Happy First Sunday of Advent

Today marks the day we begin the Church's new liturgical year. We celebrate the First Sunday of Advent! It is hard to believe how quickly time is flying by. The Advent Season is the time when we await the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ on Christmas. Advent comes from the Latin word for an"arrival" or a "coming." It is an especially joyful time with the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations. The radio began to remind us before Thanksgiving that Christmas was coming soon. Yet we need to remain in the moment -- we need to stay focused on the real meaning of the season. The real meaning is the coming of Jesus Christ into our hearts, homes and lives.

As we look on the Advent wreath let us remember that each candle symbolizes one of the four Sundays of Advent. Three of the candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles symbolize prayer, penance and preparation and the rose one symbolizes rejoicing. Each week we light a candle to remind us of the journey to Christ's coming. Each day try and remember to take some time to "prepare the way of the Lord!"

Sr. Pat

Happy Thankgiving ( a day early)

This year of 2010, Thanksgiving is falling on November 25th. That is very meaningful to all Ursulines around the world. On that day 475 years ago, St. Angela Merici and her company of St. Ursula gathered to sign the book and dedicate their lives to good. So it the 475th Anniversary of our Founding!!!! We definitely have many blessings to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day and Ursuline Anniversary Day.

I look at the two pictures above-Angela and her woman gathered together and the Disney characters are gathering together. Then I reflect and think about how many of us will be gathering with others to celebrate life, share our blessings and show gratitude to God and others for our wonderful lives. The importance of Gathering was present in 1535 and is present today in 2010. Enjoy your Gatherings!!!!

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu

A Future and A Hope

Right now, I have a lot going in with my three ministries-supervising teachers of students with special needs, teaching a graduate course titled Children's Literature at Fordham University, and working on my dissertation in Language, Literacy and Learning.

I keep coming back to the following quote that my novice director, Sr. Alice Moran, osu shared with me when I was received into the Ursuline community in September 1997.

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord-plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

What is my future, dear Jesus?? I can't wait to see the hope and goodness.

Sr. Jeannie, osu

Kindness and Generous Love of God

But when the kindness and generous love

of God our savior appeared
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy.....

These words come from today's Scripture Reading- Titus 3:1-7. They immediately spoke to me. First of all, I need to remember that there is the kindness and generous love of God. It is out there for me to grab hold of and experience. However, it doesn't happen no matter how good I am or what I do, accomplish, write, or speak. It comes to me because of God's mercy. How powerful and wonderful that is! I must remember that as I try to "do it all" today. Getting it all done correctly doesn't matter. Last week, Sister Ellie quoted words she once received from her spiritual director-You don't always have to give it your best-you sometimes just have to do it!!!

I'm going to try to remember all this today as I get ready for school and a meeting of fellow high school alums tonight.

Sr. Jeannie

Peace

Right above my desk is a poster picture about Peace. The following words are found all over it in different fonts and colors.

For all the children, peace is possible,
grow it (create plans for peace at home, school, workplace)
BE IT (Live in peace with everyone)
picture it (focus on a vision of God's peace)

Shouldn't somebody be doing something about the violence in our world? Are there options beyond fight or flight to the violence-the emotional verbal or physical behavior that dominates, diminishes and destroys us and other. Yes, there is purpose and belief.

It is a great poster to be looking at everyday and it's the reason I work so hard at all I do. I want the world to be a better place for children.


Let's keep working to have Peace in our homes, streets, neighborhoods and hearts.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu