and stress; however, we are not alone, and our call to practice humility by acknowledging our own limitations and our need for others, rather than acting out of pride or self-sufficiency, allows us to serve God and others as they deserve. We believe that God’s grace and healing are always available to us.

While this Gospel teaches us that God’s power knows no limits and that faith can transcend any boundaries, whether cultural, religious, or personal, it serves as a reminder that we do not need to be perfect to receive God's grace. By acknowledging our need for Him and trusting in His authority, we open ourselves and those we care for to His healing and transforming love.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for the example of faith in the centurion who recognized Your authority and trusted in Your word. Grant us a faith that humbly believes, even without seeing, and trusts fully in Your power to heal and renew. May we remember that You are close to all who come to You with sincere hearts, and may we grow in our confidence in Your grace and mercy. Teach us to bring our needs to You with the same faith, knowing that You hear us and respond with love.

In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

ADVENT 2024

6

December 3 “And from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (Isaiah 11:1)

Reflection Author: Libby Burns ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior The first line of the reading describes a sprout, shooting up from an old stump. The sprout grew a branch and produced much fruit. Think about that. A sprout grows from a stump and bears much fruit.

There is so much beauty in that.

We all experience loss in our lives, at some level. Loss can come in all shapes and sizes, including failure, change, disappointment, endings, and the list goes on. Maybe you’ve lost your innocence, maybe your parents got a divorce, maybe you lost a loved one, or maybe you drifted from a friend. I’m sure you can identify with some type of loss in your life, past or current.

Think of these losses as a stump. Once there was a prosperous tree there, but now all that’s left is the dead stump. The stump serves as a constant reminder of the absence of what once was. Sometimes it’s tempting to ignore the stump and forget the tree even existed. But, through faith and perseverance, something new and vibrant can arise from the remnants of the past. Even if your stump never sprouts, it can still be learned from and appreciated, bringing wisdom.

The image of the sprout rising from the stump represents resilience and reminds us that even when things seem to have come to an end, there is potential for new beginnings and fresh starts. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the epitome of death bringing new life. Through God’s grace, we too can be renewed. God works in mysterious ways, and His power and love can foster our personal growth, even from the most unlikely places.

ADVENT 2024

7

December 4 “The Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food...” (Isaiah 25:6)

Reflection Author: Jack Connors Theology Teacher | Campus Ministry Early each December, my mother and grandmother gather on a critical day to participate in a sacred family tradition. From dawn to dusk, they toil, flour and sugar slowly coating every inch of the kitchen, making hundreds of different Christmas cookies that will be feasted on for weeks to come. There are age-old family recipes, new experimental additions, chocolate, sprinkles, caramels, candies: goodness galore. The tradition culminates on Christmas Eve in what can only be described as an outrageous yuletide smorgasbord. All the remaining cookies are heaped onto a tray in a kaleidoscope of colors and sugar, an outrageous hoard that looks like it warrants some sort of sucrose dragon to guard its riches.

As dinner concludes, the confectioner’s cornucopia is presented to the table where it sustains attack after attack until one by one, each member of the family throws in the napkin and accepts that they simply cannot eat a single cookie more. This indulgent extravaganza always ends in a cookie and milk-induced stupor and a deep sense of contentment and belonging. You are home surrounded by loved ones, absolutely stuffed with cookies, and all seems good in the world.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 | 10:30am Father Ryan High School | 700 Norwood Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 What is it about food that it can change us so powerfully? A smell can take us back to a cherished memory. A Celebrating our monthly All-School the Advent season. single bite and we are transported to a different place andMass time. Aduring single Christmas cookie and we are home. A simple taste and we can feel the love that went into the meal welling up in our souls.

When we hear of Jesus miraculously feeding the crowds in Matthew’s Gospel, I think we get a glimpse of this culinary magic on a cosmic scale. The miracle is not simply that Jesus multiplies loaves and fish. The miracle is the truth that permeates the universe: God wants to feed us. Just like my mother and grandmother want to share their love for the family through cookies, God desires to feed us with a love that satisfies more than a simple hunger or Christmas craving. God wants to nourish us with a food, with a love, that satisfies the deepest hunger we have, the hunger to know we are loved. The hunger to feel the embrace of our God who created us for one purpose above all else, to love us and endlessly fill us with this love. As Isaiah puts it, On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations.

