Advent Calendar - December 8, 2012

Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38

Reflection by Sister Rebecca Ann Mathauer
Teacher, St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Indianapolis, Indiana

---

As I reflect on today’s Gospel passage, many things come to mind: peaceful waiting, uncertainty, wonder and awe, fear, trust, love, surrender. All of these describe what Mary and Joseph must have felt when they were asked to take on responsibility for this holy child. The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and says, “Don’t be afraid, for the Holy Spirit comes upon you and fills you with grace.” Don’t worry, the Spirit is with you, God will give you all that you need as you wait for the child to be born. God will give you what you need as you raise this child into adulthood.

I imagine what must have gone through Mary’s mind: Why me? Am I worthy? How am I going to do this? What will people think? What will Joseph think? What will my family think? What will happen to me? What will happen to us?

I think of what must have gone through Joseph’s mind: Am I ready for this responsibility? What will people say about Mary and me? Where will we go? We have no home yet. How will we raise this child? Where will we raise this child? Will we become outcasts? How will we do this?

In the midst of their fear and questions, their whole-hearted response to the call is a powerful reminder of what complete trust is all about.

Joseph takes his own leap of faith and says “yes” to Mary and this child. He could become an outcast and isolated from all that he knows; yet he takes the risk and takes Mary and this child to become a family. Mary, probably afraid of being ridiculed and sent away from her family and all that she has ever known, responds with faith and incredible openness as she says: “Yes, Lord, let it be done unto me according to YOUR Word.”

This story touches me more deeply with each year. The trust and depth with which Mary and Joseph respond to their call is something that I strive to learn in my own daily living. When I pray this passage each year, I am reminded of the wonder of God’s love for us. Though we don’t always understand God’s call at first, like Mary and Joseph, we are given the grace and the courage to trust in what God is asking of us. The challenge is to respond with peaceful surrender like Mary did.

Prayer:
Loving and most gracious God, as we listen for your voice and hear your call, may we respond with wholehearted trust, love, and peaceful surrender, as Mary and Joseph did. “Let it be done unto me according to YOUR Word, O God.” As we wait with patience and hope for the coming of Jesus this Advent season, may our hearts be filled with joyful anticipation. Amen.

Advent Calendar - December 7, 2012

Isaiah 29: 17-24; Matthew 9: 27-31

Reflection by Sister Anita Louise Lowe
Liturgist for the Sisters of St. Benedict

---

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus gives sight to two men who are blind. He then warns them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." This command has always puzzled me. Did Jesus really expect that these two, for whom he had just performed a miracle, could keep knowledge of their healing and their healer?

I tend to believe that Jesus’ reason for telling the two men to tell no one was two-fold:

1. to prevent an onslaught of miracle seekers, and
2. to place healing in its relationship with faith.

We know from other Gospel passages that word of Jesus as a miracle worker spread rapidly. Those who sought him did not always have the requisite faith. Remember Jesus’ trip to Nazareth when he could not perform many healings there because of the lack of faith?

In today’s passage, when Jesus cures the two by touching their eyes, he says, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” The level of the cure equals the level of their faith. The two men regain their sight because they had faith; they believed that Jesus could bring healing to them.

What is my level of faith? When I pray do I really expect God to answer? During this season of Advent, may we pray to increase our faith so that we may be ready to accept the healing Christ offers us and so that we may be ready to see anew that Christ is truly present among us—within us and within each person we meet.

Advent Calendar - December 6, 2012

Isaiah 26:1-6; Matt 7:21, 24-27

Reflection by Sister Doris Market
Monastery Services, Bakery

---

During Advent we are waiting for the LIGHT to come. We are reminded of this as the days get shorter and the number of days with grey skies increases. Christ is our light, and as disciples of Christ, we are to take the word of Christ and the light of Christ out to the world. We do this by nourishing our own faith, listening to God calling us and doing God's will in our corner of the world.

God lets us know in today’s readings that by listening to the Word of God and living it out in our life, day by day, we are the wise ones who are building our faith, our life, on Christ, our rock. Thus we are letting Christ's light shine as a beacon to those we meet who are searching for the LIGHT, the WAY.

In the scriptures we are given many rich kernels of nourishment for our spiritual lives. By repeating these images and words frequently during the day, we are "growing" our faith — a strong faith that is a sturdy brick and mortar house that holds up during the storms of our life.

Two such kernels of affirmations in today’s readings are from Isaiah 26:4, "Trust in God forever for God is the everlasting ROCK," and from Matthew 7:21, "The person who does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven."

• What is God’s will in my life today? This hour? 
• Do I truly trust that God is my ROCK, that I can depend on God for strength in whatever he is calling me to?

Advent Calendar - December 5, 2012

Isaiah 25:6-10a; Matthew 15:29-37

Reflection by Sister Sarah Cathleen Yungwirth
Learning Support Coordinator, St. Patrick Catholic School in Louisville, Kentucky

---

Both the first reading from Isaiah and the reading from Matthew’s Gospel speak of God abundantly providing for all that we need. Isaiah speaks of rich food, choice wines, and God wiping away every tear from our eyes. Then, in Matthew, a story is related of how, for three days, Jesus had been healing and helping many people experience God’s loving power in their lives. So, now, they were hungry and tired. Jesus said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd”. He recognized their humanness and met their needs by multiplying five loaves and two fish to feed the large group assembled in front of him. They were all satisfied and left with a physical, spiritual, and emotional fullness. There were even lots of leftovers! The joy and rejoicing in God’s abundant presence and love that followed must have been amazing!

