Befriending Mary in Advent

I’m certainly not the first pregnant woman during Advent that has found herself pondering a new connection to Mama Mary. And perhaps it’s not just the time of year, but the act of carrying life inside of me that has sparked those feelings and reflections. Maybe I would feel similarly if I were pregnant in June or July . . . or maybe there’s something special about this overlap of seasons where we wait in joyful hope.

I’ve written about my love for Advent before. I like to shout from the rooftops the wonder I feel anticipating Emmanuel, my favorite name for Christ. A normally impatient person, this season annually calms my urgency and allows my heart to settle and wait for what I know is coming and miraculously has already come – “ever ancient, ever new”. 

This year I find myself leaning into this mysterious paradox in a new way. A baby is coming and is already here. 

I sense this with every flutter of movement I feel in my belly. I can see it quite literally as my abdomen wiggles and moves when our little love dances around inside of me. 

Newness is coming. 

And while that is good news, it's not always easy. It's painful and exhausting and can surface fears you thought had already been rooted out of your heart. But it's also exciting and good and altogether ineffable. 

The hope Mary knew amidst all of this change surpassed all fear.  She actively accepted Gabriel's announcement and proceeded to carry the Light of the World knowing full well the hardship that was to come - both in the immediate and in the future. 

As we move closer to Christmas, the repeated question of, “Mary, did you know?”  is sung beautifully on the radio and holiday playlists in various harmonies and instrumentations. With an understanding of her upbringing as a devout Jewish woman, we can say with certainty that Mary would have known the answers to the questions posed in the lyrics of this sweet song. But does that mean she knew everything that was to come with pregnancy and childbirth and mothering too?

I don’t think so.

I sense Mary underwent some of the same fears and anxieties of motherhood that I currently am and I find deep comfort and consolation reflecting on that possibility. A woman who often feels too far off and out of reach in her perfection is slowly becoming personable and relatable to my new mother’s heart in this season of preparation.

Could not Mary have also felt nervous about the pain of labor and delivery? Even with solid examples of motherhood around her, might she have questioned her own ability to be a good mom?

Surely she, too, wondered and even worried about her new life as wife and mother and Theotokos on top of it all.

And therein lies the beauty of her perpetual fiat, her yes to God. She knew, despite not knowing, that He would provide and be with her every step of the way.

So there it is again, that beautiful paradox that I love to lean into this time of year. Knowing, yet not knowing. Seeing, yet not seeing. Trusting fully in God’s presence and provision – that which has already happened and yet is continuing to unfold.

God is with us, and yet we still wait in joyful hope for deeper understanding of our Emmanuel.

Peace,
Sarah

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2019 Advent-ures

I. Love. Advent.

I've probably shared it before (if not here than definitely on Instagram) that Advent is my favorite liturgical season and possibly my favorite time of the year.

(Wreath DIY can be found HERE in the Advent-ure post from 2015.)

There is something so incredible about preparing for Christ's birth while already knowing that Jesus has come. That beautiful tension of the already, but not yet, is a mystery that I love leaning into and journeying with as I anticipate the coming of Emmanuel - my favorite name for Jesus.

God is with us, friends. Maybe not always in the flashiest, most clear of ways, but God is here and what a gift the Incarnation is to the world.

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This year, to prepare for Christmas (cue Godspell music), my plan is to do the following:

1) Read and journal through this year's Blessed is She Advent AND Christmas Devotional. 

I had the privilege of contributing to this year's book with the rest of the team and am so excited to dive into stories of family as we reflect on "All the Generations - From Genesis to You".

If you haven't gotten a copy yet, you can still purchase one from the Blessed is She shop. The digital download might be the way to go if you want to start right away, but you could wait for a hard copy too.

(Cyber Monday there will be a site-wide sale of 25% off!)

2) Read the Gospel of Luke.

The book club I am a part of decided to read this book of Scripture for December with the intention of reading a chapter each day from Dec 1 - 24 (Christmas Eve) since there are 24 chapters. I also ordered two commentaries on Luke from Amazon ( 1 | 2 ) in hopes of digging a little deeper because I'm a Theology nerd lol

3) Recite the St. Andrew Christmas Novena with Michael each day. 

I've done this for the past 3 years or so and always find helpful in prayerfully entering into the season. Here's a post Blessed is She shared last year about it if you're interested. It's never too late to start!

