DEVANTE LAW-WHITE
Senior
KENNEDY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
2017
Advent Reflections
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Advent Reflections
2017 Prelude
During the four weeks of Advent, we prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth through prayer and reflection. As has become a Lancer tradition, members of our faculty, staff and student body have written personal reflections for this holy season of Advent. Each of the scripture readings have been chosen by the Catholic Church for daily Mass throughout Advent. The artwork featured in this booklet was carefully created by Kennedy Catholic studentartists. Thank you to Mr. Dale Dolejsi and his Studio Drawing and Painting class for their collaboration on this special project. Please accept this booklet as our gift to you. Advent is an invitation to draw closer to the mystery of the birth of Christ. Who has Christ been in your life and who might Christ be in the coming year? May the magic and joy of the Advent season remain with you throughout the coming year.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Kennedy Catholic High School
December
03
First Sunday of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7 SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 1:3-9 GOSPEL
Mark 13:33-37
I remember the birth of our first-born, Caleb. I also very clearly remember the first time my wife Laura left me by myself with him while she attended her cousin’s wedding. She was only gone for 6 hours but how I fretted. What happens when he cries and it’s not because he’s teething, hungry or his diapers need changing? What happens when he doesn’t go down for a nap or wakes up too early? He was all of 6 months and I was 32 and regardless of my not having a clue, I was vigilant, watchful and alert. In this parable, Jesus talks about leaving people in charge. He speaks about going away and leaving us to do something good and faithful while He is gone. More importantly, He is telling the people that He would be going and then returning some time later, pointing people towards His imminent return. A message to have hope! Laura expected Caleb to be well fed, changed and asleep when she returned. What she taught me though, was the importance of the father of the house to be vigilant, aware and alert in the physical and spiritual care of family, extended family and of all that Jesus entrusted to us. This Advent, examine carefully your own home and those God has entrusted to you. If He comes today, what will He find? Commit to a weekly visit to church as a family to “keep watch” as we prepare our homes for the coming of Jesus.
MIKE PRATO
President
December
04
Monday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 2:1-5 GOSPEL
Matthew 8:5-11
In the ancient world, temples to the gods were invariably built on the highest places in the area, and the temple to Yahweh on Mount Zion in Jerusalem was no different. Every city and culture had its own god on its own mountain. So when Isaiah claims that “The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills,” he is essentially saying that all nations will come to recognize the glory of the God of Israel and his superiority over all the other local gods. This passage then describes all these foreign peoples coming from far and wide to seek the wisdom of the God of the Hebrews. The Lord becomes a source of unity and, in unity, peace. The Gospel story of the Centurion is included by St. Matthew specifically to show that it is in Jesus that this vision of Isaiah is fulfilled. This Roman soldier, this enemy of the Davidic kingdom and very icon of Roman oppression, recognizes the holiness, wisdom, and authority of Jesus, and acts in a humble, contrite manner before the Lord. In Jesus, all are one and all are peaceful. In this Advent season, when we share the incredible story of our God who became human for our sakes, we do not do so aggressively and we do not do so because we want to conquer the beliefs of others. We tell the story of Jesus because we believe in the wisdom and the glory of the one who fulfilled the promises made to Israel. We tell his story because we believe him to be a source of wisdom, of peace, and of unity for all the nations.
