Seasonal Reflections

Readings: Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent | USCCB 

Today’s readings describe two families, each preparing for the arrival of their first and only child; children whose miraculous conceptions are announced by angelic messengers. Both children will have a role in the salvation of Israel and ultimately the salvation of all the world. Sampson “will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines,” while John the Baptist “will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” The story of Zechariah and Elizabeth is familiar, and its relationship to the coming of the Christmas season is readily apparent. The relationship of Sampson’s story seems more obscure.  

We know from scripture that Sampson was given extraordinary physical prowess—allowing him to kill many Philistines, the oppressors of Israel during that time. Sadly, his great physical strength was not matched with great moral strength. Throughout his life, Sampson is violent and licentious. His moral weakness leads him into an illicit relationship with Delilah who repeatedly betrays him. Eventually, through Delilah’s treachery, the Philistines enslave, torture, and ultimately exhibit Sampson at a great feast. It is here that Sampson implores God to restore his great strength so he might avenge himself and die with his tormentors. God grants his prayer and on that day the leaders of the Philistines and Sampson die through his destruction of their temple.   

What are we to make of this odd story, especially as an advent reading? One way to read the story is to recognize that God is active in the creation of each person, and that we are created for a purpose. Like Sampson, our refusal to live in accord with that purpose often leads to misery. But even when we are the authors of our own misfortunes, also like Sampson, God loves us and hears our prayers.  

Teresa Collet, Professor at the Law School 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Monday of the Third Week of Advent | USCCB 

I ask myself, and others, the following question with regularity: In which instances does God call me to stand for justice, and in which instances does God call me to demonstrate mercy? Today’s readings provide clarity rooted in the Most Holy Name of Jesus.  

From the First Reading and Gospel, we learn Jesus’ name is both “The Lord our justice” and “God with us.” Applying the little I remember of math class in junior high, if Jesus is our justice and Jesus is God with us, then justice is God with us. This definition of justice is not one I had considered before spending time in prayer with today’s readings.  

What if we considered justice under this Scriptural definition as opposed to our human desire for “fairness”? Surely, something would change. When we see serious crimes or violations of human rights, it can seem like God is absent from those sinful/evil situations and so we need to “take justice into our own hands,” and keep God out of the response; yet today, we are called to do the exact opposite.  

Inviting true justice, “God with us,” into our response likely results in a justice that looks a heck of a lot more like mercy than anything else, the mercy that God showed in sending Jesus to “save his people from their sins.” Thus, the two beautifully intertwine, answering the question I have long struggled to answer. 

Will Peterson, Director and Founder of Modern Catholic Pilgrim 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Third Sunday of Advent | USCCB 

For this third Sunday of Advent, we are reminded of God’s ultimate intent of bringing his people back to wholeness, to a new creation- to heal the broken hearted, to give sight to the blind, to bring liberty to captives. In other words, the Lord wants to go right to where we need him most in our lives, where we are most weak and in need of what only God can provide. This is God’s plan. And yet this plan gradually unfolds; not suddenly and easily.  

John the Baptist is the figure that gets highlighted this week every year. He is that bridge figure, anticipating what is to come, preparing the way of Jesus who does the healing and liberating. Maybe the invitation for us is to open up in our own lives where we need his healing and redeeming grace most. Where we feel weak, we can feel confident that the Lord wants to make us strong. But we can also see ourselves as John the Baptist figures. The spirit of the Lord is upon us as well- just like Isaiah, just like John the Baptist. The spirit of the Lord is upon us, and we too are called to be agents of that healing and liberating love in our own corners of the world. Let’s be on the lookout for those opportunities to heal the broken hearted, to bind up wounds, to give sight to the blind and free the captives in a way that only you and I can do in our own spheres of influence. That is our mission in this new year. Let us say yes! 

Father Christopher Collins, Jesuit Priest and VP for Mission at St. Thomas 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Saturday of the Second Week of Advent | USCCB 

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.  

The psalmist gives us a beautiful prayer today, asking the Lord to get our attention and then to save us with His gaze. I am always astonished by the truth that God is pursuing me. Every day, He extends invitations for me to notice Him, to turn to Him, and to see His face, which saves us. Far too often, I am caught up in my own tasks and fail to notice that He is calling to me. Thankfully, the psalmist today reminds us that we can ask God to make us turn to Him. We can ask for an increase in His calls for relationship.    