Erica from Be A Heart designed this gorgeous print of the prayer. It's sold out now, but there are a ton of other beautiful pieces in her shop, and maybe it will be restocked in the future :)

4) Do a sort of "Reverse Advent Calendar" with Michael.

Each day of Advent, M and I plan to choose something from our closet to donate to a local charity. So often the Christmas/Advent season focuses on getting and we are looking for small ways to remind us of our call to give. Our hope is that this will just be a starting point. There are so many other ways to support our brothers and sisters in need, but we need to begin somewhere.

(I'm not sure if this is even how you are supposed to do one, but this is our plan.)

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As with most of my planning, I am flexible and open to changes and adjustments. Sometimes multiple to-do's shrink to one solid one. Other times I have found something else I like and decide to add it partly through the season.

No matter how this particular Advent turns out, my one hope is to remain focused on the reason for the season (as absolutely cheesy as that sounds).

God is with us friends.

I pray we all are able to notice this more during this season of Advent and the rest of the year too.

Peace,
Sarah

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Blessed Conversations - Misericordia

Blessed is She just released their newest Blessed Conversation Study, Misericordia, on the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy (more of my favorite things!). The study follows the examples of 12 Catholic saints - 11 lay women (meaning not nuns or sisters) and 1 religious (a sister whose name you can probably guess even if you aren't Catholic 😉). It was written by 4 of our amazing writers and designed by the incredible Erica Campbell of Be A Heart Design! There are 12 sessions (one for each amazing woman) in this beautifully bound book which is different from the individual studies we have released in the past. 

My copy arrived this weekend and It 👏🏼 Is 👏🏼 Gorgeous! ⠀
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Y'all, I LOVE learning about the saints. I know that sounds sales-pitchy (and I am using affiliate links), but in all seriousness, next to Scripture, reading about the lives of the saints is my favorite way to grow deeper in my faith. Hearing about their unique experiences and devotion to God inspires me to learn and be more - to seek the magis for any of you Ignatian friends out there 😉 ⠀
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I cannot wait to dive in and learn about women of God I have never heard of and deepen my love for those I already hold dear - oh hey, Dorothy Day! 🙌🏼⠀
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The studies can be completed alone, but are so much more fun with a friend or small group whether in person or virtually. I've done one with a group of friends spread throughout the country and it was such a joy! If you have any questions or are in the Cleveland area and want to take a look in person, let me know! You know I love spreading the #BISsisterhood ♥️⠀

Get your own copy of Misericordia HERE ♥️
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(Photos by the lovely Katie Waldow)


Peace,
Sarah

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Braces and Imago Dei

For those of you who haven't noticed as I've slowly allowed it to be seen on social media, I got braces.

Like actual I'm-an-awkward-middle-schooler braces.

For some reason when the dentist told me they would be clear braces, I assumed like an Invisalign type deal, but alas, they were not. And I didn't realize it until they were on.

And then I cried. A lot.

I don't know if it was the shock of seeing something completely unexpected, the pain of the braces themselves, or my lack of self-esteem that did it, but I was a wreck.

My smile has always been something I am sensitive about. I have a severe overbite (that can only be fixed by breaking my jaw, yikes!) and odd gaps and crowding that I think make the overbite even more pronounced. That combined with other insecurities about my physical appearance have made wedding planning and even just thinking about all eyes on me / all the pictures  h a r d .

Once M and I were talking marriage, I knew that I would want to at least try to correct my teeth for our wedding because of how insecure they make me. We got engaged and the anxiety surround my teeth got real.

M was supportive, though he insisted he thought my smile was perfect, but I don't think I took that encouragement and love seriously until he "yelled" at me about it a day or so after the braces were put on. (I put yell into quotations because I don't think my insanely kind fiance has ever actually yelled at, or even near me, but this was pretty close.)

We were driving to a school event and I was in a horrid, self-pitying mood complaining about how I looked and he tried to assure me he thought I was beautiful. In typical Sarah fashion I said something along the lines of a sarcastic "sure" and he had had it.

In the most angered tone I have ever heard from him, Michael let me know how upset he was that I didn't believe him when he told me I was beautiful and how frustrating it was when I brushed of his sincere compliments (which I have a horrible habit of doing). He was hurt by my lack of confidence - in myself and in him.

His words and love hit me hard. They still do.

