Second Sunday of Advent

At the beginning of the year, Pope Francis opened the Jubilee Door to the pilgrims of the world to begin a Jubilee Year of Hope.   

Today on this Second Sunday of Advent, St. Paul’s letter to the Romans 15:4-9 focuses our attention on Hope.  The reading explains how the early patriarchs adhered to Scripture.  The Scriptures encouraged them to be steadfast in their faith so that they “might have hope”.  They lived their lives hoping for a promised Messiah who would bring them lasting peace. 

In Matthew’s Gospel, John the Baptist is roaring in the wilderness “You brood of vipers. . . bear fruit worthy of repentance,” when he sees the Pharisees and the Sadducees coming to him.  John, the last of the ancient prophets, proclaims that the one who is to come will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. 

Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises given to the patriarchs.  Jesus came so that now we might live in harmony and praise the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one voice. 

We are not there yet. 

We still need “hope”, an energy that keeps us consciously engaged, alive and moving forward and at the same time keeps us patiently waiting, desiring, and longing.  For what?  Do we even know? 

To live energized by hope and love could be the fire that makes us one earthly family, living in peace and harmony desiring the good of the other and sacrificing whatever it takes to sustain that “peace on Earth to all people of goodwill”.  May our human family soon turn to Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

Teilhard de Chardin’s life discoveries considers love and hope as necessary energies moving the cosmos forward to greater consciousness and unity. 

Hope is a reminder that a longing/desire has not yet been realized.  Therefore, like Teihard we can agree that hope is an energy and that it keeps us consciously engaged, alive, and moving forward. 

Years ago, Henri Nouwen gave a series of meditations on The Spirituality of Waiting and showed how all the people in the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel were waiting in Hope—Zacharia, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Anna, Simeon.  

Jesus has fulfilled the promises given to the patriarchs.  Jesus came so that now we might live in harmony and praise the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one voice.   

We are not there yet.  We still live in hope.  During this season of Advent we are waiting, we are practicing living in hope by waiting in hope that someday soon we might live in harmony and praise the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one voice. 

-Sister Elaine Cole, csj

Images: wisconsinpictures/Unsplash

✨ A Feel-Good Story We Just HAVE to Share! ✨

Cafe Coordinator Tracey, with Jillian, one of the Socktober Sisters

✨ A Feel-Good Story We Just HAVE to Share! ✨
Meet Audrey and Jillian — lovingly known around our St. Joe’s Café as The Socktober Sisters 🧦💙

Seven years ago, these incredible young women first came to St. Joe’s Café with King’s University College volunteers. Even then, their hearts were already set on helping others. Their journey truly began when they noticed a guest walking into the café with no shoes. By the time they tried to help, he was gone — but the moment stayed with them. It opened their eyes to the challenges many in our community face every single day.

From that moment, Socktober was born.

Since then, Audrey and Jillian have:
🧦 Created donation bins in businesses across the city
🤝 Partnered with local nonprofits
🌆 Built beautiful community connections
💙 And collected over 14,000 pairs of socks for our guests here at St. Joe’s Café

And this year? They’ve outdone themselves again.
In October alone, they brought in 3,264 pairs of socks — their most successful year yet! 🎉

To Audrey and Jillian: thank you for your kindness, your dedication, and your giant hearts. Your work reminds us that even the smallest items can make the biggest difference.

To everyone who has supported Socktober along the way: thank you. One pair of socks may not seem like much, but to someone facing hardship, it can mean warmth, comfort, and dignity.

We are so grateful. 💛
Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it.

— St. Joe’s Café 🧦✨

GIVING TUESDAY IS HERE

Thumbs Up for Everyday Generosity

Today, with the help of my well-informed assistant, Professor Google, I discovered that Giving Tuesday is more than just a single day. It’s a movement that celebrates radical generosity. It connects people around the world who believe in the simple but powerful idea that giving, of time, kindness, or resources can transform lives.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” His wisdom captures the essence of GivingTuesday: small, consistent acts of goodness that ripple outward and create lasting change.

Tutu’s reminder calls us to start right where we are with simple, human gestures of care. As we move through our daily activities, perhaps each of us can find small ways to live that message by our sharing time, a financial donation, a kind word, or a helping hand. Keeping uppermost in mind and heart generosity doesn’t just belong to one Tuesday; it belongs to every day.

 What acts of kindness are you willing today to stitch into the fabric of life for those around you?

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ

Image: Napendra Singh/Unsplash

ADVENT: A Time to Lighten Up!

On these dark November days, I have been thanking God for glorious sunrises, stargazing, Northern lights, and supermoons.  This time of year, world religions celebrate Festivals of Light.  For Christians, in this Advent season, we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Christ who is “the true light, the Light of the World.”  In the beautiful prologue to John’s Gospel, we read: “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” 

The theme of darkness is a common thread running through the course of our lives. Darkness is a rich symbol in our spiritual life inviting us to grow and embrace our vulnerability.  In her book “Radical Amazement”, Judy Cannato proclaims: “Life is a Mystery, shrouded in darkness.  But the darkness is a place of possibility and power” leading to transformation.  Even our body was formed in the darkness of our mother’s womb.  When we were born, we passed from darkness into light.  In fact, I was born on the Winter Solstice: Light and darkness are part of who I am.  Since birth, I have had an inoperable cataract which means that while I have vision in my left eye, I cannot see with my right eye.  I was given the precious gift of sight and light and not total blindness and darkness.  

Whether a firefly, a flashlight, a porchlight, a bonfire, a fireplace, Christmas lights or Advent candles, we are drawn to the light.  It brings comfort, penetrating our wounds.  We can be sparks of light bringing hope to each other in the storms of life.  Within us we carry our greatest treasure, the Christ-light.  May we experience anew the Presence of the Cosmic Christ illuminating all of Creation. This Advent 2025, welcome the Light!  Be the Light!

-Sister Kathleen O’Keefe, CSJ

Image: Waldemar Brandt/Paolo Nicolello/Unsplash

Show a Little Kindness

A good friend of mine often tests my word skills by sharing the “word of the day” from the Word Trivia website. One unfamiliar word recently added to my vocabulary is “fabulist.” If it is new to you, think of Aesop, the author of Aesop’s Fables. A fabulist is a storyteller who crafts short moral tales, often using animals with human traits to bring lessons to life.

One quote widely attributed to Aesop is, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” While it does not come from a specific fable, it reflects the moral spirit that runs through his tales.

That sentiment resonates deeply as we mark World Kindness Day offering a gentle reminder that kindness is a universal value, transcending borders, cultures, and religions.

The intent of World Kindness Day is to encourage individuals, communities, and organizations to perform acts of kindness, big or small, creating a global, ripple effect of goodwill.

So, what small act of kindness can you do today, and every day, to help nurture a spirit of generosity, creating 365 days of kindness?

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some, oh, but just for every, every everyone.
— What the World Needs Now, Dionne Warwick

 -Sister Nancy Wales, csj

You can find many great resources here.

Image: Kelly Sikkema @kellysikkema / Unsplash