FR. JEFFREY MOORE ‘06
Priest of the Archdiocese of Seattle
GABRIELA BARTOSIK
Freshman
December
05
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 11:1-10 GOSPEL
Luke 10:21-24
There were some tough times for the Jewish people. They lost the way and were behaving badly. It was as if they were trees that were being cut down. But a child would be born of the house of Jesse, “a shoot from the stump,” and this child would grow up into an example of goodness and compassion, of proper judgement and fairness for everyone, especially the poor and the marginalized. The early 21st century is proving to be a stressful time. Many of us know someone who wakes up at night dreaming of nuclear war with North Korea. We live on the Pacific Rim, after all. We know families who are divided politically over elections, leaders, or social issues. At the football game will you be standing or kneeling? Christmas dinner might not be an easy, happy time this year. But these stories from Isaiah remind us that renewal is only one conversation away. With one act of good judgement, with just one good example of someone opening up and listening — simply to listen — we can be reconciled, brought together. We can grow in intimacy with one another in our families, workplaces, and stadiums. This year as we prepare for Christmas, our hearts might feel like a forest that has been clear-cut and is exposed. This is not the time to run for cover. Today we are reminded that it is the time to look at, and listen to, the stumps (other points of view) to find new shoots. In today’s Gospel, Christ suggests that the answer is right in front of us, but so many people can’t see it. He says that a child can sometimes see the answer better than adults. He says, “Look to me.” Look to the embodiment of love, born (soon!) to an outcast refugee, a teen mother. Mary made it through partly because Joseph paused to listen and trust. If we pause to listen and trust each other, we too can find hope like a new sprout, like a new baby. Peace. FIL TRIBBLE
Cultural Ambassador, International Advisor
December
06
Wednesday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 25:6-10a GOSPEL
Matthew 15:29-37
There will be times in your life when you feel that you are praying to nothing. Darkness fills the soul, and doubt creeps into the mind. That is when you must pray harder. There will be times in your life when you have never felt happier. Everything will be going your way, and you feel as if you are on top of the world. That is when you must pray harder. When you are empty and pray for fulfillment, the Lord will provide. When you are full and have nothing left to pray for, that is when prayer is needed the most. To acknowledge God’s grace in your success is humility at its purest form. This Advent season, acknowledge the ordinary in all aspects of life.
TREY HUNT
Kennedy Catholic Senior, ASB President
PEARLE OCAMPO
Freshman
December
07
Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
FIRST READING
Isaiah 26:1-6 GOSPEL
Matthew 7:21, 24-27
In Matthew’s Gospel today, we hear “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.” How fitting is this passage for the Advent season when we are often more caught up in the loud and crazy ‘pre-Christmas’ season than in the promise of hope and peace of the coming of our Savior? In my own busyness of the season, I could replace the yell of ‘Lord, Lord!’ with “Cards, gifts, baking, parties!” I ask myself if all of this holiday activity is really the will of my Father, or simply social obligations I place as excuses to evade the issue that I am longing for something more. What if this Advent we allow ourselves to imagine a life that is different? What if our hearts were at peace and our lives more satisfying? That longing in the most hidden corners of our hearts is something holy, a holy longing, a desire for a deeper relationship with God. Advent can be a precious time, a time to accept the healing love God has for us, even if we have put up barriers between ourselves and God the rest of the year. It can be simple—a quick prayer asking Jesus to fill our hearts every day during Advent. God patiently waits with arms outstretched. We can speak as if God is a friend we have not seen in a long time and the words we use do not matter. In His infinite love for us, He knows exactly what we are trying to say. May you find peace, grace and comfort during this season of Advent.
AMY HALL
Librarian
December
08
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
FIRST READING
Genesis 3:9-15, 20 SECOND READING
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 GOSPEL
Luke 1:26-38
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, patroness of the United States of America, the solemn dogma defined by Blessed Pope Pius IX in 1854. Through the centuries, the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Blessed Pope Pius IX proclaimed: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.” - Catechism of the Catholic Church God’s plan of salvation was to set aside Mary, so that at the Annunciation, she could reverse the egotistical pride of man. In her “Yes”, Mary becomes the “New Eve” and in her life she becomes a model of holiness as she reflects the light of Christ to the world. What a beautiful image of love, a love that gives life to the world in need. “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” - Luke 1:38 Let us pray for a world of selfless, authentic, genuine love of God and neighbor, that through the intercessions of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the world may know her Son, the light and hope of the world. This is what Advent is all about, and this should be our goal. Let us look at the last recorded words of Mary, in sacred scripture, a reminder of how we are to live, “Do whatever he tells you.” - John 2:5 “Do not be afraid to love Mary, for you will never love her more than Jesus did.” – St. Maximillian Maria Kolbe. O Mary! conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee! Immaculate heart of Mary, pray for us!
