You're With Us: A Message from the Notre Dame Football Chaplain for our Advent Journey

It's Advent—a time of penance and preparation. How are you getting your heart and home ready for Christmas? Like countless Notre Dame alumni, I make a point to watch and pray with Sacred Stories, created by the alumni association. I look forward to the daily drop on YouTube and other social media platforms—excited to see who will share their story. A few have been classmates and friends! Others are athletes, coaches, administrators and alumni. 

While each story is sacred, some are extra special. Many speak specifically to a Notre Dame audience, but most offer a message that is meant for all, regardless of your familiarity or connection to the university. Among my favorites for the Advent 2024 journey is the testimony from Day 2 by Father Nate Wills, C.S.C. I found his message particularly poignant for the first week of Advent, when we light the purple candle signifying hope.

Father Nate is the football chaplain for the Fighting Irish. This is well known as he is an active, noticeable and positive presence on the sidelines. In his Sacred Story, he takes us back to a memory from his rookie days in the role. 

Three words made all the difference. In true Holy Cross/Notre Dame fashion, I thought he would say "Come Holy Spirit." This is the prayer that the beloved past President, Father Ted Hesburgh C.S.C. urged others to pray. (NB: How I wish Father Ted had recorded a Sacred Story of his own; I don't even want to know if A.I. can help). Instead, his three words are "You're with us." I encourage you to watch here and now (or watch again).

What were we all to hear "You're with us?" How might we be different? How might our society change? I think of the school where I work. If every teenager heard this message and believed it, How would this community feel? 

"You're with us" reminds us of what Father Greg Boyle, SJ teaches: There is no 'them' and 'us.' There is only us. Unfortunately, we lose sight of this truth, and yet I believe Father Nate's testimonial is a message of hope. His recollection reminds me that there are those people who think to extend that spirit of welcome. I know those who have the courage to say those words—and I thank God for them. They give me hope. And we have a God who does the same. God offered hope in Christ Jesus In Matthew's Gospel, we read:

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” 

Father Nate puts this teaching into context with this holy time of year. He says,  

We’re one with him and we anticipate the coming of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us, anew this Advent season. Even though it can sometimes feel otherwise, we always belong to the Christian family into which we have been adopted.

We never walk alone. We’re with him, and he’s with us.

I love the image of the player walk in this video. It helps us to visualize the time and space when and where Father Nate felt alone. It also reminds us of what we will celebrate on Christmas Day: God with us. Not just me, not only you. Us. 

Our Prayer
For the times we feel uncertain, and in the moments we feel like an outsider.
When we split into groups or don’t know where to go. In places where we will doubt or panic—where uncertainty seems to reign, Let us remember to welcome the stranger, to include the lost, to harbor the lonely to smile to others. Give us the courage to say “You’re with us.”And the ability to join.


In this Advent season, we celebrate Jesus being born into the world because God loved us so much that he even wanted to share in our humanity, to be with us. Let us remember we are part of a Christian family that gives that same promise by our loving God: “You’re with us.”

We’re one with him and we anticipate the coming of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us, anew this Advent season. Even though it can sometimes feel otherwise, we always belong to the Christian family into which we have been adopted.

Past Posts from ND Alumni Association for Lent
2023 with Audric Estimé
Sacred Places at ND: Josh Lugg
Sacred Plaaces at ND: Sam Grewe

Photo Credits
Father Nate Prayer
Player Walk
Intro is from the Reflection

Cookies, Cocktails, Food and Fasting: A Holiday Challenge

There was a time when people woke up in the wee hours of the morning to get their Black Friday on. With e-commerce available 24/7, I wonder how many Americans head out the door to knock out the proverbial Christmas shopping list. Instead, maybe they're hitting the gym or pounding the pavement. I know I ate enough carbs to fuel a marathon. While I did not wake up with a food hangover, I went to bed in a food coma. Black Friday is now a day of personal reckoning. HBU?

