Some say that God's timing is perfect, though these words can be hardly encouraging if you have been waiting for a long time for your prayers to be answered and the suffering just seems to continue without end. In today's Gospel, Saint Elizabeth gives us hope. After waiting and hoping for years and years to have a child, God grants her the miracle of a son, despite the fact that she is barren. Her response is powerful as she proclaims, "So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others." (Luke 1:25) There seems to be surrender in her words as she accepts this miracle in God's timing rather than in her own timing she had wanted. I have a friend who has been struggling with her husband around a very difficult and unique suffering in their marriage. It has been a constant struggle for them for many many years, and only recently it seems as if the Lord has been bringing them gradual yet powerful healing. Recently, I mentioned to her how she probably wishes that this new freedom would have begun to happen many years earlier. She responded in seriousness and truth. "But ya know," she said, "if this had happened sooner, we wouldn't have really known ourselves." Despite their deep pain, this experience has deepened their own knowledge of themselves, has allowed them to more deeply know God, and also to more deeply know each another. To me, it sounds similar to the surrender and praise of Saint Elizabeth as she too accepted God's mysterious timing. Personally, I don't always feel like God's timing is perfect. But if I am honest with myself, I can see how the sufferings God allows us to bear often also accompanies great graces and opportunities for growth and learning that perhaps we could not have otherwise received. I do not know the kind of suffering you bear. I do not know what it is that you hope and pray for that perhaps you have been wanting for many years. But I do know that you are not alone. You are surrounded by sisters who are with you in prayer and in the waiting. Let us us journey together hoping in God who hears our prayers and fulfills His Word at the proper time. [bctt tweet="You are surrounded by sisters who are with you in prayer and in the waiting."] Perhaps we could insert our own names into the line of today's Gospel and pray with hope as we hear God saying also to us, "Do not be afraid, (insert name here), because your prayer has been heard." We can have faith and hope that God's timing is perfect and He is with us as we persevere in the waiting as well. Mary Catherine Craige enjoys spending her time creating art, writing, and playing her Irish harp. She uses her experience as a Montessori teacher and catechist to serve young children through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. As a life coach for business leaders, she encourages and challenges women in all walks of life to more deeply discover their purpose and live their full potential. You can find out more about her here.

In today’s Gospel, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were facing incredibly challenging positions. I can only imagine the inner turmoil both Mary and Joseph must have felt. At the first moment when the Angel Gabriel greeted Mary, she was troubled, but he reassured her saying, “Do not be afraid.” (Luke 1:30) After listening to Gabriel’s words and absorbing their meaning, Mary surrendered to the will of God completely. Likewise, Joseph was troubled about the situation with Mary. He must have anguished over the best lawful way to respond and decided to divorce Mary quietly unwilling to expose her to shame. But God spoke to Joseph and again we heard, “Do not be afraid.” Joseph, too, surrendered to the will of God and immediately did as he was asked. (Matthew 1:20) I find Mary and Joseph’s faith and trust in God both inspiring and intimidating. Frankly, it scares me because I know that is the same kind of trust I am called to have in God and sometimes I feel so far from it. Too often, I am scared to open myself completely to God because I am afraid of what He may ask of me. I know that life is not perfect and that we all will have crosses to bear, but I fear just what those crosses may be. I feel like a kid in school sitting in the back of the classroom hoping that the teacher doesn’t call on me to answer a question. When God asks, Who will surrender themselves completely to me? I don’t want to raise my hand. However, I also know that is no way to live. When we choose to love someone, we also accept the challenge of loving them through the good and through the difficult. The same goes with my relationship with God. I don’t want to be afraid to love Him. I don’t want to hold back. I don’t want to be afraid to say, I am yours, Lord. Use me as you will. [bctt tweet="I am yours, Lord. Use me as you will. // @bobbi_rol"] As we begin this third week of Advent, let’s open our hearts more fully to God. Take some time to ask yourself if there is something you are holding back from Him. Is there a fear in your heart you don’t want to face? Kneel before God and pour out your fears to Him. Take a deep breath and hear His words whispered to your heart, “Do not be afraid.” Bobbi Rol is a wife, mama and blogger living on the Monterey Bay in CA with her husband, teen daughter, and three rambunctious boys. When she is not dodging light sabers or stepping on Legos, she can be found outside with her family, catching a late night movie, or decorating her planner. You can find out more about her here.