DARIO MOBINI
Theology Teacher
GUIA SADANG
Freshman
December
09
Saturday of the First Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 GOSPEL
Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8
The first reading from Isaiah is about how the Lord provides us with what we need through nature and through God’s own instruction to us in prayer. The words are overwhelmingly positive and commanding, telling us not to fear, that “this is the way; walk in it.” The message is simply that we cannot go wrong if we acknowledge what the Lord gives us. However, the act of acknowledging continually proves difficult for us. In the Gospel reading from Matthew, we are faced with the reality of our own experience. Jesus observes that the people, of whom we are a part, are “troubled and abandoned.” We are given everything we need, and yet we are still lost. Who can explain this? Why is it that we experience this discomfort even though we supposedly have everything we need from the Lord? Jesus’ answer is that, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” In other words, we refuse to acknowledge the bounty in front of us. In one sense, we are the harvest. There are many of us in need of consolation but proportionately few people who are willing to help us with our burdens. Because of this, Jesus empowers the disciples to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to others, to labor in the fields of people’s discontented souls. We can also look at the harvest as the same bounty of nature from the book of Isaiah. Jesus is saying that we are already given an abundant harvest, but because there are few people who are willing to administer the riches of the harvest to us, we are left troubled and abandoned. We cannot access these riches on our own. We need other people to bring the harvest to us, and we also need to practice recognizing when the harvest is before us. This is why we remember to wait on the Lord during Advent. When we pause with the knowledge that the harvest is abundant, we remember that our most infinitesimal worries are nothing next to God’s generosity. This generosity is expressed through the people in our lives. We remember that love is only realized when it is given away – and so, we start to give, and other people begin to receive God’s bountiful gift. Let us continue to give creatively and often. LUKE JANICKI
English and EFL Teacher
December
10
Second Sunday of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 SECOND READING
2 Peter 3:8-14 GOSPEL
Mark 1:1-8
God has a strong and loving plan for each of us, however it is not normally what we may think. At times, we all face the challenge of questioning what our destiny, goal or purpose in life is. Today’s first reading from Isaiah and Gospel from Mark allows us to understand that God disciples each of us so that we may better serve him, and in turn make more loyal disciples and effective servants of his calling. I am proud to be Catholic, as the faith that I celebrate is beautiful. What will always be the most inspiring factor of my faith is that we will always be forgiven. No matter the degree of the sin, or difficulty of the process, we are to never undermine God’s love, as his love is everlasting. It is through the Lord’s forgiveness of the sins that we have committed that we must also promise to cleanse ourselves of these sins. By our redemption, we will find comfort and encouragement. Our first reading from Isaiah tells us that “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’”. God’s purpose for us is to further make room for himself. When you let God live within you, he will restore the hope in faith that you may have lost, and allow you to see the love that happens when you follow God’s path. I believe that our purpose is to spread the love of God that lives within us to others. This is our true calling. God is calling...what’s stopping you from letting Him in?
KALEY MANNS
Kennedy Catholic Senior
ALYSSA NGUYEN
Junior
December
11
Monday of the Second Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 35:1-10 GOSPEL
Luke 5:17-26
Isaiah 35 invites us to reflect on this Advent season not only as God’s coming in Christ, but also as our coming home. God comes. God is here. We leap and shout and sing. And together, we walk home. Christ’s arrival brings something more. Christ’s arrival transforms every inability into ability and every deficiency into miraculous abundance. Christ’s coming brings the capacity to see and hear to the senses that are starving of light and sound. The abundance His coming will bring is greater than we can imagine – we won’t just walk, we will leap; we won’t just speak, we will shout; we won’t fear but we will walk boldly. The celebration will be a gratuitous expression of joy. This coming home is a metaphor for spiritual renewal and rebirth. It is a ‘birth’ day. Birthdays aren’t just once-a-year celebrations of coming of age. We can celebrate rebirth in many different ways, most notably through Christ. When we open our hearts to the presence of Christ, they are renewed with the vigor of life; we find a deep and eternal source of strength. If we make the conscious decision to prepare our hearts and minds for Christ’s arrival, we allow ourselves to experience the fullness of joy, renewal, and vitality His coming brings. This rebirth brings both physical and spiritual healing, but only if we allow ourselves to trust in Christ and prepare a place for His invigorating love in our hearts. We can see an example of this extraordinary faith in the story of the paralyzed man. His incredible trust in the healing ability of Christ allowed him to follow an all at once simple yet impossible command: rise, and walk. If we follow the example of the paralyzed man and allow Christ’s transformative presence into our lives, we will find that the path home is an easy one. In faith, our journey is always homeward bound, and it is a journey that we will never walk alone. SARAH DAHLEEN