With the holiday season in full swing, I said to myself, I can't feel this way for the remainder of 2023. I don't want to wake up in the new year with diabetes. The sheer amount of Christmas cookies and cocktails, snacks and seasonal treats has me thinking I need a game plan, a positive approach, a path toward "better than yesterday." One thought came to mind: intermittent fasting. 

If this catches you by surprise, it should. That's so 2018, right? According to The Fasting Cure Is No Fad, "Fasting is one of the biggest weight-loss trends to arive in recent years. Endorsed by A-list celebrities and the subject of a spate of best-selling book, it was the eighth most-Googled diet in 2018." But fasting shouldn't be dismissed as just another fad, and that is what intrigues me most.

Michaelsen argues there's a logic to intermittent fasting. "Fasting can contribute to brain health and happiness." It can help with "an array of chronic conditions and when combined with exercising can spur distinct inccreases in the best known nerve growth factor, BDNF and might even be effective in preventing the recurrence of cancer." Wow.

Sports and Spirituality views (intermittent) fasting as a timeless discipline—relevant to both domains. For example, as Michalsen writes, "fasting overcomes an instinctive need in a way that gives us physical and mental strength. As a practice, fasting is more than simply restricting calories or nutrients. For many people it is also a spiritual experience. Over the course of our lives, we encounter many kinds of deficiency, whether of money, success or affection. Fasting is a conscious renunciation, a controlled exercise in deprivation. That's why successful fasting increases self-efficacy—we overcome an instinctive need in a way that gives us physical and mental strength."

What a thoughtful way to think about entering into the Advent—a four week period of preparation for the nativity of Jesus Christ at Christmas. It is challenging to live the spirit of Advent given the abundance our consumerist culture promotes, starting November 1...long  before Black Friday! Rather, Advent is about waiting—patient waiting—and reflecting on how we can prepare our hearts and homes for Christ's birth in the world as it is today. And let us remember—Advent comes to a close on Christmas day. Joy to the World!

So why not enter into this time before Christmas with a different mindset, not to mention a physical and spiritual discipline? Give (intermittent) fasting some consideration. Try it on for size. Let me know what you think.... Happy Holidays!

Photo Credits
Scale
Kettle Bell Snowman

The Best Way to Pray during Advent: Can you name a sacred place?

The liturgical season of Advent offers an abundance of beautiful, creative prayer resources. I can't think of a single religious organization that doesn't try to make its mark during this holy time. Is there one that stands out among the others in your inbox?  

For me, it's "Sacred Places of Notre Dame: An Advent Journey." Every afternoon, I receive a text message with a link to a video featuring a student, faculty member, or administrator who names and describes a campus location sacred to them. As written by the Alumni Association, "These places range from chapels and courtyards to libraries and locker rooms—and each one invites us to strengthen our faith and deepen our appreciation for our beloved campus." For those who love Notre Dame, these are a treasure trove of profiles and people, memories and messages. For those unaffiliated with ND, I think it's fair to ask, Are they relevant and relatable? Absolutely. Is their meaning lost? Definitely not. Here's why.

The very question—asking a person at any age to name a sacred place and articulate how/ why it is holy ground— is important. To me, hearing how an everyday place like the locker room, volleyball court or a small meeting room is the space where a person connects with God is both interesting and inspiring. Every testimony offers me spiritual nourishment. Each speaker raises questions we are all called to consider. What a great way to be with the Word of God during this season of waiting.

If I were featured (yes, that's a hint!), it wouldn't be hard for me to name a sacred place at Notre Dame. However, I say that because I've witnessed fellow alumni give their own testimony for the past three years. If I had been asked before viewing and praying with this resource, I hope I would know. But would I? Would you?  

While this Advent production is rooted in Notre Dame, it's bigger than that. It has to be. Why? The students will come and go, but the campus will remain. And yet, that same campus is ever changing, always growing. It is both tradition and innovation, history and what is to be. God's Word and God's presence, however, do not change. You could ask this same question in your school community or parish—and I do. It connects my own students to their campus in a special way. 

