Seasonal Reflections

Readings: Epiphany of the Lord 

As the Christmas season comes to a close, we celebrate today the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, which reminds us of the great homage due to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  

As we hear in today’s Gospel reading, the magi have heard of Jesus’ birth and are eagerly searching for Him. They ask the people in Jerusalem: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” As we have been reflecting on for the past several weeks, Jesus’ coming as a baby, and yet king, reveals His incredible humility. The phrase “newborn king” would have shocked anyone. In fact, as we read in the Gospel, king Herod and “all Jerusalem with him” were greatly troubled upon hearing these words from the magi. 

Jesus was not the Messiah that many of the Jews expected. A strong warrior ready for battle was often the image of the Messiah that people had in their heads. Jesus’ coming as a small helpless baby had many people baffled. And yet, His littleness and humility did not detract from His incredible majesty as King. The magi came not just to see the baby Jesus, but to “do him homage.” And so, upon their arrival, the magi “prostrated themselves” before Jesus, the newborn King of the Jews. We too are called to give such homage to our divine Savior. Whether it be outwardly prostrating ourselves before Christ in the Eucharist or silently lifting our hearts to God in prayer, we are called to give great homage to our God. He deserves our praise, worship, gratitude, and love and even if we think that is enough, nothing can compare to His great love for us.  

And so, as we celebrate this feast of the Epiphany, may we, with the magi, come to pay homage to our beloved Savior and say with the psalmist: “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” 

Charlotte Famera, Campus Ministry Graduate Assistant 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Christmas Weekday | USCCB  

I am deeply moved by the comforting and transformative power of the Incarnation. The deep recognition that Jesus came to become one of us, and in becoming one like us – choosing to become poor, despised and vulnerable—reminded us of our own dignity as children of God, a beacon of hope, but also a call to mirror God’s love and compassion amidst the injustice we find it our world. 

As we wrap up the Christmas season, this realization of what the incarnation demands from us, makes me embrace my faith with a deep sense of belonging and understanding. 

To know Jesus as the Son of God is to see the world through a lens of divine love and compassion, extending beyond personal salvation to encompass a commitment to justice and a compassionate response to those in need. This aspect of faith is not just a moral obligation but a profound expression of Christ’s teachings and His love for all humanity. It’s a reminder that we are never alone, whether in our struggles or joys. In moments of doubt or hardship, this belief offers a reassuring presence, a gentle whisper that guides and comforts. 

Living out these promises is not always easy, but there is profound comfort in knowing that we do not walk this path alone. Jesus’ ministry was marked by acts of compassion and care for the marginalized and disadvantaged. Emulating His example, our faith calls us to be agents of change in a world rife with inequality and suffering. Our faith provides a community, a family of believers, who support and uplift each other in the shared journey of faith. This commitment to justice is an integral part of living out our baptismal promises. 

In essence, our journey of faith is one of the heart, where the teachings and love of Jesus deeply transform every aspect of our lives. It’s about finding peace in His presence, strength in His word, and joy in His love. As Catholics, we are invited to embrace this journey, finding comfort and meaning in our relationship with Jesus, the Son of God, our guide and savior. 

Manuela Hill-Munoz, Director of Social Justice & Changemaking, Center for the Common Good 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop | USCCB 

How do we get to know someone and love them? In the first reading today, we see the message of love and care for our brothers and sisters. Yet, this can be difficult because we may not know them. In the second reading, when Nathanael questions Philip “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” I was taken aback. It reminded me of my bias, or judgement of others based on where they are from. It also reminded me of times where I was judged due to my background. How can we show love for one another without knowing each other? However, Jesus saw Nathanael under that, and He knew him. 

This season of Advent, I am reminded that Jesus knows us and loves us. Just like when Jesus told Nathanael that He saw him and knew him. It may take us time to love because we need to know and hear that reciprocal recognition from our brothers and sisters. Do we also expect this from God? Do we expect a clear message from Him to know that He loves us? Or are those sights and sounds already here, around us in our human family?  

The readings reminded me to look for God in everything, and not be so quick to judge others. I may need to get to know them, but Jesus knows and already loves them. Can I open my heart and love them too? 

