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O Come, O Come Emmanuel! We sing these words of longing throughout the Advent season as we prepare to celebrate the miracle of Christmas! Emmanuel, “God With Us”! For some reason, I am touched this year more than ever by the belief that God became one of us, that God loved us so much that he chose to become human as an innocent baby boy that grew up in a family with a mother and a foster father. God chose to be with us, walking and talking and crying and laughing and praying and loving and serving.
As Ambrosians, we, too, choose to BEE with one another and with God’s beloved people, our classmates, teammates, co-workers and our neighbors in the surrounding community and throughout the world. We just completed our 30 days of prayer and service for Bee the Difference Month when we were challenged to spend extra time with God in prayer and with God’s people.
Being with one another changes everything. When we are with one another, we get to know each other in a way that is deeper and more intimate than we otherwise would. Our eyes are open and bonds are formed by sharing meals together, working side by side, enjoying a cup of coffee, crying on each other’s shoulders, learning new skills, creating something useful and beautiful or playing a game.
For several years during spring break, I accompanied students to the Well of Mercy in Chicago, a shelter for homeless pregnant women and mothers. The mothers and children welcomed us as guests in their home. We shared meals with them, held babies, changed diapers, deep cleaned the nursery and kitchen and most importantly played games and “hung out” with the moms. We heard their stories and their hopes and dreams for the future. We got to know them and love them in just a few days of living together. The mothers were amazed that college students chose to spend their spring break with them!
Choosing to BEE with someone is a great act of LOVE. Our God chose to come to us as a baby in a smelly stable for animals so that we would know how much we are loved. Our presence with others provides opportunities to share this deep and profound love.
May this Christmas and the new year be a time to remember, celebrate and share that love.
Have a question about a program or event going on in Campus Ministry? Got an idea for something you'd like to see happen? EMAIL US at ministry@sau.edu.
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Every day is getting shorter. Sunlight, or any kind of light, is visible for less than 12 hours these days. We haven’t even reached the Winter Solstice yet, when our little piece of the world will be lit for a mere eight hours. We are plunged, not by choice but by force, into darkness. It is in this dark space place where we are asked to wait – wait for the birth of God.
Each year, we celebrate the Season of Advent during the darkest of times. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who is not a little bit afraid of darkness. Even the bravest among us, given the right circumstances, will fear the dark. Because for most of us, darkness takes on a menacing figure, sitting just outside of our grasp, waiting to encroach and swallow us whole. That’s how we feel about darkness. And yet, the Season of Advent, dark as it may be, possesses the promise of everything that stands in opposition to that.
The Church begins her new year when the days are getting darker, not lighter. Ask any expectant mother if she wants her baby to come early and she will say no, no she does not. As badly as her back hurts, as long as it has been since she has last seen her toes, she is willing to wait because the baby is not yet ready. There is still more time to be had, more growth needed, deep inside where that baby sits in darkness.
The Church waits like this during Advent. We wait because the baby is not yet ready, which means that we are not yet ready either. Just like the infant, there is still more time to be had, more growth needed, deep inside where we all sit in darkness.
Meditating through this darkness, sitting here, waiting here, praying here, we discover that darkness does not come from a different place than light. Darkness is not lorded over by any different God. The long, dark nights of Advent point us toward God, just as the bright light of Easter morning points us there. The promise of new life, of extraordinary joy, of God’s own self, is on its way.
-Fr. Ross
On November 12th we celebrated the Rite of Acceptance with SAU students Jadie Knecht and Maddie Palanos. Their sponsors, Josie Mork and Carson Abramson, presented them to our faith community. During the celebration, we promised to support them with our prayers as they continue preparing for Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. Jadie and Maddie meet weekly with their sponsors and our initiation team to reflect on the Sunday Scriptures proclaimed at Mass and to learn about the Catholic faith and way of life.
If you are interested in learning more about joining the Catholic Church, please contact us at ministry@sau.edu.
Looking for an organization to support during Bee the Difference Month? Contact Nicky Gant, Service & Justice Coordinator at gantnicole@sau.edu or 563-333-6071, or see attached pdf for a list of non-profit organizations near campus, who are in need of volunteers.