And while he is clearly not God, I couldn't help but think of how much more hurt and frustrated my loving Creator is by this self-hatred and constant self-scrutiny.

(Photo by Matt Erickson)

I was created in the image and likeness of God. We all were. (Yes, that means you too.)

And with that amazing, miraculous gift, comes a responsibility to recognize it! That doesn't mean that I'll never fall into slumps like this autumn. That doesn't mean it's not ok to want to better myself, even in the physical sense. But what it does mean is that I am loved beyond measure and need to remember that, even in tough moments of self doubt.

In the Advent bundle this year, Blessed is She included a gorgeous magnificat candle and imago Dei wristlet. TBH, the candle was the only reason I bought the bundle (they weren't available individually yet). I knew I could find a friend who'd like the extra devotional, but didn't know what I would do with the wristlet. It was cute, but I didn't really have a use for it.

(Candle found HERE)

But then I remembered that I needed to start carrying a toothbrush more regularly (yay braces) and wouldn't you know it, the wristlet marked with words speaking to my inherit value and dignity was just the right size and just the right reminder.

(Wristlet found HERE)

You are loved friend - unconditionally, irrevocably and ineffably. I pray you (and I) can remember that always, especially at times when it's most difficult.

Peace,
Sarah

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No Such Thing As Perfect Prayer

Last year I began the tradition of adopting a saint for the new year - or having a saint adopt me for the year as my friend, Beth, would describe it. This saint would be someone holy to look to for inspiration for the year - a role model of faith that would also give me a glimpse into the Church's history.

On a whim, I decided to ask Michael if he would like to do the same. Of the two of us, I am definitely the more nerdy when it comes to our faith. I love learning about new saints, theology, prayers, etc. and he lovingly joins in when I offer the invitation.

We were driving to mass on New Years Eve and I told him about my new saint for the year and asked if he would be interested in having one too. He answered yes and as we were using the saint generator it came to the prompting message to pray for God to introduce to a saint who will accompany you through the year. I asked Michael if he would like to say a prayer and he asked what that he was "supposed" to say. I explained what it could look like and he listened intently and then began to pray. I could tell he was nervous and felt unsure if he was "doing it right". 

It was beautiful - authentic and raw and amazing, just like he is whenever we pray together. 

I was in tears. Not just because of the beauty behind his words, but also the fear.

He, like myself and so many others, had this false notion that there is a wrong way to pray - that unless you get the words completely right, your prayer is wrong or foolish or something else. It breaks my heart that praying has become something we fear doing. It is so much easier to read a pre-written prayer and yes, those can be beautiful, but so can our own words. 

We all have the ability to talk with God - to open up to our Creator and speak from the heart. At first it may feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, but I have found the more I practice, the more naturally it comes and the more I feel at ease in praying.

And so I guess I share this as a reminder to us all not to get caught up in the lie that we "aren't doing it right" or that our words aren't good enough. God doesn't want perfect prayer, he just wants to spend time with you.

Peace,

Sarah

PS - Michael's saint for the year is St. Hedwig and mine is St. Genevieve whose father's name was Severus... God's funny sometimes ;)  

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St. Anne

I love the beautiful examples of faith we are given via the Communion of Saints. These holy men and women help me to remember that I am loved beyond measure by a Creator who isn't interested in perfection so much as genuine effort. A God who can create saints out of some of the more unlikely cases (I'm looking at you Ignatius.)

Saint Anne, whose feast day is today, is a saint near and dear to my heart. Maybe it's because of a close relationship with my own grandmother, but Jesus' grandma has always been a source of inspiration and consolation in my life. She helped young Mary grow to be a strong, holy woman who proclaimed "Yes!" to God trusting unconditionally.

While most Catholic girls I knew growing up were striving to be like Mary, I often felt her perfection to be distancing - to be honest, sometimes I still do. I mean, the woman was immaculately conceved and chosen by God to bring us the Prince of Peace - that's crazing intimidating. And while I have since begun developing a closer relationship with Mama Mary, I still feel drawn to her mom, Anne.

In those moments where I find Mary to be out of reach, I pray for the grace to be like Anne - a gracious mother that leads her child in holiness by a beautiful example of love and sacrifice.

So, today I am thankful for the gift of St. Anne, for the gift of grandparents, and for the gift of holy women that teach me how to fall more deeply in love with Christ and lead me closer to God.