Martha Alonzo-Johnsen, Clinical Faculty, Dougherty Family College 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious | USCCB 

Today, I had the opportunity to reflect on the life and legacy of a remarkable woman, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.  Like many of us, Elizabeth faced plenty of hardships, yet those challenges did not define her, and it is a good reminder for us that our hardships do not define us.  Instead, these experiences can be catalysts for growth & resiliency and give us a unique opportunity to support and uplift others going through similar hardships. 

 As I was reminded of the life of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, I was struck by her dedication to education. Founding the Sisters of Charity and establishing the first Catholic school in the United States, she recognized the transformative power of education in shaping individuals and communities. This commitment to learning and service continues to resonate and encourages me to consider how I can contribute to the well-being of others.  

It reminds me to appreciate this unique season of life that I find myself in.  To express my gratitude for being at the University of St Thomas at this moment and time.  A place where I have been challenged, where I have grown, where I have made connections, and continue to have the opportunity to advance the common good. 

In commemorating Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, I find encouragement to continue to strengthen my faith, to view challenges as opportunities for growth, and to seek ways to impact the lives of those around me positively. May her example inspire a deeper commitment for all of us. 

Dustin Killpack, Associate Director for the Center for Common Good  

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry 

Readings: Christmas Weekday | USCCB 

With Advent we had days of preparation and with Christmas the arrival of a Savior in the form of a poor child. And yet, the world can feel unchanged even if we have been moved by the season personally. Even with the energy of all the resolutions of the new year in the air, we face so many global trials: 

• Wars that feel increasingly intractable 
• Throngs of displaced people seeking refuge (much like the holy family) 
• The hopelessness of addiction in our communities 
• Environmental degradation and a warming planet 
• A feeling that our politics are too far apart to ever be reconciled 

This names only a few. 

Maybe today’s Gospel invites us to connect with that preparation and that miracle…together. We are “children of God”, but where are we to find hope in this very broken world? Perhaps, with one another. 

John the Baptist exclaims “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” As I read this very familiar encounter, I noticed my tendency (maybe you share it) to focus on the spiritual goodies of “my sin in this world” rather than “the sin of the world”. It takes on a different meaning for me, when I relate it to the collective (the we). One that still asks me to heed the call to faith (and its challenges), but one that helps me see the bigness of God’s Love for us as Children of God. A love so big that “what shall be, has not yet been revealed”. 

With Christ, we, the collective, the world, the cosmos – can have collective healing and collective hope. We can be reconciled to one another. We can heal the Earth. We can turn in awe and wonder at the seeming infinitude of the universe. In awe of the Lamb of God come to take away the sin of the world. Have hope! What WE shall be, has not yet been revealed. 

Andrew Puroway, Adjunct Faculty College of Arts and Sciences 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry.

Readings: Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church | USCCB 

“God don’t look like that!” yells Sarah Ruth at the end of Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Parker’s Back.” She recoils in horror from the icon of Christ Pantocrator her husband Parker has had tattooed on his back. “[God] don’t look,” she complains. “He’s a spirit. No man shall see his face.”(1) 

The character Sarah Ruth is far from the first person to struggle to see the saving power of God in the person of Christ. Today’s readings don’t lie when they say some would deceive us about the divine sonship of Jesus Christ. It is not an easy truth to understand and to live. Yet the readings warn us that those who deny the Son do not have the Father. John 1:18 testifies: “No one has ever seen God. The only Son…has revealed him.” 

Today the Church commends to our attention two great saints and doctors of the Church: Basil the Great, and Gregory Nazianzen. These fourth century Cappadocian fathers helped clarify the Christology of the early Church, by insisting Christ is both fully God and fully man. The reality of the Incarnation threads today’s readings together. Unlike John the Baptist, Christ is not a forerunner to the main event. Christ himself is the revelation. The saving power of God has a face. 

(1) Flannery O’Connor, “Parker’s Back,” The Complete Stories (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1971), 529. 