He will destroy death forever.

This Advent, I hope that each of us can go home to the table of our God and allow Him to feed us with the love that will transform our entire lives. A love that, much like Christmas cookies, can teach us what it means to be truly home.

ADVENT 2024

8

December 5 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Reflection Author: Alex Tinker ’26 Current Father Ryan Junior Today’s Gospel reading gives a very true life lesson. In it, Jesus uses the parable of the wise man who built his house on solid rock to explain that when you listen to and trust in the word of God, you have set yourself up for success. He also says that a foolish man who builds his house on sand is like a person who hears Jesus’ teachings but does not try to follow them.

Throughout the Gospels, we are constantly reminded that God is the foundation on which we should build our lives. He needs to be at the forefront of our every action and decision. I was once told that when you put God as your first priority, all your other priorities will fall into place. However, once you start to focus on other priorities (like schoolwork or friendships) more than God then you will likely overlook or forget about Him. Today’s Gospel also reminds us that we are called to not only hear God’s word but also to act on it. This can be especially hard for us when God calls for us to go outside our comfort zone. An example of this could be stepping in and speaking up for what you believe in when others might not feel the same way.

This connects very well to a verse in the book of James that says, “Faith without works is dead.”

How can we call ourselves good Catholics if we do not show it? We must not be shallow in our convictions, but instead, let them know we are Christian by the acts of love we perform. What are some ways you can act upon the teachings of Christ during this Advent? How can you build your life with God as your foundation?

ADVENT 2024

9

December 6 “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” (Matthew 9:29)

Reflection Author: Savannah Smith Theology Teacher | Campus Ministry Do you believe that He can do this?

Today, in our Gospel reading, we read of one of Jesus’ miracles: the healing of two blind men. Before performing this miracle, Jesus turns to these men and asks the question, “Do you believe that I can do this?" Jesus does not need their belief but desires their belief. The same goes for us.

It can be tempting for us to overlook God’s deep, personal, individual love that He has for each of us. It can be easy to brush off this love and categorize it as a general love for humanity. But, the reality is that God’s love, desire for our goodness, and ability to provide in our lives are unsurpassable of our understanding of love.

I think so many of us have faith in God. We know that God loves us. We know He has our good in mind.

But, do we believe it? Do we walk in the belief that we are sons and daughters of a God whose heart oozes for love of us?

Every one of our hearts carries within it a blindness, a wound of some kind, a cross we carry, doubts we have about the goodness of God. I encourage you today, with whatever you may be struggling with, to believe that God can heal you and provide for you. That God is indeed a good Father, who can do all things.

As the Psalm tells us, “The lowly shall again find joy in the Lord.” I pray that today and every day you may fully surrender your cross to the Lord and find the sweet comfort and joy that He so deeply desires to give you. Can you believe that He can do it?

ADVENT 2024

10

December 7 “At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them...” (Matthew 9:36)

Reflection Author: Colton Gibson ’26 Current Father Ryan Junior In today’s Gospel reading, Matthew tells of Jesus and the disciples traveling around from town to town teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus sees the crowds and sees that they have no leader, He feels pity for them and immediately sends out His disciples instructing them to “cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.” Jesus sees that His people are lost and in need of a Savior. He calls upon those who have already been saved to go out into the world and find the lost sheep of Israel.

Today, Jesus’ call to heal and evangelize is more relevant than ever. There are still so many people in our world waiting to be cared for and brought to God, and it is our job as Catholics who know of the good news to answer the call to serve God and bring His lost sheep to Him. Although this type of service is extremely needed in our world, it is often overlooked as it can be easy for us to live our lives unconcerned that people in our community need our help and care. But, this is not what we are called to do.

We are called to love. We are called to bring others to Him and to teach them of the Kingdom of God. We are called to shepherd others to God’s abundant love and mercy. I think for so many of us Catholics it's easy for us to only view this call as a call to be missionaries in foreign lands to people who have never heard of Christianity at all.

The reality is we are called to evangelize and spread God’s love every day to all we encounter. I’m sure we all have family and friends in need of God’s love and it is our job to teach them the good news, just as we were taught, even if it's just by witnessing our actions.

ADVENT 2024

11

Week 2 December 8 - December 14

ADVENT 2024

12

December 8 “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths...’” (Luke 3:4)

Reflection Author: Shellie Braeuner ’83 Theology Teacher When I was a younger person, I loved being on stage, but I was really very shy. Whenever performance time rolled around, I would be there, half-frozen in the lights, too terrified to remember my lines.

Then I would hear it: My father’s cough.

My nerves would calm, and I would go on. I knew that voice even better than I knew my own. He didn’t have to say a word. Just his voice reminded me that I was not alone.

I was loved.

Our voices say so much more than just the words they carry. Tone, inflection, volume, and even cadence can let us know the speaker’s mood or intention. The simple word “yay” can carry with it the hopes for an entire football team, or it can be uttered sarcastically when opening that itchy wool sweater with the giant dinosaur on Christmas morning. (Sorry, Grandma!)

Today in Luke, we hear about a different voice. This is the voice of John the Baptist, crying out in the wilderness. His voice calls us all to “make straight his paths” to the Lord.

To Jesus.

To the Word of God. John the Baptist was that voice.

Because, when you think about it, before there can be a Word, there must be a Voice.

One that we all know well.

That reminds us we are not alone.

We are loved.

ADVENT 2024

13

December 9 “For nothing will be impossible for God.” (Luke 1:37)

Reflection Author: John Michael Simpson Theology Teacher Each Advent I try to embrace an attitude of spiritual and personal growth: How can I receive Christ this Christmas? How can I be God’s instrument in bringing Jesus into the world? Will I allow my life to be shaped by God’s mission?

I find the Mass readings to be a great starting point for these questions. As we saw in last week’s Scripture readings, God has been preparing His people for the coming of Christ for a long time-- even when we did not know it! Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. At first glance, it might seem that the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary does not belong in this season during which we are preparing for the birth of Jesus. However, at the heart of Mary’s role in salvation is the secret of our own calling: we need to be transformed by God’s grace!

Yes, we need to prepare for Christmas, but it is not we who are preparing for God. It is He who is preparing us! Our Lord made Mary in a state of grace without Original Sin. Mary was being prepared from the first moment of her life to be the mother of Jesus, the Mother of God. By this grace, God prepared Mary for the moment in today’s Gospel when the Angel Gabriel invited her to be the mother of Christ.

Mary was transformed by the grace she received from the Word of God the Father, became the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and embraced the call to be the mother of Jesus, the Son. God gave Mary the grace, and in that grace, she responded.

So, how can we receive Christ this Christmas? How can we be God’s instruments in bringing Jesus into the world? Will we allow our lives to be shaped by God’s mission? Know that God has given us the grace to do His work in bringing Jesus into the world. Like Mary, God’s presence should be real and should dwell within us! We should have something mysterious, sacred, and alive deep in our hearts yet unseen to the rest of the world.

In prayer today, may we invoke the grace God has given us and ask for the courage to respond like Mary with simplicity and faith: “I am the handmaid of the Lord!” Let us ask for that grace to be renewed and to renew our confidence in God’s purpose for us, “For nothing will be impossible for God.” (Luke 1:37)

ADVENT 2024

14

December 10 “Every valley shall be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low.” (Isaiah 40:4)

Reflection Author: Ellie Maxwell ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior In our lives, we all have valleys and mountains. Valleys are the parts of ourselves that we don’t particularly like, the things we hide away or try to ignore. Our mountains are our accomplishments, the things we are proud of and want other people to see. Often, we allow our mountains and valleys to define us. The mountains are what set us apart from others while the valleys hold us back and make us feel ashamed for our faults. However, the Lord sees beyond the highs and the lows. He sees the real you, every fault, sin, and mistake along with every triumph, virtue, and success. He will exalt your valleys and make them worthy of heaven because He knows we’re all worthy of heaven despite our pitfalls. He will also topple our mountains to guide us in humility and keep our hearts from attaching to worldly things.