Today, I invite you to notice the ways God is making you turn your face toward Him. How is He trying to get your attention? Perhaps a classmate asks for your help, a beautiful sunset stops you in your tracks, or you are given a moment of peaceful silence. No matter how God reaches out to you today, I pray that when He seeks your face, you can turn to Him and rest in His loving gaze.   

Elizabeth Bina, CSMA Graduate Student 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Friday of the Second Week of Advent | USCCB 

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reprimands us for our lack of response to his ongoing invitation:   ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’  Advent offers us an opportunity to respond to Christ’s invitation to strengthen our relationship with Him through the liturgy and prayer practices proper to the season.  

One of the practices is the lighting of the Advent Wreath, which is one of my favorite family traditions.  During this busy time of the year, it is a moment of pause and reflection; shared with those dearest to my heart.   

When my children were younger, we would gather at my mother’s house to share a meal and light the Advent Wreath which my mother had in the living room.  The children would rush to pile up on the couch, elbowing each other to make room.  My mother would bring the bible forward, each reading lovingly marked, to make it easier for the children to find the correct scripture passage.  The youngest child would hold tightly onto the candle snuffer, eagerly awaiting their turn to participate in the celebration of light.  As the children grew older, they scoffed a little when asked to read a passage or light a candle; but softened when they saw their younger siblings read.  My heart would warm to see them gathered around the wreath, reading the sacred scriptures, and sharing this solemn moment.  When lighting the candle, my husband would assist as they tried time and again to click the lighter fast and hard at the same time; finally admitting they needed dad’s help. For one quiet moment, the candles were lit, and the room softly illumined by the glow; it seemed like peace on earth.   

The advent wreath, as many other treasured traditions in Advent, is an opportunity to respond to God’s invitation to prepare our hearts and pass on the faith. May we all find ways to respond to Christ’s call through the opportunities given to us Advent.  

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.    

Shereen Bance, Graduate Assistant with Campus Ministry 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church | USCCB  

This past weekend I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Basilica of St. Mary Cathedral Choir, and the piece of music that impacted me most was Dark Night of the Soul by Ola Gjeilo. This work is a musical paraphrase of the profound poem, Noche oscura, written by the 16th century mystical doctor of the church, St. John of the Cross. A portion of the text reads: 

On that glad night, 

in secret, for no one saw me, 

nor did I look at anything, 

with no other light or guide 

than the one that burned in my heart. 

St. John of the Cross proposes that we darken our senses, and trust in the light that God has fused into our hearts; this concept corresponds directly to the opening passage of today’s first reading, 

I am the LORD, your God, 

who grasp your right hand; 

It is I who say to you, 

“Fear not, I will help you.” 

The quieting of our senses, or more importantly, the quieting of our own wills, can be uncomfortable and often painful. However, the practice of trusting in God’s will for our lives (and for those we love) yields an incomparable sense of peace and purpose that fans the flame within our hearts as we journey toward union with our Creator. 

“What happens on a very dark night? Look up, and suddenly, look at the stars, I did not even know they were there. The stars now shine with a particular brilliance because the other lights have been lowered. If I darken my ordinary way of perceiving, now that which stands beyond this conditioned finite world can begin to shine.” – Bishop Robert Barron 

Dr. Jacob Benda, Director of Music, Liturgy & Sacred Arts and Organ Area Professor

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr | USCCB 

December 13 is the traditional feast day of St. Lucy, a young woman who was tortured and brutally murdered in the first decade of the fourth century for refusing to betray her faith. 

Very few of us have suffered to any great degree for what faith we have, and we may rightly wonder if, like Lucy and many other women in Christian history, we would have the strength and courage to endure a deadly trial. Perhaps we would not. 

The readings for today, from Isaiah and Matthew, seem appropriate for a martyr but they are really chosen for us. I doubt that any of us will face the trial that Lucy did, but don’t we all face smaller trials? To have faith in God is to choose to trust him, to trust him to know what he is about, to trust him to really care for us, to accept the strength he offers, and to believe him that everything will be right in the end, despite the brokenness in the world around us. 

But I think that Isaiah and Matthew call us to an even deeper trust, in which we do not lose our lives for God as Lucy did but imitate her in living our lives for God. Accepting martyrdom is a great surrender but entrusting our lives to God is a life-long surrender. 

Isaiah writes to reassure the people of Judaea that their forced exile in Babylon will end and that they will return to Jerusalem, that the God of Abraham has not forgotten them. More directly, Jesus invites us to trust him and to re-shape our lives. But this requires us to surrender what we think we want for what he assures us is something better. He invites us to believe that this new way of living he offers, which seems to be such a burden, is in fact a relief. 