So let me share the three videos that I have played in class for my seniors. From them you will see why this is not only my favorite Advent prayer resource, it is also my favorite way to conclude the Fall semester of Sports and Spirituality. I have shown what is posted below and I invite my students to pray with the questions...and create their own. On our final day of class, we will join other Religious Studies classes for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Maybe one priest will be available in a small meeting room too. Peace.

Charity McDowell, a sophomore and science pre-professional major from Indianapolis, brings her faith to the courts on the Notre Dame volleyball team.

“To me, this is home, the place where my team and I work together as we strive toward our goal of excellence. Every day, we show up to improve and compete, but doing so as one team. These are lifelong friendships that we are building on this court, and that is very special to me. In a similar way, this place also allows me to strengthen my relationship with God.”

As we celebrate this Advent season, consider the places in your lives where you spend the most time. How can we transform these places, however familiar they might be, into our own places of prayer, so that we may glorify God in all that we do?

Josh Lugg, graduate student offensive lineman for the Fighting Irish.

“Putting on my knee braces, pants, pads, jersey and cleats can be a process, but it gives me time to mentally rest and spend time with God before flipping that switch to a fearless, competitive mindset. In a similar way, just as I have strengthened my relationship with God here, it is also a place for me to build relationships with my teammates.”

As we prepare for the birth of our Lord this Advent season, where are our places of preparation? How do they strengthen our courage and perseverance to take on the daily work we are given, so that we may glorify God in all that we do?

Assistant Director of Pastoral Care Outreach Rev. Joe Corpora, C.S.C., brings the sacraments to the students of Notre Dame.

“When I come to this room, I quiet myself down in preparation to hear confessions and to reunite those seeking reconciliation into God’s unconditional mercy and grace. At this moment I am able to help each student more fully accept God’s relentless forgiveness. Being with the students in this way is a great and wonderful blessing for me. It is to journey with them on their path towards holiness. The short time each week I have to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation in this simple room is a gift.”

In this season of Advent, how we can serve those around us as a representative of Christ’s mercy and grace in the everyday surroundings where we may find ourselves?

Photo Credits

Sacred Space of ND

Welcome to Advent: Spiritual Tools Required

A number of my good friends love the holy season of Advent. Truly, it is a beautiful time in the Church. Perhaps the darkness outside makes the light of candles inside shine brighter. It is hard not to find simple joy in the timeless elegance of the Advent wreath and the blue vestments of the priest. When I hear "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" I feel connected to the past—one that has not always been easy or joyful—much like today. And yet, as much as I want to laud this time of preparation, I am slightly conflicted. We are waiting.... waiting...and that is something some of us do better than others. I take the reminders Jesus gave in the Gospel to heart: “Be watchful! Be alert!" It's not a time to rest easy. Indeed, we are called to ready our hearts and our homes for the coming of Christ. This isn't without some effort or frustration.

Sam Grewe, senior track and field athlete and U.S. Paralympian—who I have profiled before—knows a thing or two about frustration. His prosthetic leg requires care and regular maintenance. He has no choice but to "be watchful" and pay attention to its upkeep; this is an important perspective for me to hear.

Sports and Spirituality is always happy to hear when a sporting venue is named as a sacred space. I was thrilled that he identified Loftus Sports Center and intrigued that an equipment room in particular was where he took us—anyone who signs up for the post on Notre Dame's Daily Advent Journey. 

Grewe said, “This is a place that I go to access tools and support staff to repair my prosthetic leg during practices and competitions … When I use the equipment room to repair my leg, I feel frustrated at first because other competitors don’t have to deal with these problems. But that feeling quickly turns to gratitude. Gratitude for access to the resources that I need and for the support of the community around me.” 

