Christmas break 2011

Hello everyone,

I had hoped to write sooner, but then I left my computer in Stevens Point on Christmas day when I headed back to Winona for a few days.  Break has been great.  I have had times where I am busy doing things that I enjoy and times that I have been able to just simply relax.

I can’t remember if I posted that I found out where we will be going for the CRS mission trip in February or not?  In case I didn’t, it is Burkina Faso, a country in Western Africa.

Break started out pretty normal with me going to Stevens Point and spending time with a couple of friends.  I had to go to Marshfield for the extended family Christmas party on that Sunday, after which I drove back to Winona. 

I went to Mass on Monday morning in La Crosse, hoping to see a friend who goes to Mass most days, but she wasn’t there.  I then had my annual check-up to see if the cancer has returned (it hasn’t!) and then I was able to take some down time.  I was given one of my Christmas gifts early from my mom and Perry, a certificate for 30 workout sessions at the gym that they go to.  It is very nice that the gym allows it to be used as a punch card, since I’m not there very often a month long certificate wouldn’t be able to be used much.  I was able to get in a few workouts during the time I had in Winona over break.  I always feel so good after those work outs.

On Wednesday I had to meet with the admissions board and the Bishop again as I move from pre-theology to theology studies.  The board had a short discussion of how I felt I have grown in seminary and how I hope to continue to grow.  The Bishop and I talked for a while; he is still trying to get to know us seminarians.  It was a great conversation.  During this I was told to go ahead and apply to St. Paul Seminary, something I will work on when I get back to Mundelein.

We then had the seminarian Christmas party (yes, during Advent, don’t ask me why) and I went and spent some time with friends in La Crosse after that.

On Thursday I headed back to Stevens Point to help with final preparation for Christmas, such as setting up and whatever else was needed.  I served at all three Christmas Masses (two on Christmas eve and one on Christmas morning) before heading back to Winona to celebrate Christmas with the immediate family there. 

Following that I had 3 days with nothing scheduled to do, I can’t remember the last time that I had 3 full days in a row to decide what to do.  I spend some of the time at Mass of course, and getting some reading done for School and visiting with friends, but it was pretty much three down days.  I enjoyed the time, but was starting to want to get to doing things again, so I came back here to Stevens Point yesterday to see what I could do around the parish.  I will be here for a few days and head back to the seminary on New Years day.

Remember, it is still Christmas season (it starts on Christmas day in the Church’s view) so be sure to still be celebrating the incarnation of the Lord.

Peace,

Adam

Advent reflection points 2011

Hello again everyone,

Advent is well underway now and I thought I’d take a minute to give an advent reflection.  First just a quick update, I have been very busy beginning this quarter, we have had a couple of extra things that they wanted to get in before Christmas rather than postponing them until January, plus the professors want to get some level of an assignment turned in before the break so that they have the break to go over them.  So we have all been dumped on with a ton to get done.  Thus, I will keep this short.

Advent is a time of preparation.  In current times it consists of the four Sundays preceding Christmas and the weeks that follow them, in a year like this with Christmas on a Sunday we have 4 full weeks of Advent, but it can be as short as the Monday after the 4^th Sunday.  Over time the length of Advent has varied, I’m not quite sure how the traditions have changed, but I know that had one time Advent was 40 days, to correspond with Lent before Easter. 

Now onto the reflection… (It may be more of my ramblings than a reflection, sorry, my mind is in a lot of different places.)

The image that comes to my mind most years during Advent is that of John the Baptist.  John fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament regarding a messenger preparing the way of the Lord when He comes.  “A voice cry’s out from the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths for our God.”  John was the one there to do this for the incarnation of the Word becoming flesh. 

How do we prepare in a special way for Christ’s coming, not only in the celebration of Christmas, but every day.  Is our little corner of the world ready for Him at all times?  How can I make it better? 

My mind tends to wander quite often to preparing Christ’s way to come into me.  Into my heart, into my soul, and into my body through the Eucharist.  What obstacles need to be removed for this, namely sin.  How do I recognize when Christ comes in, this was a problem for Him when He was walking around Palestine and Israel, what do I do to make sure that I don’t make those same errors? 

What will I do after Advent to continue my readiness?  How will I live every day in anticipation?

These are just some of the thoughts that I reflection during Advent.  I hope that you may be able to use them to guide your own prayer and preparation.

Peace,
Adam