The Third Sunday of Advent

The Responsorial Psalm for the liturgy of the Third Sunday of Advent carries the theme for the day.  In fact, Psalm 146 outlines the reason for this holy season because we are promised one who will teach us about the transformation of all the ills of a society.  Today, more than ever we need to cry out again and again, “Lord, come and save us.”

Psalm 146 (7-10)

“It is the Lord who keeps faith forever,

Who executes justice for the oppressed;

Who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind

And lifts up those who are bowed down;

The Lord loves the righteous

And watches over the strangers.

The Lord upholds the orphan and the widow,

But the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever,

Your God, O Zion, for all generations.”

Lord, come and save us.

-Sister Elaine Cole, CSJ

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen/Unsplash

Psalm 146 is a powerful declaration of God's character and compassionate actions, emphasizing His faithfulness, justice for the oppressed, provision for the hungry, liberation for prisoners, healing for the blind, support for the weak, love for the righteous, protection for foreigners, and care for the vulnerable (widows/orphans), concluding with His eternal reign and a call to praise Him. (AI Summary)

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

The Longest Day

We are fast approaching the longest day of the year in this Northern Hemisphere.  Daylight/sunshine is precious for reasons almost too numerous to list; such as, reasons related to vegetation; reasons related to food; reasons related to bone health to mental health and on and on.  Energy from the sun is essential for life on our planet.

The saints will tell us that we all have an inner diamond, which, in order to be fully itself the diamond must absorb as much light as is possible.

Do you have plans for this longest day of 2025?  Or would you rather just be surprised by how your summer solstice day unfolds? 

Mary Oliver has written the following poem entitled “The Summer Day” which might inspire your plans/or not for the way you spend the longest day of this year.

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean —
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down —
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

-Mary Oliver

Blog by Sister Elaine Cole

Image: Rajiv Bajaj/Unsplash

Notice the Invisible

Today we are into the second week of April when crocuses have already pushed through the cold dark earth and tulips, and daffodils are inching above ground with the promise of spring.

I did not expect to see snow falling this morning but there it was.  However, as the flakes fluttered and fell, they instantly melted on all the surfaces in sight.

Then I noticed two snowflakes that did not land, no longer fluttered and did not melt.

They were caught in an unfinished strand of a spider web and waved up and down on my balcony for at least two minutes.

I’m left with an inner experience of awe at how what is invisible can capture and take control of the movements of a delicate visible snowflake. 

-Sister Elaine Cole, CSJ

Images courtesy of Unsplash: Julian/

The Third Sunday of Lent - Are you Curious?

The Scripture readings for the third Sunday of Lent (Year C), advances a belief that one can have a personal relationship with the Divine.

Moses sees a bush burning but is not being consumed.  He is curious.  He moves closer.

He hears a voice call his name “Moses”.   To hear one’s name is to believe that one is known. The voice warns Moses that he treads on holy ground and is to remove his shoes.

During this intimate encounter Moses learns his mission in life and learns the name of the Master pursuing him, “I AM, WHO I AM”.  This Divine voice identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 

The personal relationship established in this encounter will require trust and faithful obedience if it is to continue. God reveals Himself to Moses; the encounter begins with simple curiosity but evolves into an extraordinary exchange with the Divine.  Moses must now have a heart that remains humble and faithful to God.

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells the story of another tree-the fig tree that is not bearing fruit.  In his parable, the owner of the vineyard wants to cut down the fig tree, but a compassionate gardener pleads for more time to nurture it before cutting the tree down. 

Everything is being done to bring the tree to the fulfilment of its purpose for being that is, to bear fruit.  The owner of the vineyard grants one more year of life to the fig tree.  Jesus is teaching a lesson of mercy to his disciples.  By gratefully receiving the mercy of the owner of the vineyard and accepting the compassionate care of the gardener the fig tree is given extra time to bear fruit. In a personal relationship with the Divine each is given the gift of mercy and time to bear good fruit.

Now is there a tree in your life that can pique your curiosity and draw you into an extraordinary relationship with the Divine?

-Sister Elaine Cole, CSJ

Images: Unsplash: Andy Watkins/Michal Hlaváč/