HANNAH DAHLEEN
Director of Advancement
Kennedy Catholic Junior
EMMA DAHLEEN
CHLOE DAHLEEN
Kennedy Catholic Junior
Kennedy Catholic Junior
December
12
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
FIRST READING
Zechariah 2:14-17 GOSPEL
Luke 1:26-38
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Each Advent season, Luke 1:26-36 holds a significant reminder from Our Lady, a reminder that constantly challenges, invites, and humbles. When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary she is afraid and anxious. The angel Gabriel tells Mary, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Through the story of the Annunciation, we journey with Mary as she moves from fear and anxiety to her ‘great yes.’ Here lies the reminder, that we too are invited to move ourselves from fear and anxiety to a ‘great yes.’ We are called to follow the example of Our Lady, making all that we are and have available to the Lord. Our Lady’s ‘great yes’ invites us to intentionally recognize God’s calling in each of our lives. This ‘great yes’ is a reminder to trust God despite our fears and anxieties, to humbly place ourselves at His will, and repeat the words Mary said – “May it be done to me according to your word.” So, when we feel our fears, anxieties, and hesitations hindering us from giving all we have to the Lord, we can remind ourselves of Our Lady. By Mary saying “may it be done to me according to your word,” our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, was beholden to us in a manger. By saying ourselves, “may it be done to me according to your word,” we are allowing our heart, hands, and head to intentionally meet and give glory in and through His name. When we follow the example of Mary’s ‘great yes,’ we invite God into ourselves fully and humbly.
SOFIA LOPEZ
Theology Teacher, Campus Minister
WILLIAM KERNS
Freshman
December
13
Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin & Martyr
FIRST READING
Isaiah 40:25-31 GOSPEL
Matthew 11:28-30
I have often wondered what it would be like to fly, to actually lift off the ground and soar around on my own power. I can imagine it to a certain degree and imagining it has a certain power and beauty all its own. The power of imagination and the ability to create thoughts is an amazing gift. The readings today offer some powerful fuel for the imagination. Imagine the ability to run and not grow tired or to have all illness healed or to have a whole life redeemed. The thought that captures my imagination is the promise that the Lord will be merciful and gracious and slow to anger. The Psalmist goes on to say that God will not deal with us according to our sins, but according to His mercy. In a world that wants to constantly find fault in others, deflect ownership or responsibility for wrongs done, and criticize the efforts of others, it is a gift to contemplate what the alternative might look like. What if being a person of mercy, grace, and self-control was within my imagination, was within my ability to realize? I am encouraged by this thought. It motivates me to reflect on how that might show up in my life in the many roles I play: coach, teacher, co-worker, neighbor, husband, father, . . . Mariner fan. . . I am hopeful that these are the promises of God and not the ones that have to stay in the imagination, like “soaring as with eagles’ wings,” but actual and practical. What thoughts and promises captivate your mind this Advent season? May we all imagine and draw on the strength and encouragement that can only come from the Lord.
KALE DYER
Math and Science Teacher
December
14
Memorial of St. John of the Cross, Priest & Doctor of the Church
FIRST READING
Isaiah 41:13-20 GOSPEL
Matthew 11:11-15
Today’s gospel can be hard for us to hear. Violence is not a word we usually associate with Jesus’ teaching. As I read and reread through these verses I found helpful insight from a scripture commentary. The situation described here seems to be this: the leaders of the Jewish people, and their blind followers, were waiting for the kingdom of God the way people wait for a rightful legacy to come their way; but while they rested on the laurels of the rights and rewards to which they think they are entitled, others, the men of violence are taking the kingdom of God, by force, by fighting enemies of the soul—the world, the flesh and the devil. (The Navarre Bible: Gospels & Acts) The message here is not that we are to be violent people. Rather, Jesus is calling us to be on guard against our own sinfulness and laziness. We need to develop a relationship with Him through prayer and put our hope in Him, not in our accomplishments or what we think we deserve. St. Josemaria Escriva emphasizes this when he writes: “This violence is not directed against others. It is a violence used to fight your own weaknesses and miseries, a fortitude, which prevents you from camouflaging your own infidelities, a boldness to own up to the faith even when the environment is hostile.” Jesus calls us to prayer and fasting. During this Advent season, how can you fight the enemies of the soul? How can you pray and fast to better prepare yourself for the coming of truth, joy, hope, and the coming of Jesus at Christmas?
