Friday, December 28, 2007

Holy Family

I was asked to write a reflection for the Feast of the Holy Family coming up this Sunday to be posted on a different website that promotes a CD that students from Saint Mary's are created, which is all about Mary. Since I haven't posted on here for awhile, I figured I'd share this reflection with you, may as well get something on this blog! Well, here it is:


This time of year presents us with many beautiful opportunities to reflect on the life of the Holy Family. This Feast of the Holy Family commemorates the life and love that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph shared, but we also remember them at Christmas. Think about the great love and joy that Mary and Joseph experienced at the birth of their son! This was no simple family vacation though, for they had to place all of their trust in God. When Mary was first approached by Gabriel she had to trust in God’s promise that the newly conceived child would be the promised Messiah. Joseph, in turn, had to trust Mary about this miraculous conception. Joseph was also asked to be the protector of a child who was not fully his, but with a grace-filled heart he loved Jesus as his own. In protecting his family, Joseph had to trust when an angel told him to flee to Egypt away from the vengeance of Herod.

We may, ourselves, experience struggles within our own families, especially as college students returning home for an extended break during the holidays. The Holy Family provides us with a perfect model of trust and love. In all that we do we are called to trust in God’s promises and His will, just like Mary’s “yes,” especially as we proclaim the Kingdom of God to our loved ones around us in our simple words and actions and to those we do not yet know, as Jesus taught people in the temple as a child while his parents searched for several days to find their son.

Today we are the ones searching; we hope to find serenity and love in our busy, worldly lives. Again and again God calls us to trust. As beloved adopted sons and daughters we are a part of this holy family. All we need to do is to run to the arms which once held Jesus close in tender and loving embraces, as a child and also after the crucifixion, as our salvation was won for all of us.

God Bless you and your families this holiday season.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Blessings

I have the most amazing friends ever! I received a Christmas card from Sister Josie today, and everything she has to say is so beautiful! I become full of joy whenever I read anything from her! It was such a blessing to grow closer to her last year, but this year we can also grow together in our faith through prayer and being united in the Eucharist, but also through the letters we exchange. PS: Sister Josie is a postulant for the Nashville Dominican Sisters.

Tonight I went to the Great Hunan with friends, and at first I thought it was going to be only 7 of us, but then three other friends also decided to join us, it was spectacular! One of my friends I haven't seen for quite some time, so it was great to share a meal with him. And of course the food was delicious!

I go home tomorrow... that's so weird! It seems like I was just home for Thanksgiving break. It'll be a nice break though, no more philosophy! Praise God! I'll read books that I want to read! And I get to work on lesson plans for a "mini-course" I'm teaching for religious ed. The Catholic Churches in Winona have partnered up and offer city-wide rel. ed. classes that the students can choose which topics to go to. So this course is only 6 weeks long, piece of cake! I hope anyway.

Ok, I have three more pages to finish of this Kant paper, and I want to be done with this class, so I need to finish it!

Our Lady of the Streets, Pray for us!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

mmm Jazz

Sometimes I could just sit and listen to jazz all day long! It just moves the mind and the soul! I was attempting to finish up a paper for my Moral Theory class on the examined life, but I think I've been getting caught up in the music! I'll finalize the paper later, I still need about one more page, blah! Anyway, soon I'm going to head to the chapel for some nice prayer time, since it is Sunday after all! Lately I have been reading the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, and I simply love it! The words come alive and are so pertinent to my own life as well. Plus it is great for the Advent season!

I've been slowly able to get over my anger and hurt from what I wrote about in my last blog. A friend commented on it, and though I did not read the comment until today, it is so true. Thank you John! I have some wonderful friends who are so joy-filled and inspirational; no stupid comment can get in the way of my true friendships. God has blessed me with so many new friendships this year, or even getting to know people better. My three roommates and I have grown so close this past semester, and I absolutely love being goofy with them and laughing. Last night after a small attempt at the previously mentioned paper, Hannah came into the family room and we talked and laughed for probably an hour! It was a great way to end my Saturday night.

Today is Gaudete Sunday, whoo hoo! It is time to rejoice and praise God for the gift of joy prevalent in my life. Only one week and a day left of Advent; crazy, huh? Alright, time to get going to the chapel.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

I am so mad! I usually don't use blogs to vent anger... but tonight I feel it has to come out. AHHHH So, I learned that some seminarians think that I (and two other friends) always have crushes on seminarians. I talked to one I knew wouldn't think this, and who kinda leaked the info out (except the names), and he said it's because of my (our) reputation. We hang out with seminarians a lot, so clearly that must mean we're trying to get one of them out. AH I could scream. Praise be that this friend does not believe this. He said by knowing who I am, he knows this is NOT the case. duh! People hang out with their "group" of friends based on common interests and beliefs, and clearly we're all Catholic, which is a huge part of our lives. I enjoy being able to talk about faith and the Church, and with other people, you just can't do that with others who don't express the same passions.

It's really hurtful that someone would think this about myself and my friends. Is this the reason why one of our "friends" won't hang out with us anymore? AH that is so stupid. I think they need a dropkick of humility. AND they need to flippin talk to us about it, instead of gossiping like little school girls with other guys in the house. I thank God that I have at least one guy who defends us. I need to stop dwelling on this, although it will be difficult. Prayers would be nice, thank you.