Until recently, I had never really been a fan of Saint John the Baptist. All that camel hair and locust eating left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). He was so . . . different. I never understood why he couldn’t just be an Apostle like everyone else. Why did he have to do his own thing out there in the desert? And so dramatically? But I’m starting to think my criticisms of him were too harsh. Saint John the Baptist dedicated his life to making the Messiah known. He single-mindedly pursued the God he loved and shouted to others to do the same. Even as crowds gathered and religious leaders took notice, he kept on humbly pointing to Another. He knew his sole purpose was to prepare the way for the Savior of the world. These days I have more questions and fewer criticisms of Saint John the Baptist. What compelled people to make a pilgrimage into the desert in droves to hear this man preach, to be baptized by him? Surely it was the truth he spoke and the love he exuded that convinced them to make the trek. Hearts were converted to Christ before they even met Jesus because of John’s testimony. And today the Savior is still coming into the world. Yes, He will come again, at the end of days, but He is always coming into the hearts of His people. Who will go before Him now? Who will make straight the way of the Lord? When there are so many who have never met Jesus, who will be His voice? Sure, they may have heard His name, they may have been to church, they may even own a Bible, but they don’t know Him. Who will be His forerunner now? The Baptist’s witness make me want to live differently, speak truer, love better. I want to testify to this Light that has illuminated the darkest corners of my own heart, echo the call to remove every obstacle that keeps us from Christ, and invite the curious, the religious, and the skeptic alike to come to the water. Like Saint John the Baptist, I want to spend my life pointing to the One who gives me life. And if I’m misunderstood along the way? At least I know I’m in good company. [bctt tweet="Like Saint John the Baptist, I want to spend my life pointing to the One who gives me life. // @thebethdavis"] Where are you on your journey to going before the Lord? Resolve to bring a little more of God's love into your daily life through spiritual music, a renewed prayer life, a visit to the confessional to get back on track. Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, a recently retired youth minister, and the Director of Ministry Advancement for Blessed is She. She is passionate about teaching women how to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus and speaking hope to weary hearts. Her favorite things include being an aunt to her five fantastic niece and nephews, the Saint Name Generator, and whatever book she's currently reading. You can find out more about her here.

Our God is a fiery Lover. Since the beginning, He’s been tirelessly pursuing our hearts. And we disappoint Him. A lot. And yet He keeps wanting us, loving us, saving us. Our God protects what He plants. Since the beginning, He’s shown us the way to true happiness in Him. All of Scripture is the telling of how God sent ordinary people and prophets to proclaim His love and salvation to the world. But we didn’t take the hint. Some were ignored, others exiled. Then, He sent His greatest prophet, Saint John the Baptist. And he was killed. (Matthew 17:13) So our God sent Himself. Since the beginning, He has desired to gather us to Himself. So when those He sent were rejected, He came for us. He humbly and willingly accepted that same rejection, this time to His own human face. Jesus came. He came to touch us and teach us. He came to suffer at the hands of His beloved creatures and to in turn restore them by the Resurrection of His life. But the world still did not believe. Our God kept sending people. He filled His faithful with the consuming fire of the Holy Spirit. He sent His disciples, ignited with a burning love for Him, to spread the flames of Truth throughout the ages. To a world desperate for the burning Heart of Christ, God sent His comfort in the form of simple humans, entrusting His mission to their minds and hearts, to their hands and lips. He sent Paul and Agnes, Athanasius and Nicholas, Francis and Dominic, Therese and Teresa, Maximilian Kolbe and Edith Stein, Zelie and Louis, Miguel Pro and Chiara. And you. Sisters, we are just over a week away from Christmas, that glorious feast where we are reminded of why we are sent: because God Himself was sent. For the remainder of this Advent, consider: where are you being sent? Who in your life needs an extra dose of love this season? Who is desperate for the comfort of Christ? Start right where you are. He’s given you His unrelenting Spirit; you have everything you need. [bctt tweet="The Lord has given you His unrelenting Spirit; you have everything you need. // @to_the_heights"] Since the beginning, God hasn’t stopped offering the warmth of His peace. The world is cold. Let’s be a match in the hand of God, igniting mighty fires through His boundless love. Olivia Spears lives in Kentucky where the sweet tea and bourbon flow like milk and honey. She is the Blog Manager for Blessed is She and works from home as an editor and social media manager. She likes to binge novels and Netflix while raising her children and laughing with her husband. You can find out more about her here.