This is not to say that God does not want us to have our joys and successes or be perfect and never make mistakes. He wants us to live our lives and love doing it… but only after loving Him first. If your relationship with God is at the center of every decision you make and you recognize that your successes are because of the talents He has given you, then you’re leading a life worth living, one meant for heaven.

You will find your valleys becoming a little less deep because God is holding your hand through the hardship. Your mountains will be just as high, but they won’t be just your mountains anymore; they’ll be God’s mountains too.

So how can you apply these principles to your daily life more? How can you turn your thoughts more consistently to God, through the highs and the lows and everything in between?

What does it really mean to love God first? To have Him at the center? I think one of the first steps is to determine what your valleys and mountains are. Once you do that, it becomes easier to find and enhance where God is already in those things.

ADVENT 2024

15

December 11 “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Reflection Author: Delaney Fegan ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior The Advent season and the holiday season are difficult for a lot of people. There is stress over travel, seeing family, getting gifts for loved ones, and, for students, EXAMS. Studying for exams and buying gifts for loved ones can feel very stressful. But, this reading helps focus our minds on the one constant: Jesus. It explains that when we bring our burdens and our stress to God, He gives us rest.

Christ brings us rest and peace through the chaos of the holidays and the chaos of our daily lives. When we surrender it to Him and fix our eyes on Him, God will grant us His peace. In addition to talking about how we find peace and rest in God, this reading also talks about learning from the humble heart of Jesus.

Jesus lived his life humbly and found peace in the little things. This reading is perfect for the holiday season since it reminds us that through the chaotic times, we can still find peace through prayer.

Today and this Advent season, I invite you to surrender your worries to Jesus. Take after our Lord and humbly find peace in the little things.

Take time today to reflect on the ways Jesus has loved you well in this Advent season.

ADVENT 2024

16

December 12 “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Reflection Author: Kate McGee Theology Teacher Happy feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Her story is one of my favorite examples of how the Lord is always reaching out to us, to every single one of us, to invite us to be in relationship with God and with one another.

Today’s first reading, though written about two thousand years before the apparition at Guadalupe (the Lord is reaching towards us from the fulness of time!), helps explain the feast: Zechariah writes, “Many nations will bind themselves to the Lord on that day,” and that is OLG’s request as well. Although the Spanish had brought Catholicism to Mexico, they were not actively including the indigenous people in their worship. Our Lady asks Juan Diego to take that request to the bishop: build a church where are all welcome. The bishop refuses, asking for proof, for a name, for seemingly impossible flowers in December.

Juan Diego returns to Our Lady and she levels up the bishop’s requests: rather than local flowers, Juan Diego finds Catalan roses from the bishop’s hometown in Spain. Having gathered the flowers in his tilma, Juan Diego delivers them to the bishop. Where the flowers touched his cloak, there is a beautiful portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, including both Spanish and Aztec imagery. This portrait was not painted or sewn; microscopes in the modern era show that the image is floating above the cloth. Over the years, the portrait has been attacked with both acid and bombs but has not been harmed. What accounts for this? In Zechariah’s words, “the Lord […] stirs forth from his holy dwelling.” God comes to meet us where and when we are, not only through the Incarnation, which we anticipate this Advent but also through miracles like those experienced by Juan Diego.

When I made my own painting of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe, included here, I tried to format it to show the true Catholic teaching on miracles, which unfortunately many people explain in a way that causes confusion. All miracles come to us from God. The roses and the miraculous image aren’t the work of Juan Diego or even OLG, they are the work of the Lord.

ADVENT 2024

17

December 13 “I, am the Lord, your God, teaching you how to prevail...” (Isaiah 48:17)

Reflection Author: Harper Adamson ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior Oftentimes in my life, I will catch myself getting so caught up in life all around me, that I get very distant from God. These are always the times when I feel the most stressed or exhausted by the world around me. In the Bible verse from Isaiah chapter 48 verse 18, it states “If only you would attend to my commandments, your peace would be like a river.” I feel this deeply in my own life.

When my life gets very busy with work, school, or sports and I feel as if I am struggling, I don’t give God the time he deserves. When I treat others how God does not teach us to, I feel distant from God. But when I hear him or feel him reaching out to me still, I feel peace. When there are hard times you experience in life, turning to God can make such a change.

