Last Sunday's readings for the 3rd Sunday of Advent had to do with PATIENCE. At least for me, that is how I felt God speaking to me. I consider myself a very impatient person, so it was a neat challenge.
Advent is all about waiting and waiting joyfully. How can we wait joyfully if we are not doing it patiently? Patience, it seems, brings true belief, a stronger conviction. As Christmas nears, I feel called to see what role "patience" is playing in my life. With an upcoming trip home, have I been patient enough to be to truly present to each Advent day?
Our Novitiate Community had a Desert Day this past Monday. I found it initially difficult to enter the desert day experience, after all it was only 3 days before heading home. Should I use some of my desert day to pack? Does anything need to get done before I leave? I put questions like these aside and asked God for the grace to embrace the desert day. God granted the grace in a beautiful way. My day was filled with reflection, prayer, walking around the beautiful property here at Mont La Salle, and even a nice conversation with Br. Alexius, who, approaching 90, is a man of deep faith, always seems to be in contemplation. It was a grace-filled day that also challenged me personally and allowed me to really prepare myself for spiritual direction, which was to take place on Tuesday (yesterday).
Yesterday, the novices headed to Berkeley for Spiritual Direction with Sr. Kathleen, our spiritual director. It was a powerful session for me that focused on the gift of love, especially the gift to give love whole-heartedly!
Today is Wednesday and it began as usual, prayer and mass. I found myself in deep prayer about love and my relationship with God. Another wonderful grace. After mass, it became "getting ready to go home day." This afternoon we'll have prayer, dinner, and our community Christmas celebration.
As Christmas nears and the Advent season fades, it gives me great joy. A joy to begin anew. The year will end. 1/3 of the novitiate year is completed.
Christmas will be a time for me to recommit myself to God in the joyous birth we await. In a sense, the waiting will end, and it will be time to act.
Act with hope. Act with faith. Act with love.
A Christmas resolution and a New Year resolution.