Recently, my husband and I bought a house. Our first home. Before this happened, one day we had received a note from our landlord saying our rent would increase by forty-five percent. My eyes widened. I was sure it was a typo. But no, our new landlord wanted to increase our rent and we were stunned. After the initial shock wore off, we decide to start looking for a home. We thought, if we were to pay so much for rent, why not put it towards a home? But, in my naivety I had no idea what the home-buying process would entail. We saw house after house and after our first offer was declined, I was discouraged. But I felt this tug in my heart. I prayed, Holy Spirit, lead us to where we need to be. An incredible wave of peace spread over me. Raising our family, working full-time, and looking for a home, I had plenty on my plate. Despite this, I experienced an overwhelming sense that if I let the Lord lead me where we needed to be, we would be taken care of. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. (Responsorial Psalm) In my life, there are times I have had this feeling that I’m being led by the Holy Spirit. But I can see His hands all over the times where I have truly surrendered to His will and offered up my anxiety for the unknown. Up to His elbows in the dirt of my life and the sludge of my sins, He forms me continually. When I say, not my will, but Yours, I am given a sense of peace that has never come from the choices dictated by my own stubborn will. When we meditate on His will for our lives, we open ourselves up to those subtle nudges from the Holy Spirit. [bctt tweet="Holy Spirit, lead me to where I need to be. // @Substance_Soul"] Today, take a moment to stop and pray: Not my will, but Yours. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife to Paul, mom to two little ones, and practices dentistry at a public health community center for low income families in the Bay Area, California. She (unashamedly) thinks ice cream is its own food group, loves anything Harry Potter, does not leave the house without wearing sparkly earrings, and is an enthusiastic proponent of the Oxford comma. Find out more about her here.

There are seasons of life that seem to drone on. Wake up, feed the kids, change diapers, teach, love, and feed again. Then we get ready for bed and do it all again the next day. I can’t help feeling like I am in the movie Groundhog Day sometimes. In these monotonous times, inevitably, I ask myself, What is the purpose of all of this? Luckily, our Holy Mother Church gives us an answer to this classic existential question. We are here to know, love, and serve God (Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1). A simple answer, but how do we do this? Our saint of the day, Saint John of the Cross, used his creative talents in pursuit of God. He sketched the famous depiction of the Crucifixion entitled “Christ from Above” as well as penned various poems which inspired other famous artists. I remained, lost in oblivion; My face I reclined on the Beloved. All ceased and I abandoned myself, Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies. (source) Or another John discussed in today's Gospel, Saint John the Baptist, possessed incredible talents as well. (Matthew 11:11-15) He was the last prophet, he baptized Jesus among many others, and he made a mean locust casserole. He truly did know, love, and serve God. So much so that he now enjoys the spoils of Heaven for all eternity. How do we use our talents and vocations to fulfill our time on earth as the Church Militant? For me, a lot of my sanctification comes from being a mother. I give of myself over and over each day—even when I think I can’t give anymore (thank you, grace). I train up my children to become saints as well. I strive to model patience, self-sacrifice, moderation, and holiness. But, motherhood, of course, isn’t the only stairway to Heaven. In what ways can you bring Christ into your workplace? Do you treat your classes and studies as a path to Christ? Can you use your wisdom and years of experience to gently guide another struggling woman? Do you humble yourself when you are in a time of need so others may serve you? Do your creative pursuits glorify the Kingdom of God? I'm praying for you today, sister, that you find the graces you need for the long work ahead. [bctt tweet="We are here to know, love, and serve God."] The next time you find yourself wondering about the purpose of life, stop and ask God to reveal to you the ways in which you can use every moment of your day to know, love, and serve Him better. Jenna Hines has a teeny army of children: Ellen, Samuel, Theodore, and Maryn and is married to a bearded fellow named Mike. She is happiest when it is sunny outside and she has an embroidery needle in her hand. You can find out more about her here.

It’s 7:40 in the morning. I should already be showered and ready for work, but I cannot pull myself out of bed this morning. With each passing beep of the alarm, my mind skips to my weighty heart. Instead of waking up and embracing the gift of a new day, I try to rest, thinking this: That fight with a loved one. Snooze. Disciplinary issues at school. Snooze. Remembering just how far I live from family and friends. Snooze. Politics and current events. Snooze. Student loans. Snooze. Oh, and laundry. I still have to do that pile (read: mountain) of laundry staring at me from the corner of my room. Snooze. Snooze. Snooze. And just like that, I’m late for work, no more rested than I would have been if I’d arisen with the first alarm. I am exhausted by my life. It’s complex, confusing, overwhelming and uncontrollable. But if I allow God to be with me in the chaos, I can push through the challenging into the comforting. Today we hear echoes of God’s desire to meet us right there in the exhaustion. "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest . . . for my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30) Our Creator intimately knows the struggles of humanity and is patiently waiting for an invitation to enter into those hardships—not to erase them, but to help carry the weight. They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. (Isaiah 40:31) I still have to get out of bed and work on that list that seems impossible, I still have to run or walk, but thankfully I will not grow faint, for I have a God who will work right alongside me—even on that mound of laundry. [bctt tweet="Our Creator intimately knows the struggles of humanity."] Are you facing a hardship today that feels crushing? Take Our Lord and Lady and invite them into it, asking for their help. You are sure to find it. Sarah Stanley is a small town Ohio girl who is mildly obsessed with all things Ignatian and is very passionate about faith, social justice, and the intersection of the two. She recently earned her Master of Divinity and now serves as the Director of Christian Service at a high school in New England. When she’s not working, she enjoys contagious laughter, travel, clever puns, and finding the good in all things. You can find out more about her here.

Do you know what the Spanish word “carne” is? It means meat or flesh. Many years ago my pastor pointed out during his Christmas Mass homily the significance of the Incarnation and what it meant that God was born to us in the flesh and walked among ordinary men. Almost nine months ago we celebrated the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and if you happened to attend Mass that day, you would have heard the same Gospel reading you hear today. The Incarnation is such a significant moment that we bow deeply or genuflect at the words that commemorate it whenever we recite the Creed in Mass. God has stepped into history and taken a seemingly ordinary girl to perform the most extraordinary miracle. This also happens to the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe commemorating another story of ordinary to extraordinary when an indigenous man encountered the most dazzling woman. And while he doubted his ability to relay her message, he finally succeeded when her image appeared across his tilma (cloak) as roses fell to the ground before his bishop. Today is a day of miracle after miracle after miracle, and we can sometimes get lost in it all. We might see ourselves as too small, too sinful, too unworthy of His work. Yet He calls us forward to great things, to holiness, to be His hands and feet and heart. Regardless of what you think your limitations are, He will surpass them. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. (Luke 1:45) [bctt tweet="Regardless of what you think your limitations are, our God will surpass them."] As you pray the Rosary today, contemplate what fulfillment of God's plan for your life you are already a part of. Your great work is happening right now for Him. Jacqueline Skemp is a daughter, sister, wife, and mother who endures living in Minnesota after leaving California for her one true love. You can find out more about her here.