Today, Jesus’ heart is still moved with pity for each of us individually and for the world. He longs to work in us and through us to be the grace that we so truly need. Then, all people can be satisfied and have fullness of life. We are each called to be the “loaves and fishes” that are shared so that all needs can be met abundantly. Questions this stirs in me include: How am I being called to be a healing and life-giving presence for others? How can I let go of my need to hold onto the things to which I cling, such as my time, schedule, or need to have projects go my way? Each of us is called to share our individual abundance with others. Then, there truly will be much joy as we live the kingdom of God here on earth.

Advent Calendar - December 4, 2012

Isaiah 11:1-10; Luke 10:21-24

Reflection by Sister Kathryn Huber
Spirituality Ministry for the Sisters of St. Benedict

---

"Christianity isn’t a failure; it just hasn’t been tried yet.” - Attributed to G.K. Chesterton, 1874 – 1936, British writer

Today’s first reading from Isaiah 11 presents us with a promise and a hope of justice, of peace and harmony between antagonists: lamb and wolf, baby and cobra, child and adder. We know the passage as the Peaceable Kingdom.Jesus came to teach us how to be free, and how to live in peace and harmony. He was free to love without reserve, to love the poorest of the poor as well as the rich young man. His freedom to love knew no limits because his trust in God knew no limits. Jesus challenges us to participate in God’s Work – as He did.
 
Hildegard of Bingen, our newest Doctor of the Church, writes, “Humankind, full of creative possibilities is God’s work. Humankind alone is called to assist God. Humankind alone is called to co-create.” It is our responsibility to help create justice, peace, and harmony. Not necessarily to produce these virtues in the world at large, but to create them in spheres in which each of us lives: family, workplace, civic and religious communities. How does my presence bring justice, peace, and harmony? Jesus’ way of life is both simple and profound. It does not necessarily require unusual behaviors on our part, but it does call us to live the usual unusually well.

Advent Calendar - December 3, 2012

Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 8:5-11

Reflection by Sister Briana Elisabeth Craddock, OSB
Teacher, St. Philip School, St. Philip, Posey County, Indiana

---

I spent the majority of my childhood in Southern California in the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys. Both areas are surrounded by mountains, and I spent a lot of time looking at the mountains and climbing the hills that made up the cities of my childhood. Even now, as an adult, I feel both a sense of security and a sense of awe when I visit my family in California and see the mountains stretched out before me. In today’s first reading, Isaiah tells us that the “mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain” and that “all nations shall stream toward it”. Mountains have an allure all their own, and as the “highest mountain”, the mountain of God would have a special attraction for most people. Unlike the mountains of Southern California, the purpose of God’s mountain is to be a place where people can go to receive instruction regarding ways to live justly and peaceably with one another. Perhaps the allure is not the height or the strength of the mountain, but the gifts God, who dwells on this mountain, can give to all of us. We seek peace. We seek healing. We seek justice. These are gifts that God provides. We just need to “stream toward God” as the nations stream toward the mountain.

What captivates me? Does it get in the way of what God can give to me? What am I seeking from God this Advent?

Advent Calendar - December 2, 2012

Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Reflection by Sister Jane Becker
Clinical Psychologist, St. Luke Center, Louisville, Kentucky

---

“There will be signs in the sun…People will die of fright…the heavens will be shaken…Beware…Be vigilant…”  John 21: 25-28, 34-36.

How strange! It always hits me as sort of odd that we start off the Advent/Christmas season with words about the end of the world. As we go through Advent the promises of what (or Who) is to come become more uplifting, but we start with a note of dread.

Perhaps this focus on the end times is to get our attention and to put the mystery of Christ’s birth in perspective. From the beginning of the universe until the end of time, no stranger thing has happened than God becoming human. Nothing more significant has occurred than the Creator coming to be one of us.

We need not plan on four weeks (actually, only three weeks and two days) of dread; we know that the celebration of a very happy event is coming. But we might try to “be vigilant” each of those 23 days, remembering for a moment each day the real importance of this Advent season: Jesus is born to each of us, Jesus the Light of the World and our Redeemer.

And Then a Miracle Happens . . . .

I like the Far Side cartoon where the guy is doing a math problem on the board.  The step before the final solution is, "And then a miracle happens."

I actually think of this quite often as I look at the events in my life.  There are things that have happened to me or steps I have taken that can only be explained by God's grace.

For example, I have no idea how I became a music teacher other than to say, "It was by God's grace" or "A miracle happened."  I had always desired to learn music, but didn't think I had any musical talent.  I really could not sing before I came to the monastery.  Lots of people say this, but I REALLY could not match pitch to save my life. 

I had never had piano lessons either, but then by God's grace, a miracle happened.  I have no idea how my fingers know where to go. 

Learning to play the organ is another example of God's grace.  The organ is a monster in and of itself.  I believe anyone who plays the organ has to have a calling.  It's like patting your head, rubbing your stomach, tapping your right foot and kicking with your left all at the same time.  How can anyone do this other than to say, "It is by God's grace."

I've put in countless hours of practice over many years.  I've also had lots of people put in countless hours to help me.  And all along the way, God's grace was continuously present and miracles popped up all over the place.