St. Anne, pray for us.

Who is your favorite saint?

Peace,
Sarah

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Questioning Empathy

I present to you musings of an overtired Sarah  from around 1 am last night as she tried to sleep but couldn't seem to turn off her brain, thus recording those thoughts in writing here on the blog. I apologize in advance for grammatical errors and/or circularity. The final product might not be as pretty as some posts, but it is honest and authentic - which I tend to prefer anyway. And so, without further adieu, Questioning Empathy.

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Lately I've been consumed with thoughts about empathy and how it occurs in others. It all started about a week or so ago while I was on a service trip with students to the city nearest to our school. During these trips (this was my third of this specific one) my students engage with different local organizations and programs that they could choose to serve for a year while they are seniors. The boys cook our meals - it's an all boys school, we don't just force the males to cook - and the faculty members facilitate discussions about various social justice topics like housing and hunger.

The discussions are typically engaging with a pleasantly surprising amount of student involvement. Questions are asked, presuppositions are challenged, and the idea of care for the other is usually taken away - at least an inkling of it is... We have to start somewhere, right? This time was different though. Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the culmination of many tiny instance from the three other trips this year or maybe I was just in an off mood. 

Whatever it was, this trip left me with a haunting question about empathy, namely, can empathy be taught? Is it something you're born with? Are there those more prone to empathy than others? Is high school too late?

The optimist in me still believes that, yes, empathy can be taught. I also believe that no one is born hateful. Hate is taught. So why can't empathy also be taught? I believe empathy is developed and strengthened through meeting others and hearing their stories. As we listen, our imaginations move us into their shoes and allow a closer understanding of the other and what events in their life has led them to. But how do we get someone to imagine? To even try to imagine? Is their refusal laziness or incapability? 

What if I am wrong? What if you can't teach empathy? My many questions on the topic caused me to do what any good millennial does when faced with a question - google it. Actually, I searched for any Ted-Talks about empathy, but I did that through Google. Tomato, tomato. There were a surprising number of videos where people asked similar questions. One in particular had a woman sharing her study of altruism and it appears there is a part of the brain correlated to acts of kindness. Altruism can be connected to the size of this particular piece of the brain. It's not empathy exactly, but I would say the two are very much correlated. 

What if being empathetic is genetic? I always attribute my ability to empathize to my mother and grandmother and how they raised me. But when I asked my mom "how do you teach empathy," our discussion led to a recognition that she and my uncle were raised in the same house by the same woman and he is not an empathetic individual. Is it different in males vs females? Is age a factor? 

I'm rambling now and I know this post is completely out of left field, but I would genuinely love to know your thoughts on empathy. Do any of you know of any good sources on the topic? I'm genuinely considering digging into a deeper study of the topic and would love any recommendations if you have them. 

Thanks for listening as I ramble friends. 

Peace,

Sarah

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Reflections on Reconciliation

I had the privilege of offering a reflection during our Reconciliation Service yesterday and thought I would share it with you all. For a little context, this service was prepared as part of a Lay Presiding course in which we learn how to prepare, plan and facilitate different types of liturgies ranging from Evening Prayer, Taize Prayer, and Liturgy of the Word. The readings we chose to use for this particular service were 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 and Luke 7:36-50.
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When I told my mom that I would be preaching at a reconciliation service she laughed and told me a story of how when she and her cousin Michelle were younger, they loved going to confession. In fact, they loved it so much that they would make up sins just so that they could go again!

Apparently I did not inherit that confession-loving gene, because I am often the complete opposite of my mother in this story. I tend to avoid going to confession like it’s the plague. The idea of reviewing the number of times I have sinned and reciting them to someone is not exactly the most appealing thing to me and causes way more anxiety than it probably should – especially when I usually know all too well those places in my life where I have failed.

I know when I could have been a better friend, a better daughter, a better roommate, colleague, Christian, you name it. And that awareness, that lovely Catholic guilt, often becomes the focal point of my confession when I do go.

But what if the focus was shifted?

What if rather than placing all of the concentration on listing failures, a greater attention was paid to the abounding love and forgiveness shown by God in this beautiful sacrament of Reconciliation? Even just using the word “reconciliation” rather than “confession” completely shifts the tone. In the sacrament we are not just reciting our faults and waiting for our penance. We are doing more than just confessing, we are reconciling. We are looking to restore right relationship with the Divine, to continue striving to know God better and to love the world as God loves.