I can only imagine the frustration he must feel. I appreciate his honesty, self awareness and his realization. And, I have to believe those difficult spaces are portals for God's grace. I suppose that is true for the season of Advent too—there is beauty and there is waiting, anticipation and expectation.

As Sam spoke, I was struck by the sight of a crucifix on the wall. I wouldn't expect a reminder of Jesus' sacrifice to hang in such a simple, common space.  Truly it is a reminder to be grateful for His gift. No wonder Grewe's frustration turns to gratitude. 

Grewe added, "This space is sacred to me because it reminds me that our conditions of body and spirit are always in motion. Whatever brokenness we encounter in our lives does not ultimately define us. Instead, what defines us is how we respond to these challenges. There have been times in my life when challenges could not be fixed with a set of physical tools and I think this is the case for all of us."

"And so when I go the Loftus equipment room and I feel the satisfaction of fixing my leg, I'm able to reflect back on a long journey of gathering the spiritual tools I've needed to overcome cancer and thrive—as a person and a competitor with a prosthetic leg."

This Advent, let us ask: What tools does this season offer us to feel a greater sense of wholeness in our lives with one another and with God? 

The Color Purple: Sports and Spirituality for Advent

Advent is a holy time, a liturgical season characterized by expectant waiting, hopeful anticipation and joyful preparation. The days leading up to Christmas ought to serve as an invitation to slow down, to pay attention and wait for the Lord, but too often they are just the opposite. The bustle of holiday festivities, shopping, baking and eating (of course) are a welcome distraction, but make it tough to open our hearts and homes for the birth of Christ. Therefore, I take all of the wisdom of Advent and those who teach and preach about it with open arms. This year, I have found a few tips and tools in the world of Sports and Spirituality; I hope they will help you wait, anticipate and prepare the way of the Lord, too.

The Color Purple
Purple (or violet) has traditionally been the primary color of Advent. I have to admit, when I see purple inside of a Church, I think of Lent—a season of repentance and fasting. We are called to the same during Advent, though Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the rest of my calendar this month suggest otherwise. Purple is however, also the color of royalty and the sovereignty of Christ, demonstrating the anticipation of the coming King. Integrating this color was and is a great call by the Church as purple—in its majesty—is hard not to notice. The reminder it seeks to offer is duly noted. No wonder Alice Walker titled her Pulitzer prize winning novel "The Color Purple." 

She wrote, “I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” I was reminded of these words thanks to Jesuit priest, dressed in purple vestments at Mass during Advent last week. I thought to myself, "it probably does." 

Every season, I make a point of teaching my golfers to take a moment during practice to behold and appreciate their surroundings. We play a sport that it out of doors, covering acres of land and various terrains. While not all athletes have this opportunity, we do—and so I encourage this act and consider it a spiritual discipline. I say, "perhaps you notice the clear sky, or the  fluffy, bright clouds. Maybe you heard a beautiful song bird only to see it take flight? Do the Cypress trees capture your imagination?" There is so much to notice in the open space around us. 

To respect creation is to respect the Creator. So out of respect for the Lord, I try to pay attention. You might not live in a place that allows you to play golf during Advent, but the discipline of noticing is a spiritual one. Next time you go for a run, a walk, hit the ski slopes, venture to ice skate, look up...look around! Give thanks and praise! Enjoy and delight. 

The Advent Challenge Journal
Those who write down their goals and track their progress are the most successful at reaching them! Seeing what we want and reading what we have done and have yet to do to get there holds us more accountable, eliminates confusion and provides direction. Oh yeah.
And, female athletes have a helpful resource at their fingertips: The Advent Challenge Journal, created by FIERCE. 

FIERCE is an acronym standing for Femininity, Identity, Embodiment, Receptivity, Catholicism, and Encounter. According to their mission, these words serve as pillars. Along with Athlete, "they make up the foundation of who we are and what we believe female athletes are being called to live out. If you are a woman and an athlete, consider us part of your team." 