JOE SKILLMAN
Science Teacher
MIANNA BEHRENS
Sophomore
December
15
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 48:17-19 GOSPEL
Matthew 11:16-19
Jesus asks a big question of us in the Gospel today: “To what shall I compare this generation?” Most of us hope that our actions of goodwill and service will impact future generations to be more Christ-like in their lives. Unfortunately, we see too many examples of the opposite happening in our community, our nation, and our world. We would do well to reflect today and during Advent on the Beatitudes. They remind us of the necessary service required of each of us to impact others’ lives. This week, also consider researching our newly named Patron Saint Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. He has a quote that connects to today’s Gospel and implores us to do something: “Modern society is drowning in the sorrows of human passions and it is distancing itself from every ideal of love and peace. Catholics, we and you, must bring the breath of goodness that can only spring from faith in Christ.” – Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati May we all breathe goodness as we live our gifts out loud by serving those in need this Advent.
JENNY FARRELL ‘92
Director of Campus Ministry, Theology Teacher
LILLY MARINO
Junior
December
16
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 GOSPEL
Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
The first reading proclaims the amazement of Elijah coming forth through the ‘whirlwind of fire’ and the wondrous power he has. In awe, they proclaim him to be able to create a path for the son of God; to set things straight in the hierarchy of tribes of Jacob. Bringing order to chaos is a heavy burden, one that cannot be undertaken alone, and it must be done with the eventual agreement of all parties. How do we influence the chaos… to encourage the ship to right itself? At the end of the reading it says, “Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship.” Many of us have fallen asleep in our relationships at one time or another. With the abundance of technology, it is so easy to pick up the phone and make a call, text a word of support, or send an uplifting picture. Why don’t we? Why do we put it off? Why, when we know how good it feels to be the recipient of those calls and texts of love, don’t we make a bigger effort to do it ourselves? Can we diminish the chaos by simply reaching out? Can we right the ship by mending and maintaining relationships? Can we use this season of giving as a springboard to finding the peace in our own chaos? Yes, we can. So, in the spirit of “making straight His path” … I’m sorry, Jim, for not calling as often as I should since Matt passed. I apologize, Teri and Frank, for not being more present to you when Frank’s mom died. Forgive me, Maiah, for not making time to get together. I shall strive to stay awake in my friendships… bring order to the chaos… “making straight His path.”
ANNETTE GRIFFITH ‘86
International Admissions Director
December
FIRST READING
17
Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11 SECOND READING
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Third Sunday of Advent
GOSPEL
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Do you consider yourself a true theologian with a real grasp of the bible and its meanings? For most of us, the answer is “no”. So, in full disclosure, the act of our family writing an Advent reflection is not something that comes easily. Our family likes logic, sequence, and structure that fit neatly around our own process and reason. What might be referred to as traditional “leftbrain” thinking, also lends itself to hubris and inhibits faith. That’s probably true for everyone to some extent. It’s hard for us (and we’re assuming many other people) to accept that we are not necessarily in control. Even on the occasions when we can truly acknowledge that we are not in control, it can be even harder to trust the Lord will take care of us. Apparently, Mary was a little better at it than most of us. Despite being pregnant with child, weary from travel, and living with relatives, Mary fully rejoices and trusts in the Lord. I’m not sure if Mary had a plan prior to the whole Immaculate Conception thing, but apparently her trust and faith in the Lord was much stronger than any worry or stress she may have faced. Our family moved to Seattle from southern California where we were blessed to have one of the most charismatic, dynamic, yet humble and relatable homilists, Father Howard Lincoln, as our pastor. One of his most memorable homilies was centered around a simple phrase, “Let the Father do the worrying.” Our entire family remembers and often refers to that homily during times of angst and worry. Frequently, our Advent can be pushed aside with worry about holiday expectations, family and social pressures, financial stress, frantic schedules, and many other things that can muddle the Christmas season. Where do these stresses and worries, perceived or real, get us? The answer is very simple. They get us nowhere. That can be difficult to accept. So, as we continue through the Advent season, we hope that you may channel the faith of St. Mary and the wise words of Father Howard A. Lincoln, “Let the Father do the worrying.”