In the end, the trial that you and I face is the same one that Lucy faced so long ago. Can we accept the invitation, as Lucy did, no matter where it leads? 

Bob Kennedy, Professor in Catholic Studies  

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe | USCCB 

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe who appeared to native Juan Diego five hundred years ago. Her presence and significance are celebrated not only in Mexico, but in all Latin American countries as she is the patroness of the whole continent. 

The readings from Zechariah, one of the options for today, speaks of rejoicing, joining as a people, and of silence in response to God’s presence. 

The Church sings and rejoices today, because through Mary, God has dwelt among us. Our Lady of Guadalupe has been a tangible sign of God’s presence and love to all, especially those most vulnerable. Nations have joined in their love of Our lady, who offers her protection and company amid the daily struggles and sufferings of the people. This love is expressed today in the festive celebrations throughout our country as well. 

Juan Diego was speechless as he encountered Our Lady, who appeared with the splendor spoken by the book of revelation, clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet. There is a sense of awe and amazement as we stand before her, which calls us to a profound silence. In her humility, with her fiat, she has brought Christ to the world, and she continues to promise her protection and presence to all as she says to us the same words as she did to Juan Diego, “do not be afraid, am I not here, your mother?” 

May we, like Juan Diego, stand in awe of Our Lady and be grateful and rejoice for the gift of her fiat to the Lord. 

Marta Pereira, Associate Director of Campus Ministry 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Monday of the Second Week of Advent | USCCB 

God, the Creator of all things, brings forth water in the desert, nourishing abundance. From flowers and songs to reeds and papyrus, we hear that growth and joy spring forth from dire challenges like desert drought. These verses teach us of an ever-present God, Creator of all things, that nourishes. Strength and rejoicing return after weakness, after challenges. 

Yes, our God will save us, that is what God proclaims all along. Psalm 85 speaks words of peace and kindness, where glory dwells with people who fear God. But perhaps fear is not about being frightened, but rather bewildered at how big God is, how abundant and wonderous our Creator can be. We see this in how the Bible teaches interconnectedness between people, land, air, water and living things across the ages. 

“We have seen incredible things today” the scribes and pharisees commented. They said these words after a person who could not walk moments earlier stood up, took their mat and walked away. Jesus models justice through healing and the men who brought the paralyzed man model agency and faithfulness. The text says the healed person walked away glorifying God. Perhaps the scribes and pharisees also received some healing in their noticing of God doing things bigger than they imagined, amongst people they couldn’t imagine. 

Where have you seen incredible things today? What have you noticed in nature that points to a God of abundant love and healing? Where have you felt awe over incredible things? Breathe fresh air, drink clean water, smile at a stranger, listen to the birds, feel the sunshine, delight in a friendship, rest in prayer. In a weary world, God is still with us bringing hope, nourishment, and abundance often where we least expect it. Take time to notice the ever-present Christ in our daily lives. Amen. 

Heidi Ferris, EDLD Student and Sustainability Office Intern 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Second Sunday of Advent | USCCB 

Every Second Sunday of Advent, the Church offers us the figure of St. John the Baptist to guide us. John the Baptist stands as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. The Gospel, in fact, presents him as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’” The Prophet Isaiah’s words were intended to be a hopeful message to the Israelites in exile, promising that the Lord God would come and lead them back to Zion by removing any obstacle and leading them as a shepherd guides and guards his flock back home. John the Baptist fulfils this prophecy by identifying himself with that voice that speaks the promise. Jesus fulfills the promise as the Word who accomplishes this return, who is the Good Shepherd himself, who will lead his people back to the Promised Land of Heaven and eternal life in God. 

But this preparation, by which “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low” no longer takes place in the far-flung lands to which Israel was exiled. It takes place in the human heart. This is why John “baptized with water,” is a sign of repentance. The mountains and valleys of the heart are made level when we recognize our sinfulness and our need for a Redeemer. We re-enter the Promised Land when Christ comes and baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, the spirit of God, who does not just call us to repentance, but gives us the possibility of sharing in a new life, the life of the God who created and redeemed us, and who calls us into a new life, inaugurated by the Word of God who became man so that we might be become sharers of the divine nature. 

Father Austin Litke, O.P- Dominican Priest and Professor in Catholic Studies 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry.