Immaculata University Advent Reflection Booklet
Immaculata University Advent Reflection Booklet Immaculata University Advent Reflection Booklet
“I am the Lord, there is no other; I form the light, and create thedarkness….Turn to Me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for Iam God; there is no other.” Isaiah 45:7, 22Our God is a powerful and loving God. He creates each person with aunique purpose in mind and knows who we will become before we haveeven been formed in the womb. He knows what we will accomplish andwhen we will fall short of His call. He knows the greatest fears we havein life and the weaknesses we struggle with. He also gives us all we needto overcome these things and truly enter into an intimate relationshipwith Him. He is “the Lord” and there is nothing He will not or cannotdo to draw us into the love he wishes to lavish on us. Nothing is toogreat for Him.Because God is Love, we can know that all He does is out of love for usand we can trust that the struggles He sends our way are meant for good.They have a greater purpose we do not realize. He says in Isaiah that He“forms the light and creates the darkness.” God sends us those times ofpure joy when we see God’s work in our lives and realize the blessingsHe has bestowed on us, but He also states that those times when we feelthat we are not strong enough, when life’s trials seem too much to bear,that He is still in these moments of “darkness.” He is still showering Hisblessings on our lives and there is a purpose for our suffering. He callsout to us, “Turn to Me and be safe! I will be your shelter!” He only waitspatiently for us to call on Him so that He may rescue us. There is nothingHe longs for more than to comfort His children and overwhelm themwith His love, but we must first come to Him and trust Him with ourlives. So my challenge for you today is to completely release control ofyour life and entrust it into the hands of the One who loves you morethan you can imagine and Who knows the plans He has for you. Youcould not be safer or in better hands!Heavenly Father, we thank You for all the blessings You bestow on our lives and forall the times You come to our aid when we are in need of Your presence. We thankYou for Your faithful friendship and unconditional love and pray that we may alwaystrust You with our lives and allow Your goodness to shine through us so that we maybe a light to others. Amen.Victoria ZirolliClass of 2015Elementary EducationDecember 14, 2011Third Wednesday of Advent
All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, whowere baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged therighteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of thelaw, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of Godfor themselves. Luke 7:29It is ten days before Christmas and many of us are beginning to gettogether with our families which span across generations. It is oftenduring the holidays we hear about the “good ole days” and howour generation has it so easy compared to “way back when I was akid and walked uphill both ways to school in the snow.”As I watch my uncle battle the debilitating disease of ALS, I, morethan usual, look forward to listening to the stories of when he wasmy age. I want to know what it was like for him when he wasyounger. As much as I do enjoy these stories, it saddens me becauseI know that someday he will not be around to share thesememories with me. I most enjoy the stories of him and his brother,my other uncle, who passed away many years ago. These stories ofmy uncles relate to my brother and me and how the two of us inthis modern day are really not all that different from them. It is importantto hear the stories of other generations. They help in puttingour own lives into perspective and value the time we spendwith our loved ones. I encourage everyone to ask their grandparents,parents, aunts, uncles, or friends this holiday season to tellthem a story of when they were younger and what it was like to be“your age.” What were their trials and how did they overcomethem and learn from them? We can learn a lot by listening.I should like to bring my daily drudge before You, O Lord - the long hoursand days crammed with everything else but You. Look at this daily drudge, mygentle God, You who are merciful to us men and women. Look at my soulwith Your mercy Lord, with it’s innumerable trivialities and grant me Yourpeace.AmenAndrew CarterClass of 2013Physical TherapyDecember 15, 2011Third Thursday of Advent
- Page 6: November 30, 2011First Wednesday of
- Page 10 and 11: December 4, 2011Second Sunday of Ad
- Page 12 and 13: Jesus said to his disciples: "What
- Page 14 and 15: And Mary said, “Behold, I am the
- Page 16 and 17: December 10, 2011Second Saturday of
- Page 18 and 19: December 12, 2011Feast of Our lady
- Page 22 and 23: December 16, 2011Third Friday of Ad
- Page 24 and 25: December 18, 2011Fourth Sunday of A
- Page 26: December 20, 2011Fourth Tuesday of
- Page 30 and 31: December 24Fourth Saturday of Adven
- Page 32: Office of Mission and Ministry&Depa
All the people who listened, including the tax collectors, whowere baptized with the baptism of John, acknowledged therighteousness of God; but the Pharisees and scholars of thelaw, who were not baptized by him, rejected the plan of Godfor themselves. Luke 7:29It is ten days before Christmas and many of us are beginning to gettogether with our families which span across generations. It is oftenduring the holidays we hear about the “good ole days” and howour generation has it so easy compared to “way back when I was akid and walked uphill both ways to school in the snow.”As I watch my uncle battle the debilitating disease of ALS, I, morethan usual, look forward to listening to the stories of when he wasmy age. I want to know what it was like for him when he wasyounger. As much as I do enjoy these stories, it saddens me becauseI know that someday he will not be around to share thesememories with me. I most enjoy the stories of him and his brother,my other uncle, who passed away many years ago. These stories ofmy uncles relate to my brother and me and how the two of us inthis modern day are really not all that different from them. It is importantto hear the stories of other generations. They help in puttingour own lives into perspective and value the time we spendwith our loved ones. I encourage everyone to ask their grandparents,parents, aunts, uncles, or friends this holiday season to tellthem a story of when they were younger and what it was like to be“your age.” What were their trials and how did they overcomethem and learn from them? We can learn a lot by listening.I should like to bring my daily drudge before You, O Lord - the long hoursand days crammed with everything else but You. Look at this daily drudge, mygentle God, You who are merciful to us men and women. Look at my soulwith Your mercy Lord, with it’s innumerable trivialities and grant me Yourpeace.AmenAndrew CarterClass of 2013Physical TherapyDecember 15, 2011Third Thursday of <strong>Advent</strong>
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