When my son was in the NICU, friends organized a holy hour and Mass to pray for his healing. The priest preached that they—himself and the gathered community—would have to pray for my family and me; they would have to believe and trust and hope for us; they would have to carry us. He said that there would be times when we would not have the strength to do those things for ourselves and so we would need them to do it for us. He was right. We did need them, and they were true to us and carried us through many difficulties. Over weeks and months and some of the most difficult hours of our lives, our loved ones carried us. Their prayers and their faith in action filled our gaps. Likewise, in today's Gospel it wasn't the faith of the man on the stretcher that brought him forgiveness, it was the faith of his friends. Furthermore, the man was not healed of his paralysis because of their faith or his but in order to convince the hearts of those who lacked faith. All the blessings that fell upon that man came because of his community. Friendship. Community. Sisterhood. Your tribe. Whatever you want to call it, surrounding ourselves with peers who are like-minded is important. The people who will believe so hard and love so big that they will break down walls for you—pray for them, find them, love them hard, thank God for them, and be one yourself. Be ready, too, to be used by God as a way of reaching those in your community who need to be loved, to have their hearts softened, or to have their prayers and doubts answered. Sometimes we will be the man on the mat; sometimes we will be one of the friends carrying the mat; sometimes we will be the ones standing in the back with doubts in our hearts. Whatever the season of life may be, may God grant us the grace to be open to His will, His mercy, and His miracles. [bctt tweet="Find the people who will love so big that they'll break down walls for you. // @BonnieEngstrom"] Are you the one in need of healing or the one who's helping today? Pray for strength to know which one you are and embrace that place, asking God for deeper faith. Bonnie Engstrom is a writer, baker, speaker, and homemaker. She, her husband, and six children live in central Illinois, and her son’s alleged miraculous healing through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen was submitted to the Vatican for Sheen’s beatification. Bonnie pretends she has a green thumb, bakes a fantastic chocolate chip cookie, loves naps and chai tea, and blogs. You can find out more about her here.

Whenever I have experienced periods of waiting for God to act in my life, I always struggled to remember His promises. Even when the waiting meant that there was bound to be a good result, like when I was in the middle of pregnancy, the promises of God seemed so distant from me. I was so weighed down by how difficult the present was that keeping hold of God's promises seemed impossible. How could I keep God's promises in front of my eyes when I was exhausted, in physical pain, and emotionally drained from anxiety? It requires a real faith that sometimes we just don't have in order to keep the promises of God in front of our eyes when we are waiting. Overcoming pain while waiting for God seems like too much for God to ask from us. How can we believe in all these great things coming to us when we're mired in so much downright tough stuff right now in the present moment? I think it can only come from a great outpouring of the supernatural faith, because waiting in the midst of pain can feel soul crushing. There is so much wisdom in the Old Testament that applies to our hearts today. The people of Israel waited hundreds of years for the Messiah, for the fulfillment of these promises seen today from the prophet Isaiah. They went through persecutions, defeats, even enslavement; all of which are symbolic of the spiritual trials we ourselves experience in the spiritual life. When we wait in pain for His rescue, Our Heavenly Father will hear our pleas of help. The struggles of our lives in this world can sometimes take years and maybe our entire lifetimes until we witness Christ's answer, but we have to remember His promises, especially in Advent. I know I have failed to remember that God wants to bind my wounds and heal the bruises of my heart. I know I am His beloved daughter who can hear His preachings and teachings now, today. [bctt tweet="When we wait for His rescue, Our Heavenly Father will hear our pleas of help."] This Advent what are you waiting for from the Lord? Name and offer it to Christ at the foot of the Cross. Christ hears our pleas for answers and healing, so remember "Blessed are all who wait for the Lord." Christy Isinger is a wife and mom to five lovely, loud children and lives in northern Canada. When not homeschooling, she is a devoted reader of English literature from Jane Austen to Agatha Christie. She writes about the beauty of faith, life, and the home at her blog and is the co-host of the Fountains of Carrots Podcast. You can find out more about her here.

Over the past few years I have adopted the tradition of asking the Lord for a word for my year. One year, my word was “quiet.” The Lord called me to greater stillness that year, to slowing down and spending more time in silence with Him. My word for 2017 has been “sing.” As a vocal artist, my first impressions of this word were many, but the Lord continues to reveal a depth of ways He calls me to song—in my vocations as wife, mother, and artist, in my prayer life. He meant literally, too; my musical gifts were renewed and shared in a special way this year. His plans when He first spoke this word to me were many and good, and far beyond what I imagined when He placed it upon my heart. God’s dreams for us are always better than our own, sisters. His original plan for Adam and Eve was more beautiful than we can begin to conceive. Today, on this Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we celebrate the dreams God had for our Blessed Mother. Even before He formed Mary in her mother’s womb, the Lord had plans for her. He had already chosen her to be the vessel from which Christ would be born for us. What dreams did God have for you before He created you? Have you taken time to dream with Him lately? I have no doubt He has plans for you, sister—plans He dreamed up for you, personally. Now, if you’re anything like Eve, or even Mary, there may be some fear involved as you approach the Lord in prayer about this. Fear tries to stop us from dreaming big with the Lord, from boldly following Him where He calls us. "Do not be afraid." (Luke 1:30) Or, perhaps the dreams He has for you seem too big, unrealistic, outrageous even. "Nothing will be impossible for God." (Luke 1:37) Find some time to spend in prayer. Close your eyes, invite the Spirit to move, and come expectantly before our Father. Humbly ask Him what His dreams are for you. Ask Him, too, to grace you with a wide-open heart, that you might hear His voice and whatever it is He asks of you. [bctt tweet="What dreams did God have for you when He created you? // @inendlesssong"] Momma Mary, pray for us today, that we too might say yes to God’s wildly beautiful dreams for our lives. Elise Howe is a devoted wife, momma, vocal artist and teacher. She currently resides in New York City, though she will always be a Midwestern gal at heart. Elise has a heart for ministry, dark chocolate (but not too dark) and coffee with a generous amount of cream + sugar. Find out more about her here.