Today in the Gospel we hear Jesus say “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love.” Because this woman - unnamed and labeled only by the fact that she, like all of us, is a sinner - because she has shown great love, she is forgiven. It did not matter that she had “sins which were many” or even what those sins were. 

She loved. 

She loved and she actively sought to serve God – to get as close to the Beloved as she possibly could. And it is because of that outpouring of courageous love that Jesus said to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”  This is the ministry of reconciliation. It is not intended to be a counting of trespasses, a recitation of sins and a sentencing of penance. Reconciliation is an outpouring of grace in which we recognize the infinite love of God and allow that love to take hold of our hearts as we go out into the world as “ambassadors for Christ”.

So this evening, as you prepare to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation, rather than focusing primarily on failures, perhaps pray for openness and receptivity to the endless love of God and a deeper understanding of how we are called not only to recognize that brilliant love, but to share it with our world.
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How are you called to bring the infinite love and goodness of God with the world?

Peace,
Sarah

**Linking up with BlessedisShe and #BISLent

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Happy Valentine's Day

Just wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day and share one of my absolute favorite prayers:

Nothing is more practical than

 finding God, than

 falling in Love

 in a quite absolute, final way. 

What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination,

 will affect everything. 

It will decide 

what will get you out of bed in the morning, 

what you do with your evenings,

 how you spend your weekends,

 what you read, whom you know,

 what breaks your heart, 

and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

 Fall in Love, stay in love,

 and it will decide everything.

- Pedro Arrupe, SJ

I hope your days are filled with joy, laughter and, of course, Love!

Peace,
Sarah

ps - there's a beautiful image/design of the entire poem that cant be found here.

**Participating in this month's Circle Link Up

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2 Suggestions for Lent This Year

This morning I was approached by a kind stranger who wanted to let me know that I had a smudge of dirt on my face. I had to chuckle a little and explained that it is Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church and the smudge - which should ideally look like a cross - is intentional.

Side note: I also expressed deep appreciation for his willingness to point it out because there have been many times that I have had something on my face or food in my teeth and no one has let me know. If you see someone with green in their teeth, tell them! I promise they'll appreciate it.

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Today marks the beginning of the Lent-Easter season in the Roman Catholic Tradition. For the next 40 days (Sundays excluded) Catholics around the world enter into a time of preparation to enter more fully into the mystery of the resurrection of Christ. You may be familiar with friends giving up meat on Fridays and other types of food or drink. Maybe you know someone who has started to go to mass more regularly or is trying to more intentionally avoid gossip.

Whatever someone decides to "give up" or "add in" to their daily routine during Lent is done so in order to strengthen their personal relationship with the Divine. It's not to see who can give up the most extravagant item, or who can add the most prayer into their days. Lent is personal. It's an intimate part of one's spiritual journey.

If you are planning to partake in a Lenten observance this year, I suggest 2 things.

1. When you decide on how you will observe Lent this year, think deeply about how that particular act will affect your relationship with God. If you can't find a connection, maybe think of something else you can choose to do.

2. Don't compare your Lenten sacrifice with someone else's. Don't feel inadequate because you don't have the flexibility in your schedule to add an hour more of prayer to your day. And on the flip side, don't assume that someone else is taking the easy route by doing something that to you may seem superficial. Again, this is not a competition.

There's so much more that I could share about Lent and Ash Wednesday and the history of this time in Catholicism (especially after my class this morning on the Lenten-Easter season). It's a beautiful time in the church filled with rich tradition and symbolism. 

If anyone has specific questions I would love to answer them. I am always so appreciative of people from other faith traditions who let me ask questions and I'd love to provide that space for anyone who wants it. And if I don't know the answer, I have a school filled with professors and at least one of them will ;)

Peace,

Sarah

**Linking up with Blessed Is She and the #BISSisterhood

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Peace Be With You

Peace I leave you, my peace I give you...

I need peace.

We need peace.

Our world needs peace.

This week's prompt for the #BISSisterhood is, you guessed it, peace.

Normally to prepare for these posts, I look up the prompt about before the post date and spend about a week praying about what to write. There have been prompts where I've know immediately what I will share, and others where I've worried nothing will come in time. But it always does.

Yet on this topic of peace, I remain speechless.