Your life can feel so much more complete and smoother when you give everything to God. Before going to bed each night, I talk to God about what I need help with in life at the time. But after that, I think about how many difficult moments in my life ended up being okay. That was due to God answering my prayers.

When we follow God, he shows us how to live in a peaceful way.

He completes our life if we just give it to him.

Think of how you could give your life to God right now.

How can God help you right now?

What can you do in your day-to-day life to make time for God?

ADVENT 2024

18

December 14 “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come...” (Matthew 17:11-12)

Reflection Author: Sam Brown Theology Teacher I grew up in the small town of Gallatin. At least, it was a small town when I was raised there. As children there, most of our expectations of our future did not extend beyond the confines of this sleepy county seat of Sumner County. In the winter of my third-grade year, 1973, our town filled with excitement as the Gallatin High School boys basketball team, led by a great coach, won the State Championship. I vividly recall the celebrations that ensued and the parade welcoming the State Champions back home. The players on that team instantly became local legends. I can still name the starting five players on that team. In the years that followed their graduation, the success that those players enjoyed in high school did not necessarily transfer to some of their lives off the court.

As a result of poor choices, even though they were not bad people, some of them began to take on some vices that led to them running afoul of the law at times.

Years later, I was on the Gallatin High School basketball team, playing for the same coach when we had a practice that I still remember as having an impact on me. Coach stopped practice and told us all to sit in the bleachers so he could talk to us. He asked us if we remembered the State Championship team of 1973. Of course we all did, and spoke of how awesome that team was. He said he wanted to tell us about a team he coached that was even better. He told us about his first team he coached there which had a record of 1 win and 25 losses. We all sat there puzzled as to how he would say that team was better. He then went on to explain how the guys on that team went on to be good, high-character people after high school, noting that one was a doctor, one was a minister, one a teacher, and all had become good husbands, fathers, citizens, and men of faith. He explained to us that what was most important to him was our future as young men and that he would feel successful as a coach if he could later see that we were being good people, striving to live a type of life that God had planned for us. As a 165-pound 15year-old, with my tube socks that wouldn’t stay up and my hair that wouldn’t stay down, I sat there in the bleachers that day and began to ponder my future and what type of husband I would be, what type of father I would be, and how I would grow being a child of God. Today’s reading features the prophet Elijah. Elijah once went in a cave hoping to find God in thunder and lightning, loudly proclaiming his presence, but instead finding God in a quiet, gentle whisper. Our expectations that we may look at and hope for as success or accomplishments may actually end up as being a simple surrender to the person God wants us to be, with no accolades pursued.

Advent is a time when we begin to see God’s face in those we live with, work with, and those we meet along the way. I find myself surrounded by blessings in the form of those I encounter whom I feel God has put in my life, including my coach when I was a teenager. I have a beautiful wife whose love of her Catholic faith made me fall more in love with her. I have two amazing children and an adorable grandson. All of this a realized future that I did not see as a teenager.

Our practice that day taught us that a true champion does not have to attain accolades, but instead take on each day with our eyes on the prize of eternal life with God.

ADVENT 2024

19

Week 3 December 15 - December 21

ADVENT 2024

20

December 15 “Shout for joy, daughter Zion!” (Zephaniah 3:14)

Reflection Author: Jonathan McGee ’99 Theology Teacher The liturgical calendar makes me laugh. Ordinary time? What is ordinary of this life other than the numbered days? Good Friday? Good for me? Yes! (Not so much Jesus, though.) Advent? Slow down, wait, and prepare? Church leaders, did you see when you put these days? Right smack during exam time for schools like ours. I mean, c’mon!

The readings for today, Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday, are also hilarious. It’s as if the divinely inspired text knew that a small, Christian community two thousand years later would need to hear and express the same questions posed. What student is not begging like the tax collectors in their classes, “Teacher, what should we do?” What faculty is not turning to administrators stating, “What should we do?”

Parents, like the soldiers, “And what is it that we should do?” A most humorous time of year for sure!

Yet, in a time of waiting, waiting, and anticipating many things, joy bubbles up out of sadness and stress.