MICHELLE MARKLE
SHAYLA MARKLE
KRISTA MARKLE
Counselor
Kennedy Catholic Sophomore
Kennedy Catholic Freshman
December
18
Monday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Jeremiah 23:5-8 GOSPEL
Matthew 1:18-25
The magic of Christmas always has me questioning why it happens only during this time of the year. As the snow falls during the cold winter storms of the season, we see the beautiful and delicate snowflakes on top of the colorful leaves of autumn. The annual stormy season of winter puts all of us in awe as our browning earth turns into a glowing, bright wonderland. But the true magic to Christmas is Advent. Together, at this time, we are called to reflect on our relationship with our coming Savior, Jesus Christ. When reflecting on this reading, I felt the overall message of trust. Trust in the Lord’s plans for us as Joseph had trust in Him. The trust we put in God allows us to have a fuller faith in Him, thus bringing us closer to hope in our lives. This time of year brings us closer to one another. Using the trust and hope God gave us, it is our duty as believers to spread hope to His people. The cold wintery months are the hardest for those on the margins, as they lack basic resources to stay fed and warm. Volunteering with soup kitchens, donating to the local shelters, and much more provides help and comfort to the people of God during “The Season of Giving.” Together as God’s people, we can continue giving through using the hope and trust given to us during Advent. Joseph, with trust in God, willingly created a home for his wife and Jesus. We are called to bring magic to the people of God in our communities by trusting in God’s word and imitating Jesus’ actions of service. It is the most wonderful time of the year this Advent season as we await, with full hope, for the coming of Christ on a (hopefully) snowy Christmas day.
RUTH ZEKARIASE
Kennedy Catholic Senior
RUTH ZEKARIASE
Senior
December
19
Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a GOSPEL
Luke 1:5-25
Last Christmas as my daughter and I were putting up our Christmas tree, we could not get one of the two lights on the angel top to turn on. We tried everything, we changed the light, we moved the cords around, we tried a different outlet but to no avail. Then my daughter said, “It’s okay Mom, it’s kind of like our family, one of our lights is out.” It made my heart sad, but she was absolutely right. We experienced a horrifying event in our lives a couple years ago that we will never fully recover from, and then shortly thereafter my mother, my daughter’s grandmother, died after a long debilitating illness. I am sure that Zechariah and Elizabeth felt the same emptiness in their lives being childless. Constant emptiness that could not be filled with any amount of good. I would guess that many people have events in their lives that make them experience emptiness. How long do you think Zechariah had been praying for a child? When do you think he gave up on that prayer? Elizabeth was way past childbearing age. When the angel Gabriel appears to him, he says, “Zechariah, your prayer has been answered.” Zechariah probably said, “What prayer?” We know, from Zechariah’s response, that it was so long ago that he did not think his prayer could be answered. Zechariah actually questions the Angel! He asks Gabriel how he might “know this” since he was “an old man” and his wife was “advanced in years.” Wouldn’t we say the same? Luke is trying to tell us to continue to pray unceasingly. Maybe Zechariah was made silent so he might be able to better listen. Maybe we should be silent so we can hear God. Our faith must remain, no matter how difficult things become, so that when the angel appears we won’t miss the message. The message in this passage is to continue to believe in our prayers. My daughter and I will wait in silent prayer for the angel’s light to reappear.