FIERCE approaches Advent like any athlete approaches being "in season." It is a time to prepare and train, pray and profess. Therefore,  FIERCE founder, Samantha Kelly has created one-minute videos, accessible on both their website and Instagram, for female athletes to reflect upon the life of Mary, the model for a FIERCE athlete. Some days begin with an essential question—one that we are asked to consider in order to grow in love and in faith. Other days give tips for reaching our spiritual, workout and nutritional goals—the foundation of the Advent Challenge Journal.

I value this resource because it is so user friendly! Not all journals are as simple yet direct. Each week of Advent has a theme and a simple check list for the user to indicate if she met each of the day's three goals. There is room to reflect upon the week on the page thereafter. It feels great to check those boxes and I am sure it will feel even better come Christmas to know that in some way I prepared myself holistically for His coming.

Busted Halo's Advent Calendar
Calorie free, no cost, and age appropriate, this is the Advent Calendar I look forward to daily. Created by Busted Halo, this virtual Advent calendar leads "you to a special Advent-themed Daily Jolt and MicroChallenge that will help you stay in touch with the true meaning of the season." Although there are no sports figures or athletes among the featured faces, I don't see why there couldn't be in the future! Regardless, the profiles are spiritual heroes and I appreciate the thought and prayer they invite me to consider.

In Closing
This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday and we will light the rose candle, not a purple one. This ritual serves to encourage and remind us to rejoice! take hold! have faith—we are almost there. Athletes know that a sports season can wear us out. We need encouragement, rest and inspiration to achieve our goal and finish strong. I invite you, as we begin to wind down the Advent season to make the most of the time we have left...

• Notice the color purple at Mass and out in nature.
• Keep track or your spiritual, physical and personal goals.
• Read and pray daily with the words of inspiring lives.

The Incarnation awaits.
Happy Advent!

Photo Credits
Candles
The Color Purple
Prepare Ye the Way

Christmas Giving: Sports and Spirituality Style

The pouring rain that drenched San Francisco all day today made it that much harder to motivate myself to head out and complete my holiday shopping. I know I'm not the only one who needs to finish the seasonal task. According to Business Wire's website,  

Black Friday has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean holiday shopping is in the bag. In fact, leading appliances, electronics and furniture retailer hhgregg (NYSE: HGG) launched its second annual holiday shopping survey1 to uncover the truth about holiday spending habits and found that nearly one in 10 (nine percent) Americans put off evenstarting their shopping list until the final week. Even more last minute? One in three (32 percent) say they sometimes or often shop on Christmas Eve. 

My inbox is flooded with merchants suggesting last minute gift ideas. One of my favorite retailers even has a countdown clock in the works. The Advent Conspiracy would not approve! It would however support what my friend's sisters tells her children. She says, "Jesus received three gifts, so you will too." She frames the three gifts around a poignant theme: something you need, something you want, and something to read. How fitting, so here's a suggestion, Sports and Spirituality style. 

Something to read:

Perhaps you want to give a gift to the ultimate football fan. While I do not recommend tickets to see the movie "Concussion," I do recommend the book "The Game's Not Over, In Praise of Football," by Gregg Easterbrook. I learned about it thanks to the Weekend Edition Sports segment of NPR. I was captivated by the author's bias and his point of view. You can listen to the interview here.

"He tells NPR's Scott Simon that football is a great game, but it's also the athletic expression of the United States. "It's too big, it's too loud, it's too expensive, and we can't figure out what the proper use of force is."

NPR writes, "The most popular sport in America causes head trauma. Some of its most famous players have been convicted of domestic abuse, and the game's most glamorous star has been accused of defying the rules with deflated balls.

Sounds like quite a marketing plan, doesn't it?

But NFL football remains the most popular, lucrative sport in America, even as fans question the game. How do you enjoy a playoff game if you think a team might be doctoring the footballs? Or that half a dozen players on the field have been accused of violent crimes? Or that a dozen might be suffering brain damage at the very moment you are cheering?"