Zephaniah centers us on remaining joyful. “The Lord has removed the judgment against you,” and God “will sing joyfully because of you!” Rejoice, education matters. Rejoice, the grade, not so much. Hard to hear for sure in the moment, but one that remains. What high schooler remembers the grade they received in a sixth-grade test?

Will the same not be true in twenty years from now on this time?

John the Baptist takes us further in how to respond joyfully to one another in this season of stress, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” This zealous cousin of Jesus reminds me to take no more than is needed and be at rest with what is given. The student will give what they have. The teacher will grade with grace. The parent will mediate as best they can. In the end, there is something greater for us to look forward to.

As difficult as it is this day, let us claw and dig for joy. We have been baptized by the water! Soon, and always, one mightier is coming to baptize with Spirit and fire.

ADVENT 2024

21

December 16 “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Matthew 21:23)

Reflection Author: Nate Watson ’26 Current Father Ryan Junior How many people, especially Christians, hide behind false humility?

Whether out of laziness, cowardice, or virtue signaling, we all can undoubtedly recall some time when we avoided God’s plan for our lives or tried to make ourselves look better through empty and false selfdeprecations. This habit is especially insidious because it masks itself as a virtue and thereby causes great harm to the person doing it and everyone around them.

As St. Jerome points out, this is exactly what the Pharisees are doing. He says, “This godless party therefore make answer, and by a seeming humility of speech confessing that they know not, turned to hide their insidious designs.” The Pharisees, driven by cowardice, pretend to be humble and do not say what they know, and in return, Jesus does not say what He knows, either. To other people, false humility makes us appear obnoxious.

To God, it serves as a stumbling block to Truth, as it did for the Pharisees. We all recognize pride as a sin, but we also must recognize excess humility as pride. The Way lies in the middle ground.

ADVENT 2024

22

December 17 “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

(Matthew 1:1)

Reflection Author: Louisa Bateman Theology Teacher | Campus Ministry Like most little girls, my three daughters had a very major Disney princess phase. In addition to watching Disney princess movies on repeat, we also had princess sheet sets, towels, costumes, pajamas, toys, lunch boxes, and even a Disney princess bicycle. One night while tucking them into bedprobably after reading a princess book- I asked them, “Did you know YOU are all princesses?” They either laughed or shook their heads in disbelief.

I explained to them that they were daughters of a King, which made them princesses. My oldest exclaimed, “Daddy’s not a King, Mom!” I said, “No, Daddy is not a King, but Christ is King. You are His daughter, too, which makes all of you princesses.”

They were still too young to fully grasp what this meant, but I still remind them of their royal heritage today when I remind them, “You are a beloved daughter of the King.”

Today’s readings account for the genealogy of Jesus, of the descendants who came before Him. These readings remind us that Jesus was like us in our humanity and that His mission was to become fully man to save us from our sins. Jesus’ own family members were both sinners and saints, but He came to save us all. Let us approach the manger of Jesus with the sacred knowledge of our royal heritage.

We are sons and daughters of the Most High King! O come, O come, Emmanuel!

ADVENT 2024

23

December 18 “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.” (Matthew 1:20)

Reflection Author: HannahMaria Dixie ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior Advent is a time of reflection as we wait on Christ to fulfill His promise as Our Savior. Jeremiah highlights that God has promised to “raise up a righteous branch for David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.” During this time of reflection, we are called to open our hearts and minds as we anticipate his arrival.

The scripture says, “In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name to be given him: The LORD our justice.” These words remind us to bring all of our doubts and hardships to Jesus and allow him to reveal Himself to us, just as the land of Judah and Israel had to put their faith in the coming of Jesus to save them.

In the Gospel, we are taught the genealogy of Jesus and Joseph’s willingness to accept Jesus as his son. Joseph was confused and frightened when he learned that Mary was pregnant without relations.

The angel of the Lord said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.” Joseph’s trust demonstrates to us how God will take care of us even when we can’t see the bigger picture. This passage teaches us to be patient and to be obedient when walking in faith.

We are encouraged to use this time to apply this teaching of trust and faith in Jesus in our own lives and to praise God for our salvation. Furthermore, we are called during this time of celebration to strengthen ourselves spiritually and share the good news!