PEGGY CUNNINGHAM
Executive Assistant
December
20
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Isaiah 7:10-14 GOSPEL
Luke 1:26-38
“Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: ‘Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as Sheol, or high as the sky!’ But Ahaz answered, ‘I will not ask! I will not exalt the Lord!’” (Isaiah 7:10-12) King Ahaz was in trouble. Years ago, the twelve tribes of Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel and Judah. After this split, the Israelites formed an alliance with the Syrians, and together they were threatening Judah, the land of which Ahaz was king. Though the prophet Isaiah already attempted to dissuade Ahaz from forming a potentially ruinous alliance with the Assyrians, Ahaz, impressed by their strength and their perceived ability to rebuff the attacks of Judah’s enemies, started courting them as allies. Recognizing the weakness of Ahaz’s faith, God intervenes, inviting Ahaz to ask for a sign that will convince him of God’s fidelity to the Kingdom of Judah. Ahaz, though, refuses, stating he will not ask for a sign; he will not exalt God. Ahaz had already made his decision: by forming an alliance, he is choosing to trust not in God but in the powers of this world. Because of his pride, Ahaz will not ask for a sign; he does not want to give God the opportunity to manifest His Glory, for that would confirm that Ahaz erred by trusting in the Assyrians. Instead, in his obstinacy, Ahaz will pursue an alliance that will ultimately result in the downfall of Judah and the enslavement of her people at the hands of foreigners. How often in our lives today do we emulate Ahaz? Do we, like Ahaz, not want to be disturbed by the reality of a loving but demanding God, a God who expects us to unconditionally offer him our very lives? Do we cultivate our prayer lives with an even greater fervor than that with which we follow our favorite sports teams? Do we make it a habit to regularly receive the sacraments, especially the graces that come from Reconciliation and the Eucharist? Do we study the faith in an attempt to conform our beliefs on moral and doctrinal issues to those of the Church, even when those teachings may challenge us? May it be said of us that our words and actions show we ally ourselves with Christ and his Church, for as Ahaz’s folly reveals, in the end the alternative to this is, to put it mildly, quite undesirable. STEPHEN BARBAROSSA ‘09
Math and Theology Teacher
BEVERLEE WINANT
Junior
December
21
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Song of Songs 2:8-14 GOSPEL
Luke 1:39-45
The readings today are full of joy, admiration, and love. ‘Shout for joy!’ ‘Be glad and exult.’ ‘…leaped for joy.’ ‘My beloved,’ ‘He will rejoice over you with gladness,’ ‘Blessed are you.’ Our lives are so full of these moments of joy and love, but they are often overlooked as we rush from one thing to the next. This season of preparing for Christmas is often full of tasks, to do lists, full schedules, and rushing to get it all done. But the season of preparing for Christmas is meant to be one full of reflection, peace, slowing down, and remembering that we are preparing our hearts for the coming of our Lord. It is hard to catch the little moments of encounter, joy, reflection, and grace when we are rushing. At my previous job, there was a preschool in my building. I was blessed to have daily encounters with the people who are best at catching the small moments of joy in our day – 3 and 4-year-olds. Easton was one of these joyful and observant preschoolers. And more than being observant, he was full of admiration and love for his baby sister. Easton: “Kelsey, guess what my sister can do?” “What can she do?” “She can smile. Want to see?” “Yes, I want to see.” (He makes silly noises near her and gently rocks her car seat.) “Look, she’s smiling”, he says with pride. If only we all took more time to notice smiles and worked harder at helping create them. Today, as we honor this season of Advent, take some time to notice the smiles around you. And maybe even work to create them. May your Advent and Christmas seasons be full of joy, admiration, and love. KELSEY HARRINGTON
Theology Teacher, Campus Minister
December
22
Friday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
1 Samuel 1:24-28 GOSPEL
Luke 1:46-56
“Hail Mary, Gentle Woman” is a beautiful song with a lovely melody speaking of Mary, the quiet light of God. She is the gentle mother and peaceful dove, teaching us wisdom and teaching us love. But as I read the song of Mary in Luke’s gospel, I am surprised to find not a gentle mother, but a fiery young woman who prays in a radical and intimate way to God. Mary blesses the name of God, and praises Him for all He has done. What else could a person do when confronted with the awesome and miraculous power of God, but listen to what Mary says next? God shows the strength of His arm, scatters the proud, casts down the mighty from their thrones, and sends away the rich empty-handed. She sings of a radical reorienting of society, overturning the status quo. She speaks of a future where the lowly are lifted up and the powerful are rejected. These are not the words of a gentle woman. They are the words of a woman consumed with the very spirit of God. Is it any wonder that Jesus would speak of His Father’s kingdom in the same way? That the last would be first, and that whatever you did to the least of these, you did to me? The kingdom of God, the kingdom that Mary proclaims, that grows within her each day of Advent is a challenge to our way of life. But it is one we must listen to. These are not gentle words, but fighting words. This is a song like those found in Exodus, speaking of the God who lives and is a warrior for his people. A song whose words we must learn to sing, whose melody must become our heart’s cry. A song of Mary and of all God’s people. It is the intimate song of God’s kingdom. That God remembers his promises, and that we too must remember who we call upon, when we call upon God. The God who loves the poor, who sides with the marginalized, and calls us to do the same. May we echo Mary’s song today in all that we do, and call her blessed for teaching us her melody.