Gregg Easterbrook ponders those questions and offers some compelling and practical suggestions for how the game can and should change. It's a book I want, need and would be happy to read! 

Something I want:
Although it might be more interesting to hear about a literal want—a shiny new toy or court side seats (not going to happen), I do want to be more generous and charitable toward others. And from what I've been told, the only way to acquire virtue is to practice it.

What's important to mention is that one need not give $100 or more to make a donation count. I believe it's the practice of it, that does. I was reminded in "Women's Day" magazine that "seemingly small donations to the right charities can make a big difference in the lives of people going through hard times." One organization they listed caught my eye—for it has a connection to sports.

$10 purchases a bed net for a family in sub-Saharan Africa to prevent malaria.
Nothingbutnets.com

As written on the NBA Cares website, 

Nothing But Nets allows NBA Cares to join forces with the United Nations Foundation to not only raise awareness for malaria, but to allow our fans to be an active part of the fight against the disease. For a donation of ten dollars, our fans can not only purchase a bed net, but have the knowledge the bed net will be delivered to the people that need them the most through the impressive fulfillment process. From start to finish, Nothing But Nets will be there, and NBA Cares is proud to be their partner along the way.

And how much do I love that "in the summer of 2013, Nothing But Nets Champion and Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry joined the Nothing But Nets campaign on a trip to Tanzania to donate bed nets in a refugee camp. They distributed 38,000 bed nets and helped raise awareness about Malaria." To find out more about NBA Cares the league's social responsibility program, click here.

Something I Need
Honestly, I'm not sure I "need" anything, material. I have more than enough. But I do need my family—near and far. I need my friends, they listen to me. They put up with me; they show up. They make me laugh. I need my Catholic faith; I don't know how folks live without a grounding in God's love and mercy. I need meaningful work, and I feel fortunate that I have it. I need my colleagues for their support and my students for what they teach me. I need music because it lifts my soul. I needed those tickets to see Springsteen on March 13, 2016 in Oakland, and the Ticketmaster gods were kind. I need sports and live sporting events because they bring me time and again to new emotional highs and familiar and painful lows. The Masters in 2016 is sure to be one for the ages. Eternal life may look like Augusta, I will give a report from this side of paradise in April! I need my alma mater because it continues to give to me in ways new, challenging and overflowing. Lastly, I need Sports and Spirituality—the class, the blog, all of it. It's my signature and it's God's gift to me...and my gift to God.

Thank you for reading one posting or one hundred. Merry Christmas!

Photo CreditsAdvent Conspiracy
The Game's Not Over
Steph

Sports & Spirituality at Notre Dame: #GiveJoy

I think curiosity is an underrated virtue. It is a true joy to teach a young person who is genuinely curious about faith, the Catholic Church, how the world works and what makes a person tick. At its best, curiosity can take us outside of ourselves, How's that? A curious person's perspective is less about "me" and more about "how" or "why." Keep a keen sense of curiosity, and life is one big adventure.

I mention this virtue because I absolutely love it when people ask me why I went to college in South Bend. Once they realize I grew up in the Bay Area and that I am the first in my family to go to Notre Dame, they ask "How did that happen?"

A recent video on the Notre Dame alumni homepage about to the importance of the Advent season offers a clue. Long before I wrote and taught about Sports and Spirituality, I was drawn to it. I have been living a symbiosis of these two powerful factors all of my life. 

At some point on the journey, I realized how important my Catholic faith was to me. It was passed on to me by my parents and cultivated in Catholic schools. What a gift. With a student body that is over 85% Catholic, I knew faith was a guiding force at Our Lady's University. The Grotto is just one of many sacred and prayerful places on campus. Spirituality is what separates ND from many but certainly not all places.