It's not that I have no thoughts about the subject. I've written, reflected, and given talks about it numerous times. I have notes on inspiring workers for peace, marked scriptures illuminating the peace of God, and reflective songs that continue the conversation of creating peace.

But today, as I reflect on our world - a world thirsting so desperately for peace - all I can do is sit and be still.

I cannot formulate the words to adequately express that desire for peace - that deep longing.

So rather than write to you about peace, in this moment I pray - and if you feel called, I invite you, too, to share in a prayer for peace.

Peace in our world.
Peace in our hearts.

Peace,
Sarah

*** Linking up with Blessed Is She and #BISsisterhood

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And So, We Hope.

I worry that I'm becoming jaded.

Okay, I worry about a lot of things, but lately this one has been at the front of my mind.

There's so much injustice in our world. So much violence. So much poverty. So much hatred. There's just so much. And sometimes it feels like it's too much. Too much to handle. Too much to fix. Too much to ever actually change.

Oh how I miss the days when I was bright-eyed,  and overly optimistic - ready and willing to go out into the world and make a difference. But as I grow older and witness more tragedy, more pain, more injustice, I sometimes feel that optimism shrinking...

And yet (thankfully) every time I think I've reached that point of no return, there is always something or someone who shines a light of hope - who inspires me with their optimism, with their care, with their talent - and lets me know that there is still good in the world. And that there is enough of it to make a change.

I work with students to address social justice issues and cultivate a deeper empathy and understanding of how we all fit together in our world. Learning about and witnessing heavy issues of hardship day in and day out certainly takes its toll on positivity and yet my students are constantly filled with a fire to be the change.

I often tease my them that they are the only reason I haven't given up on the world and retreated into a cave somewhere. They're still young. They still have that optimism. They are filled with passion and great ideas.

They give me hope.

And with that hope, I can feel my own optimism and passion begin to rejuvenate.

Hope and the rejuvenation that comes with it are key parts of this season of Advent. As Christians, we wait in hope for the coming of our Savior - in the celebration of his birth on Christmas, but also in anticipation for the coming of his Kingdom - on earth as it is in heaven.

We live in this tension of the already, but not yet. We know Christ has come and we faithfully hope and wait for the next arrival. In that tension, hope inspires action.

Advent is a time of active preparation. Yes, we wait, but we also work. We are called to prepare the way for the Lord. And so, we must ask ourselves: how can I help to bring about the Kingdom of God? How can I prepare our world to enter into Christ's peace? How can I show others the presence of God among us?

During this blessed season of Advent, let us not only prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus, but let us also focus on preparing our world. The troubles may seem endless and overwhelming, but I have hope and faith that with open hearts and the help of our Creator, we can create the way.

We can make a difference.

And so, we prepare and we hope.

Peace,
Sarah

***Linking up with Blessed is She and #BISsisterhood and Faith and Fellowship

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Let the Advent-ures Begin!

Happy first day of Advent, friends! I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving weekend filled with joy!

For those of you who haven't heard of Advent, in the Catholic Church it marks a season of waiting - waiting for Christ to come. (It is also celebrated in other Christian traditions, but I am not sure if all of the symbolism matches across the board, so I will only directly be speaking to the Catholic tradition. I'd love to learn more if any of y'all care to share!)

Advent begins on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30) and lasts for four Sundays. During Advent, we prepare ourselves for the arrival of our Savior on Christmas.  

As I mentioned in my recent post about Thankfulness, I am hoping to be more intentional about my personal preparation during this liturgical season this year. And in case any of you are interested in different ways to embrace a more intentional Advent this time around, I wanted to share some of the methods I am partaking in.

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The Grace of Remembrance

I have a brief activity for you. I invite you to close your eyes and think of a specific moment from your past that you remember feeling very happy and very loved. As you're thinking of this moment, try to remember what you were sensing at that time...

What do you see?

What noises do you hear?

What do you smell?

Try to soak in the environment around you...

What is the space like?

Who is there with you?

What are you doing?

How do you feel?

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"With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility."

"God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them..." Genesis 1:27

You are created in the "image and likeness of God." How special is that? You are made to emulate the great Creator. In you, others may encounter the Divine. You are the Crown of Creation.

What a beautiful grace! What a powerful gift!

And yet, we must always remember that "with great power, comes great responsibility." It is not enough to simply be created in the image of God. Humanity has been endowed with the responsibility to care for all of Creation.