Dr. Erika Kidd, Associate Professor in Catholic Studies 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Mary Mother of God|USCCB 

Today, we celebrate Mary as Mother of God, or Theotokos (God-bearer). The notion of a simple girl being the biological parent of God in the flesh stirred up heated debates in the Early Church, ultimately calling into question the true identity of Christ. How could the man that was formed in the womb of Mary also be God?

This is only a problem for those who cannot fathom that God bestows equal dignity on man and woman. In Mary and Jesus, we see the true glory of femininity and masculinity, neither dominating the other. Instead of grasping the fruit as Eve did, disobeying God, Mary humbly received the True Fruit into her Body, responding to His grace. Through her, God willed that the serpent’s head be crushed.

Not only this, but the whole of Mary’s being points to Jesus. Her motherhood demonstrates His perfect and confounding humility. By becoming man and being “born of a woman” (Gal. 4:4) especially in a male-dominated world, He inverts the curse of the Fall: that women would be ruled by men (Gen 3:16). He entrusts Himself to her care, not just as a child, but as man suffering the scorn and reproach of His people. Unlike Adam who blamed the woman, He upholds her by calling her “woman” – not just mother, but as partner in the work of redemption. 
How could she be called any less when even the Creator of the Universe placed Himself in her hands, and does her bidding?

Mary and Jesus are the exemplars of man and woman, the New Adam and the New Eve, undoing the first Adam’s and the first Eve’s “no” by their “yes.” We too, are called to be God-bearers, receiving His presence into our hearts, and sharing what we have received to others. 

Hazel Jordan, ‘19, ‘23 Alumni  

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph | USCCB 

“Now, Lord, you may let your servant go in peace.” These words from the holy man Simeon, as he received into his arms the long-awaited Savior of the world, express the longing of the faithful people of Israel.  For centuries they had waited for the coming of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets, but his coming did not quite live up to the expectations. That is, except to those who saw with faith. 

On the face of it, this scene of the Presentation in the Temple looks no different than most other occurrences of observant Jews of that age. A father and mother bring their newborn into the Temple and offer a sacrifice to God as they were able; this was common. But for one who has faith, who sees the inner-mystery of the Child, this was no ordinary scene. “This is the meeting point of the two Testaments, Old and New.” (Pope Benedict XVI, homily on February 2, 2011) Simeon recognizes that the glory of the Lord has returned to the Temple (cf. Mal. 3:1), and it was only through his deep prayer and faith that he received this sensitivity to grace, this awareness of the Son of God.   

The Lord Jesus often comes in quiet, secret ways, requiring faith and attentiveness on our part to recognize him. The faithful Christian is one who learns to pay attention to grace, to keep a listening heart for the quiet footsteps of the Lord. So that, after a full life, when the Lord bids us one final command, “Follow me,” we can say those blessed words of Simeon, “Now, Lord, you may let your servant go in peace,” and follow those quiet footsteps into the heavenly Temple of Jerusalem. 

Fr. Mark Pavlak, Priest at St. John Vianney Seminary 

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry. 

Readings: The Sixth Day of Christmas |USCCB 

The Gospel today, is a continuation of yesterday’s passage on the presentation to the temple. Today, it is Anna, who like Simeon, feels full of gratitude to have seen salvation in the infant child presented by Mary and Joseph. The promise of salvation longed for centuries was being fulfilled before Anna and Simeon’s eyes and for all those who like them have been “awaiting the redemption.”  

The Incarnation is our reason for rejoicing. In Jesus, God has revealed his love and mercy to the world as a light that shines amid darkness.  This young babe, who emptied Himself by taking the form of a slave (Phil 2,7) both at the manger and at the cross, has offered us by doing so, God’s redemption. 

We are invited to rejoice, like Simeon and Anna, because it is through Jesus that our sins have been forgiven. Through Jesus, Evil has been conquered. Through Jesus, we have known the Father’s love.   

As we continue to celebrate Christmas, may we rejoice in the gift of the Incarnation, the gift of our redemption, and God’s unconditional love. 

Marta Pereira, Associate Director of Campus Ministry

The Campus Ministry Seasonal Reflections are offered during the liturgical seasons of Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter. We bring a variety of voices from Students, Faculty and Staff. The perspectives expressed in these reflections are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Campus Ministry.