The very heart of campus—the Grotto

I also realized in middle school that athletics was ingrained in my identity. Maybe it was all of those Pac-10 football games I went to in order to watch my Uncle Jay referee a game. Or perhaps it was falling in love with the sport of tennis at the age of 12. I still remember my dad signing me up for a local tennis camp and hoping that I would love this "sport of a lifetime" too. I met a lot of athletes at Notre Dame. I played in a lot of Rec sports. I continue to attend Notre Dame games near and far. 

So how does this add up?

During Advent, we are called to be mindful of how we are preparing our minds and hearts for Christ. Spiritual disciplines help in this process. "Share the Joy" is one way the University of Notre Dame is helping the ND family prepare. 

I have to admit when I saw Corey Robinson as the face of the video, I was curious. I knew he was strong on the field. As written on the Notre Dame Football website "The sophomore wide receiver earned the distinction of being named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Football Team just last week." The son of David Robinson—one of my favorite basketball players— "is the first sophomore at an NCAA Division I institution to earn first-team Academic All-America honors since 2008. He also is just the fourth sophomore to attain first-team status since 2002." Great job Corey! I wondered What he might offer about his faith. What might Advent mean to him?

I was pleasantly surprised he was one of several respondents. Half are from the spiritual side e.g. Campus ministry and the others represent athletics e.g. a rower and a lacrosse player offer their thoughts. Ultimately they encourage us to #GiveJoy in a way that is more than a present under a tree. 

It could be something as simple as serving at a local non-profit, donating your favorite book, shoveling your neighbors’ driveway while they are not home. Or maybe it’s donating to a charity in someone else’s name, organizing Christmas carols at a local nursing home, or becoming “Kris Kringle” for a low-income family.

I'm curious about how others are preparing for Christmas....I know the "why"...more on "how...." Peace.

Photo Credits
Grotto
Basilica

Week 3 of Advent: Time to Rejoice...Even When We Don't Want To

We lit the third candle on the Advent wreath, one that is a rose or pink color, because today is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for "rejoice" and that is the theme of the Gospel readings. In light of the tragedy that occurred in Newton, CT—another school shooting resulting in the senseless deaths of 26 people, the last thing I want to hear right now "rejoice."

Even if the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school had never taken place, being told—no commanded--to rejoice seems odd.  Shouldn't the action of rejoicing be an act that comes from within?  Shouldn't it be a response to goodness, triumph and light?  Yes, it should but we humans are forgetful creatures.

When it's an easy time to rejoice, we often don't. I know I often all that I have been given for granted. In the midst of difficult times, it's even harder to rejoice. But this Sunday of Advent tells us to look ahead. Indeed, we need a reminder to take the long look. It helps to hear this from another. Once again, enter in John the Baptist.

St. John the Baptist was a witness to one thing: Jesus the Christ.  He lived his life for one cause: Jesus, Emmanuel.  John tells us to rejoice because he knows what Christ will bring. Jesus' name reveals His gift: He is the Prince of Peace.

Reminders to keep pace or keep a mindset are not foreign to me. I ran varsity track all four years of high school. My event was the 2-mile but as distance runners know, it's important to run both—one for speed and one for stamina. Despite my preference, I had a better strategy for the mile—the four laps on the track were much easier to manage than eight long ones. I share that same advice with my runners today. They are fitting for the season of Advent.

The first lap is fast. As runners get out of the gate, they are seeking to find their pace. The nervous energy carries you through the entire 400 meters.  The first week of Advent is no different.  When Advent begins, it's hard to believe we are in the race, the rush of Christmas time.

The second lap is challenging, but a runner still has their speed and strength at their side. Although the initial adrenaline from the race's start has waned, this lap is one by which to keep focus. A runner's placement is more determined as pace groups form. The only place to look is ahead. Self-talk is important: the race is still mine. This week of Advent becomes every person's own challenge.  John the Baptist urges us to "prepare ye the way of the Lord." How you do that and how I do that is different. We each run our own race.