Lord, Lord. These words escape my lips often. They spill out of my mouth in moments of fear or trial or heartache. I look for Him there. Through the tears and anxiety and sadness, I look for Him in the hardship, when life feels scary and uncontrollable. That’s when my mouth recites what my heart so desperately longs for, Lord, Lord! And then somewhere along the line, those words cease to be uttered. When my heart feels settled and my life seems fulfilled, that is when my mouth remains void of the words my soul needs, Lord, Lord! I am all too familiar with the struggle in today’s Gospel because I often find myself rebuilding the weakened structure I have set upon sand. It’s an exhausting cycle, really. Because just when you think you’ve set the foundation, the rain comes to wash it all away. I think this is a familiar scene in all of our lives. In one way or another, we can all look and find that sandy foundation we have set for ourselves—those recurrent sins that leave us perpetually rebuilding upon that shaky soil. Jesus reminds us in today’s Gospel reading that “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Let us look for that unstable soil in our lives. And when the rain threatens to wash it all away, may we stand erect on the most secure foundation there is—Christ. [bctt tweet="I look for the Lord in the hardship, when life feels scary + uncontrollable. // @IamBritCal"] Today offer an Our Father to truly seek and know God's will in your life. Say it slowly and from the heart. Brittany Calavitta is an enthusiastic advocate for a good book, strong coffee, and a hopeful heart. After battling years of infertility, she and her husband welcomed their first child on September 11, 2016. You can find out more about her here.

In today’s reading, Isaiah tells us of a promise that the Lord will provide for all of us a feast of wine and rich food—quite the vision of a party as we begin to prepare for the Christmas season! (Isaiah 25:6) The promises of hope that fill our lives as we await the Incarnation fill my heart with hope for Heaven and the coming of the Kingdom here on Earth. We may not be able to hasten the reality of the Second Coming and the total fulfillment of all these promises, but we can participate in God’s working of miracles on Earth still today! As Jesus feeds the multitude through gifts of fish and loaves (Matthew 15:29-37), friends of Jesus today (like us!) can still help feed the multitude. Jesus asks our help in continuing to provide for all of those who still live in need and want. Today, appropriately, we celebrate the feast of a saint who continues to be a model of joyful giving—Saint Nicholas! We can also use the traditions of Saint Nicholas, who goes by "Santa Claus," as a model of being a cheerful and generous giver. Today’s Gospel gives us an example of the necessity of participating in the material generosity that Saint Nicholas models. When we give alms, we are asked to give the choicest and best we have to offer with a celebratory spirit. When we give Christmas gifts, we do not give the old things and leftovers, we give the best and choicest. We should give with the same generosity to those who belong to our greater human family. As Catholics, we call this giving of the best and choicest the “Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.” I have often struggled with how to give preferentially and am grateful to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which provides many resources to help me understand how to give in a way that reflects Christ. Among their resources are writings from Pope Saint John Paul II and Blessed Paul VI that helped truly clarify how “charitable giving” is truly united with charity, our Christian virtue. Participating in a miracle doesn’t have to be rare or limited to the past. We continue participating in the miracle of feeding the multitudes whenever we give with a joyful and charitable heart. [bctt tweet="Promises of hope fill our lives as we await the Incarnation. // @br1gid"] Let us give with a joyful heart today to someone in need. Maybe it's food for the food shelf or a phone call to a lonely friend. Participate in the miracle of God's abundant love for us in our most tender times. Brigid Hogan is a midwestern graduate student who finds peace in lakes, the Mass, and fiction when she isn’t ensconced in schoolwork. Find out more about her here.