ADVENT 2024

24

December 19 “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.” (Luke 1:7)

Reflection Author: Laura Kutsko Theology & English Teacher In today’s Gospel, both Zechariah and Elizabeth, two faithful but seemingly “ordinary” people, receive news from an angel that they will have a son. This child was a miracle that had, up to this point in their lives, seemed impossible.

Zechariah is too amazed to believe the promise, quite possibly because he knew that the great Abraham had been granted a child in his old age many centuries before. It may have seemed unbelievable that God had plans for Zechariah as great as those He had for Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish faith.

Many of us would react in the same way. We are simple people trying to do God’s will, but how could He possibly make use of us in a way that would change the course of history?

Believing that we can be instruments of God (as Elizabeth, and eventually Zechariah, do in this Gospel) is necessary for our work as a part of the communion of saints. We will likely never know while on earth our exact role in God’s divine plan, but we have to trust that He will make us worthy of the work He needs us to do and that nothing is too wonderful for Him to accomplish.

As we journey this Advent, may we seek to accept joyfully the role we play in bringing about God’s kingdom, and dare to believe that He can and will use us for good beyond what we can comprehend.

ADVENT 2024

25

December 20 “But she was greatly troubled at what was said....” (Luke 1:29)

Reflection Author: Lagan Bain ’26 Current Father Ryan Junior Today’s Gospel recounts when the Angel Gabriel came to tell Mary that she was going to be the mother of the son of God. The angel says, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

Mary is afraid and overwhelmed by what the angel is telling her. She is just a young girl who isn’t even married yet and will have to face judgment from her society, but she puts her trust in God and humbly says yes. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” She puts her full trust in God and demonstrates a selfless act of faith.

This Advent season, we can all strive to be as willing to God’s calling as Mary is.

Sometimes it is hard for us to put our trust in God, and the plan He has for us. We want to be in constant control of everything when God’s plan is greater than we can imagine. I know this is something I tend to struggle with often. I want everything to go my way and forget to listen to what God is telling me. When we trust in God’s plan for us, we are allowing His guidance and grace to fill our hearts and bring us to Heaven one day.

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, may we strive to open our hearts to the Lord and say “yes” to his calling in our own lives. One way we can do this is by praying. When we communicate with the Lord, it can help us to understand what He has in store for us and develop our trust in Him. Trusting in God means giving Him your full self and letting go of your problems even when difficult.

Practicing prayer will help to strengthen our relationship with God and develop our trust in Him.

ADVENT 2024

26

December 21 “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:45)

Reflection Author: Eric Francisco Technology Teacher | Student Clubs Coordinator “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.

Amen.” These are the words of the Catholic Eternal Rest prayer.

I have always had a problem with those words because why would someone “rest in peace” once they were in heaven with our Lord Jesus? Once I get to heaven, I will be singing and dancing! I get to celebrate forever with being with God! During this prayer, I always say the words “Rejoice in Peace” instead.

In the Gospel reading today, we hear how the infant John leapt for joy in his mother Elizabeth’s womb upon hearing Mary’s voice. He is rejoicing in anticipation of who is to arrive soon – Jesus. During Advent, we get excited when we see the twinkling lights on the trees and mangers decorating people’s lawns or windowsills.

Let us rejoice in our excitement of the birth of Jesus this Christmas.

“Our soul waits for the Lord, he is our help and shield. For in him our hearts rejoice; in his holy name we trust.” (Ps 33:20-21)

ADVENT 2024

27

Week 4 December 22 - December 25

ADVENT 2024

28

December 22 “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

(Luke 1:42)

Reflection Author: Chapman Smith ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior When Mary set out to travel to Judah, she entered the house of Zechariah and met with Elizabeth. When the infant leaped for joy, it showed us how Jesus had been holy since before He was born.

Elizabeth says, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” This shows Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and is helping her friend Mary. This relates to friendship because Elizabeth filled her friend, Mary, with the Holy Spirit.

Still to this day, we pray the Hail Mary which includes the words Elizabeth said. This can help us remember how we can also be filled with the Holy Spirit every day.

ADVENT 2024

29

December 23 “What, then, will this child be?” (Luke 1:66)

Reflection Author: Carolyn (Hansen) Schultz ’88 Campus Ministry Questions and waiting…

We are thinking now of all the things to come with Christmas. We are anticipating the joy and celebration of the birth of Jesus, and we all wonder what will come in the year ahead of us.