This is what Pope Francis is insisting upon in his latest encyclical, Laudato Si. We share in a deep responsibility to take care of creation and allow it to flourish.

The first creation story in Genesis illustrates, in spectacular poetry, the love and care poured out by God in each moment of creation. Where other creation stories during that time contained gods of violence and vengeance, the god of the Hebrew Bible, our God, invited the universe into being. "Let there be," and it was good.

This creation story ends with the formation of a new being. Different from those before, this one was made to be an "image" of God.

In ancient times, specifically those during which the Bible was written, while a king was away from his people, a plaster cast was placed at the head of the town. This replica of the king signified that the people of the place were to be governed and cared for in the same manner that would be done had the ruler been present. In a way, it demonstrated continued care for those the ruler had dominion over. They were not forgotten.

The Book of Genesis, written in Hebrew, has the word for plaster cast found where in English we read image.

Wow.

Not only were we created to resemble God, but according to the Hebrew, we were made to be replicas of the Divine and share in dominion over the rest of creation. But we must remember that this dominion must also replicate the Divine. We are to care for creation with the same compassion and love poured out for us by Christ.

If we are to truly be the Crown of Creation, we must be willing to pour out our love and compassion as well. Not only to our neighbor, but to all of God's magnificent and holy creation.

Peace,
Sarah

*** Linking up with Blessed Is She and #BISsisterhood and Faith and Fellowship

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My Summer with the Saints

November 1st marks the Feast of All Saints in the Catholic Church. Each year around this time, I try to choose a saint to learn more about and try to pray with as a guide to holiness through the year. Saints Bernadette, Ignatius of Loyola, John Paul II and Joan of Arc are some of those whose devotion to God I have come to admire through this practice.

After my adventures in Europe this summer, I find myself reflecting and praying with the many beautiful holy men and women whose lives I was fortunate enough to learn about and experience on another level.

So rather than just choosing one saint this year, I'm feeling connected to and comforted by many.

 (above: Basilica of Loyola, below: view of Montserrat on the way to Manresa)

By walking the footsteps of Ignatius of Loyola, I felt myself draw nearer to Christ in prayer and reflection along the camino. I wanted to walk those 200 km to learn more about and grow closer to the saint, but instead found myself diving deeper into my relationship with Christ, which is exactly what Iggy would have wanted. He calls all of us to live our lives so that everything is for the greater glory of God. AMDG.

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Happy Feast Day St. John Paul II

“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

Pope John Paul II is one of my favorite examples of holiness in the Catholic Church. He was far from perfect, but this saint has done a lot for the Church and a lot for my faith and arguably, a lot for the world as a whole. 

 He was the first pope to set foot in a mosque and the first pope to visit the synagogue in Rome even though it was only a short distance from the Vatican. By doing so, he profoundly demonstrated the need for the recognition and respect of religions beyond Catholicism. 

When Poland was under communist control and practicing Catholicism was difficult, the young priest would take groups on "camping trips" away from the cities so that they could safely participate in mass and share in their faith. His undying commitment to the formation and recognition of the faith of our youth is inspiring.

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Soul Searching

You're in for another long one folks, so please bare with me...

When I began this blog, I was looking for a creative outlet. A space where I could talk about life, maybe post a recipe or two, and also share a bit of my personal style. I wanted a space that would motivate me to do something beyond just studying and a space to write more than academic papers.

And that, thankfully, is what Simply Sarah became. By the end of last semester, I found myself cooking more adventurous things, watching my spending when it came to my clothing obsession, and even documenting bits and pieces of my adventures in Europe this summer.

But if I am being honest, I feel like there is a piece of me that isn't shared as readily on this page simply because it doesn't have anything to do with style or recipes - my faith and spirituality. And I think that is why my blog has felt so lacking for me lately.

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A Few Quick Thoughts and Updates

 I have really been slacking on the blogging front lately.

There just has not been enough time between classes, work, and other commitments this semester. I'm certain you can all understand where I am coming from. I've been struggling to find a balance of everything and unfortunately, my blog has been the easiest thing to push to the side. I wish that I could say that from today on out I would be posting regularly again, but I honestly don't know yet.

But for now, I thought I would share a few random updates and some photos of the California sunset from my balcony last week (#nofilter, but really though. I did not edit these at all. It was crazy beautiful.)

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