I have had many reminders in the past few weeks that we live in a fallen world. A dear woman from my parish died very suddenly. A friend of mine lost a baby to miscarriage. A relative is suffering through the end stages of cancer. And that is just within my personal sphere. Every time I turn on the radio, I hear of more new atrocities and disasters all over the world. It’s easy to get tunnel-visioned with the things of this world. We can get tricked into thinking that the things we have or do here on Earth are it, and our priorities get skewed. Big house, cushy job, success, popularity. It often isn’t until disaster strikes—personal or global—that we remember that this world isn’t our end game, and what we actually long for is something eternal. My heart has been heavy with the sorrow and the suffering that surrounds me. I have been longing for something that this world simply cannot offer. Today’s passage from Isaiah was like a fresh spring breeze blowing through my weary soul, reminding me of what I really long for, and what I can place my hope in. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; The calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them . . . . There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD, as water covers the sea. (Isaiah 11:6,9) This world is full of sorrow and suffering and death. But thankfully, this world isn’t it for us. Because of God’s greatest gift of salvation, we have the hope of the world to come, where there is no suffering, and as the Psalm refrain says, there is “fullness of peace forever.” Doesn’t that sound wonderful? Advent is a season of longing. We are looking forward to the coming of the Savior. But isn’t that what we should be doing every day? Shouldn’t our hearts be constantly longing for Him, and for our Eternal Home? Shouldn’t we always be ready to meet Him? The answers are yes, yes, and yes. Sisters, let’s use this Advent to retrain our hearts to do what they should always be doing—longing for Jesus, and eagerly awaiting His coming. [bctt tweet="Because of God’s greatest gift of salvation, we have the hope of the world to come."] Turn over your sorrow to Him and ask those you love who are also wounded to turn with you back to the Lord. Anna Coyne is a Saint Paul native, wife, mother, and convert to the Catholic faith. When not chasing after her two young children you can probably find her playing the piano, knitting, tripping over wooden train sets, or writing. Find out more about her here.

I echo the words of this Gospel almost every day, as I wrestle and shush my kids on the kneeler, usually counting down the minutes until Mass is over, usually wondering how much longer we can last before someone cries or yells or bonks their head on the back of the wooden pew. I say these words often but rarely do I remember that they came from the mouth of a real person—a real, suffering, desperate person. Rarely do meditate on their impact. "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof . . . ." (Matthew 8:8) I don't connect my words to the words of that man, and to his deep and abiding faith, but I must. In the book I Believe in Love, Fr Jean C.J. D'Elbee begins to crack the surface of this beautiful mystery. Isn't it amazing to think of the reality of this man—who probably didn't know Christ at all beyond the fact that He might heal his child—who cried out to Him in such humility, and such boldness, that not only did Christ respond to his plea and heal his child but He used him as an example of faith to everyone? Even more mysterious still, Christ knew the centurion's cry would last forever in the Mass, destined to be burned into the souls of every Catholic until the end of time: "Lord, I am not worthy . . . but only say the words . . . ." Could you imagine if the centurion would have known? This reality is so simple and so totally profound. God is not drumming His fingers until we are spiritual giants; He isn't waiting for us to become televangelists, or great theologians, or to even completely understand Him in order to enter into His Kingdom. He is simply asking us to trust Him totally. Deeply, whole-heartedly, and without reservation. He is telling us a great faith is bigger than all these things. Can I be small enough to become like the centurion? Can I learn how to simply cry out—knowing with my whole heart that this man, the Christ, can heal? Can my faith become big despite the simplicity of my state in life; whether I've known Christ for years or have only just met Him? I pray I can be humble enough to have a faith so great: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof . . . but only say the words." [bctt tweet="Jesus is simply asking us to trust Him totally."] Next time you are at Mass, feel these words resonate deep into your heart. Embrace this reckless trust in the Lord. Blythe Fike is the wife of Kirby and mother of 7 smallish kids. She loves the quiet life in small town SoCal. You can find out more about her here.