AIRES PATULOT
Theology Teacher, Campus Minister
December
23
Saturday of the Third Week of Advent
FIRST READING
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24 GOSPEL
Luke 1:57-66
“…as in the days of old, as in years gone by.” - Malachi 3:4 The Gospel of Matthew tells us that three “wise men from the east,” Balthasar, Melchior, and Caspar, followed the Christmas Star to Jerusalem. From there, they traveled to Bethlehem, where, on the Epiphany, they presented gifts to the infant Jesus in adoration. They then returned to their homes. The Magi, one elderly, one middle-aged, and one young, agreed to meet every year at the Hill of Vaws, in India, near eastern Persia, where the Christmas Star first appeared. Many years later, the star reappeared, and the Magi knew their lives were about to end. They built a great tomb on the Hill of Vaws. They later died on the same day and were buried in their prepared tomb. Two hundred years after this, St. Helena (244-330 A.D.), mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, removed the remains of the Magi from their tomb and took them to Constantinople, her son’s new city. Following the death of Constantine, the bones of the Magi were moved to Milan, where they remained for several centuries. In 1164, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, Barbarossa, took the bones to Cologne, Germany, where the magnificent Cologne Cathedral was built to house them. The Christmas Star, rather than a Roman cross, appears on the top of Cologne Cathedral in honor of the Magi. Their relics remain there today, contained in a glorious, gold reliquary located behind the altar. Are these really the bones of the Three Wise Men? The reliquary has been opened. An examination concluded that the bones are those of an elderly man, a middle-aged man, and a young man. Silk attached to the bones is of fine quality. The bones date from the 500’s, perhaps earlier. Cologne Cathedral survived World War II intact, though the city around it was in ruins. Is this proof? For those who believe, it is all about faith.
MELANIE BATT
Social Studies Teacher
December
24
Fourth Sunday of Advent
FIRST READING
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 SECOND READING
Romans 16:25-27 GOSPEL
Luke 1:26-38
In this Gospel from Luke, Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel and finds out she will be the mother of God. She also finds out that Elizabeth has also conceived and will have a baby. And in the midst of these miracles I find a few of the most encouraging words, nothing is impossible for God. The Christmas season is so full of joy and good will. Everyone seems happier and more forgiving toward their fellow humans. Food banks and charities receive increased donations. People reach out to family members and friends to wish them holiday cheer, and send greeting cards to those far away. Movies have happy endings. Our spirit of giving, of time, talent and treasure is at an all-time high. There are some in our community for whom the season holds little to no joy. There are family fractures, job loss, addictions. For some, homelessness and hunger are every day, not just the holidays. But in the depths of despair over the state of our lives, of the world, of our community, there is the hope that is offered in the Gospel – nothing will be impossible for God. There may be action we need to take on our part. Elizabeth waited and prayed for her miracle. Mary allowed God to work through her. Maybe this is the season we take steps we need to take to heal, knowing that when we pray, God is listening and nothing is impossible for Him! Merry Christmas and may the Peace of the Season be with you, today and throughout the year.
NANCY BRADISH
Principal
KAITLYN LE
Sophomore
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KENNEDY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
140 S. 140th Street, Burien WA 98168 www.kennedyhs.org