With all the wonder and questions comes waiting and patience. Just as Elizabeth waited for the arrival of her baby John, we all wait to see what will come into our lives and the lives of our family and friends.

We often wonder and ask what God has in store for us, but we must wait patiently for His plan to work.

We may pray constantly for what we want, but God knows what we need.

God will give us what we need.

“Rejoice” in God’s plans both for ourselves and each other. Surely Elizabeth was disappointed when thought to be barren; but, with God’s great love, she became a mother. Think of the disappointment Elizabeth felt and the patience she must have had when not knowing God’s plan for her life.

We do not know what journey lies ahead, but we do know that God loves us and will always give us what we need when we need it.

Know that God is here for each of us, and He is always open to our great joy and love for Him and each other.

ADVENT 2024

30

December 24 “And they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)

Reflection Author: Catlin Hagan ’25 Current Father Ryan Senior In today’s readings, a few things stuck out to me. One passage says, “Go, do whatever you have in mind.”

This means we should not sit back and wait to do what God is calling us to do. In this reading, it also says, ‘’He will establish a house for you.”

We can apply this in our lives by not worrying about the outcome.

We need to trust in God for the plan He has for us. We can do this by doing the little things right every day; and, if we do that, it will add up to something big in the future.

The main takeaways from today’s readings are to live in the moment and enjoy life every day!

ADVENT 2024

31

December 25 “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.” (Isaiah 9:5)

Reflection Author: Paul Davis ’81 Father Ryan President As I reflected on the readings for today, I was reminded of my recent trip to Rome. I had the opportunity to travel to Rome to witness the Ordination of Christian Hamrick ’17 as a transitional Deacon. While there, my group visited the four major Basilicas, including The Papal Basilica of Mary Major which for centuries was named St. Mary of the Manger. Below the Main Altar rests the reliquary crypt of the Manger of the Child Jesus. I have been reflecting upon these readings along with this opportunity to see firsthand the relics of the manger.

As you look at Isaiah’s descriptions of Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, it is difficult to imagine the Messiah born into such humble beginnings and after a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem briefly described by Luke which scholars say is a long, arduous journey over many days. The Wonderful Counselor is first introduced to shepherds in a stable surrounded by animals. The pilot episode of THE CHOSEN is titled “The Shepherd” and provides a beautifully plausible occurrence of what might have taken place on that night as these shepherds appeared in the doorway of the stable just after Jesus is born. The first time I watched this episode, I was overwhelmed with the images and possibilities.

When I was in Mary Major Basilica, I found many displays of The Nativity, and one display had a description alongside it with this explanation: “…This scene serves as an invitation to the faithful and visitors alike to rest, pray, and meditate on the mystery of Christ. The Holy Father Francis advises: ‘As we contemplate the Christmas story, we are invited to set out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman.’”

Our God who became man – what a beautiful gift to all of us, and all those names in Isaiah are so descriptive and so beautiful, yet my favorite is not included in that passage – Emmanuel - translated as “God with us.”

Every day I witness the many ways God is with our Father Ryan community as we strive to fulfill our mission to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging our students to reach their spiritual, academic, and personal potential. I pray you all have a chance in these busy days to reflect on the gift that is the Nativity. And know always that God is with us!

ADVENT 2024

32

A Blessing The Father Ryan Hymn | Imagined by Randy Lancaster ’83 Be thou near, or be thou far! Domine dirige nos.

Let this blessing, like a star, Domine dirige nos.

Shine upon thee everywhere! Domine dirige nos.

As we raise thy name in prayer. Domine dirige nos.

Go! then: shine thou bright and pure. Domine dirige nos.

If thou e’er shouldst fall, be sure, Domine dirige nos.

Home to us thy footsteps trace! Domine dirige nos.

We shall hold for thee thy place. Domine dirige nos.

And in many a holy hour, Alleluia!

As the twilight folds the flow’r, Alleluia!

We shall fold thy name in prayer: Alleluia!

“God’s light bless thee everywhere, Alleluia!

God bless thee everywhere!”

Amen.