It is no great secret that the third lap requires the most focus. The first 200m of that race is often considered "the forgotten leg."  Runners have just cleared the half way point. Like this Sunday of Advent, it should be a time to rejoice! because the hard work is behind us. Focus on the here and now.  One 200m leg at a time.  In Advent, that pink candle is a visual reminder, a sign of encouragement--there is but one week, one lap left.

At the beginning of that fourth and final lap, the starter sounds a gun. The shot tells the crowd and the competition that the final push is on.  Runners pick up the pace. The crowd looks in anticipation for the finish. So often, it's as though that final week of Advent is a blur. Our sights are set on December 25, but we cannot get there without the toil of the last leg. Let the cheering carry you forward, but complete each step with heightened focus and intentionality. It's needed, it's necessary.

As the pink candle burns this week, let us remember that forgotten leg...that call to rejoice.... that reminder we are almost there.  The Prince of Peace will again be born into the world and into our hearts this Christmas. Each and every age recognizes the need for His presence. We feel it today more than ever.

Photo Credits
Gaudete Sunday
high school track
Lone runner
Advent Words

What's in a Name? Connecting to Christ and Others

These days everyone has his or her own rules with regard to commencement of the Christmas season--right? I hold hard and fast to the “no Christmas music or decorations until the day after Thanksgiving.” From Black Friday on, I contend people have license to go whole hog. As a child, the radio station KOIT most distinctly marked the change in season by playing Christmas music on that day only. I listened in anticipation for many songs; a special bonus was to hear Amy Grant’s “Emmanuel.”

Grant’s angelic voice proclaims a number of terms we use to describe the one who is born, Jesus the Christ. She sings:

Emmanuel, Emmanuel.
Wonderful, Counselor!
Lord of life, Lord of all;
He's the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One!
Emmanuel, Emmanuel.

The Gospels make a point of informing us that the messiah would be given a name. Matthew 1:23 states “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us” and in Luke’s Gospel we read "Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus."We know the Son of Man as Jesus and Emmanuel, as Christ the King and as the Good Shepherd. Listening to both the readings and to religious music, I can’t help but think, Why do we have so many names for Our Lord? Or more colloquially, What’s in a name?

Naming someone or something is human. We seek to know and build relationships; a name is the first step on that path. When a child is born is not one of the first questions we ask “What is his or her name?” To know that even God made flesh had a name reminds us of the true miracle of the season—the Incarnation.

Second, I believe the name we use for a person says as much about the other as it does ourselves. To my students I am “Ms. Stricherz” my runners, “Coach Stricherz” my friends “Anne” and my beloved I am “Annie.” When my former students graduate, I ask them to call me “Anne” and for many, it’s a difficult transition. When and if the relationship deepens, it’s not a stretch.

And nowhere do we see more of a love for names than in the world of sports. Men and women become athletic heroes, some larger than life. We honor their talent, skill and prowess by personalizing it and them with a special name. With that, they become our own. For example, Joe Montana earned the nicknames Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid, Bird Legs and Golden Joe during his football career. Each one speaks to how he conducted himself on the field and who he was to the 49er Faithful. If “Sweet 16” didn’t matter to the sports history of San Francisco we would only know him as Joe Montana. But as the history books indicate, he was so much more. His other names say that as well.

During the Holy Season of Advent, I have decided to pay attention to the name of Christ that I am drawn to. To examine what speaks to me helps me understand and reflect upon what may be going on in my life and in my heart. Although I seldom think of Jesus as “Wonderful Counselor,” I am grateful that Grant’s music has reminded me that He is. And that’s fitting, for events in my life the past year have drawn me to Jesus in this way. But to be a Christian is to know our world is in great need of Jesus as well. Thinking of the war and violence in our world, I have called on the Prince of Peace many times.

In these final days of Advent and as the Christmas season truly commences, spend some time thinking of the one who was born, and what you want to call Him.

Photo Credits
Joe Cool
Amy Grant
Adoration of the Shepherds