Today is the very last day of the Church year, a liturgical no-man’s land between what has come and what lies ahead. Tomorrow marks the first day of Advent, when we start preparing for the Savior’s coming. But what are we supposed to do in the meantime? While we’re excited to snuggle into our flannel pajamas for Christmas movies, Jesus insists on talking about our hearts in today's readings. Okay, Jesus—we’re listening. "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness . . ." I guess I’ll try to be aware of how much egg nog I drink this season? ". . . and the anxieties of daily life . . ." Oh, that hits closer to home. My heart can get anxious in the buildup to the holidays. I'll try to be aware of that, too. ". . . and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth."(Luke 21:34-36) This isn’t helping my anxiety, Jesus. How can anyone get ready for an event that no one can anticipate at a time no one can predict? Why can’t I just lounge on my sofa and enjoy a relaxing Christmas season already? Well, it’s not Christmas yet. It’s not even Advent yet. Tomorrow, we can start pondering the mystery of what it means to welcome the Savior of the World into the world we inhabit. Maybe this commitment to walking in rhythm with the Church and postponing the celebration seems arbitrary or restrictive. But Jesus is telling us why we need to wait. We need to be vigilant. We need to pay attention. The world all around us is blinded by the twinkling lights precisely because it is so dark without them. We need to see that darkness, because it reminds us why we need a Savior in the first place. So that’s what we do today, in the already-but-not-yet, when the whole salvation story has unfolded and stands ready to begin again. We wait. We watch. We stare into the darkness before we anticipate the Light . . . and we ask Him to accompany us into the unknown, where we don’t have to be anxious because we are never alone. [bctt tweet="We need to see the darkness, because it reminds us why we need a Savior. // @dere_abbey"] Instead of lounging today, plan some time for conscious waiting, for watching and being present in prayer. Abbey Dupuy writes her life as a homeschooling mama of four frequently barefoot children. She muses about imperfect parenting, practicing gratitude, and celebrating the liturgical year with her young family on her blog. In her spare time, she enjoys running, gardening, coffee, and cookbooks, not usually at at the same time. You can find out more about her here.

It’s time to shift gears! We have a King, and He is coming! Who is this King? This is a King whose dominion is everlasting. This is a King who is not threatened by any beast, no matter how terrifying it might be. This is a King who establishes a kingdom that will never be destroyed. All of creation praises and exalts Him forever: mountains, hills, springs, seas, rivers, dolphins, birds, and all beasts, wild and tame (and maybe even those in Daniel's cryptic visions from today's First Reading). (Daniel 7:3) Holy Mother Church is helping our minds make a shift as we complete this final week of Ordinary Time, sandwiched between the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, and the First Sunday of Advent. Soon we will shift our thoughts from the four last things (death, judgement, Heaven, and Hell) toward preparing in Advent to “let earth receive her King.” (from Joy to the World by Isaac Watts) But who is this King? “This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing.” (from What Child is This by William Chatterton Dix) And what does this King tell us? In the Gospel today, Jesus says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Luke 21:33) What an incredible promise Jesus gives us, dear sisters! Jesus’ words will not pass away. Praise God for the gift of the Scriptures, the very Word of God that we can hold in our hands. I encourage you to spend a few minutes today reading your Bible. Feel its pages, read underlined portions, and thank God for His Word. Also take a few minutes to think of the words Jesus has spoken to your heart in prayer. Do you have a journal where you record your conversations with Him? These personal words from Him are important to remember, and He does not want them to pass away. Jesus wants us to remember His redemptive love on the Cross. He thirsts to dwell in our hearts, so “let every heart prepare him room.” (more Joy to the World lyrics) [bctt tweet="Jesus thirsts to dwell in our hearts"] As we enter into the Advent season, don't just sing along with the songs, pray along with God's words in Scripture. Rose Coleman is a contemplative in action who delights in all things beautiful. Her adventurous heart has traveled many places—from circumnavigating the globe on a ship during college to some years in the convent as a religious sister. Exuberant from her childhood, she is an elementary school teacher who learns so much from her students. You can find out more about her here.