New beginnings can be both exciting and intimidating. It’s natural to feel uncertain about the unknown, but in these moments, we are called to place our faith in God’s guidance. In Lamentations 3:22-23, we are reminded, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” With each new day, God gives us the opportunity to start afresh, relying on His unfailing love and mercy. His faithfulness is our constant in every change. 

As you step into a new beginning, remember that God walks with you. He is the One who makes all things new, and He has equipped you for what lies ahead. Trust in His timing, embrace the journey, and know that in every fresh start, God’s hand is leading you forward into the future He has prepared.

In these difficult times, we are reminded to turn to God and trust in His plan, even when we don’t fully understand it. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When life feels chaotic, it’s an invitation to lean on God’s wisdom and guidance. His ways are higher than ours, and even when circumstances seem hopeless, He is working behind the scenes for our good.

If you feel like nothing is going right, hold on to hope and keep seeking God in prayer. He hears your cries and knows your pain. Keep your eyes on Him, knowing that He will lead you through the storm. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Even in seasons of difficulty, He is shaping your story for His greater purpose, and His grace will carry you through.

Gratitude for the little things transforms our perspective. Instead of focusing on what we lack or what isn’t going well, we begin to see God’s faithfulness in the simple, ordinary moments. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Rejoicing in each day helps us live with a sense of wonder and appreciation for all that God provides, even when life feels challenging or mundane.

As we go about our daily routines, let’s take a moment to thank God for the little things He places in our path. By doing so, we train our hearts to see His goodness and develop a deeper sense of contentment and joy in His presence. Gratitude for the small blessings reminds us that God is always working in our lives, even in the details we sometimes overlook.

Sometimes, offering support can be as simple as lending a listening ear, praying for someone, or providing practical help. Other times, it might require us to stand in the gap when a friend or loved one feels overwhelmed. But no matter how small or large the gesture, our actions can have a profound impact. In Proverbs 27:17, we are told, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We are strengthened when we lift each other up, becoming better reflections of Christ’s love.

Let us remember today that we are not meant to walk this journey alone. As we look for ways to support others, may we also allow others to support us. Together, we are stronger, and together, we can fulfill God’s purpose by living out His love in community.

Getting lost is not a novel experience.  I am sure there are times each of us has been physically lost.  It’s frightening to feel alone and lost; whether it is physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  The most wonderful truth is that we are never alone. We are never truly lost.  

Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, promised he would not leave us.  We are not forgotten.  We are not orphans.  This promise is a reminder that even when we feel alone or adrift, there is a guiding presence accompanying us on our journey.  Christ is before us, behind us and beside us.  

This truth is almost more than words can describe, and as per Hans Christian Anderson: “Where words fail, music speaks. “Christ Before Us,” is a beautiful piece with text by Janet Sullivan Whitaker, to the tune Suo Gan, a Welsh lullaby.  The melody is often sung at Christmas depicting Mary singing to baby Jesus.  What more safe place is there than an infant in its mother’s arms?  As Christians, we can be assured of the same safety, knowing that Christ is with us.  

Our minds are cluttered with so many priorities that sometimes it is hard (at least for me) to “hear” God.  St. Ignatius encourages us to surrender all to God, to let go of attachments and trust in God’s plan.  The hope is that by doing this we will become more open to God’s love and guidance.  We may be able to more clearly discern our purpose

The emphasis is on finding God in the everyday experiences of our lives, to take note of those encounters, reflect on them so that we can see what God might be guiding us toward.  We are encouraged to live out our faith in a thoughtful and authentic way that responds to God’s love with love, justice and compassion.  

The Suscipe of St. Ignatius or the “Take Lord, Receive” prayer above is a powerful expression of faith and trust.  It is an expression of the essential truth that when we open ourselves to the reality of who God is and what God has done for us we realize we have all that we need.   

Of course, I have a song:  These Alone are Enough for Me  

The reality of this song brings me to tears each time I hear or sing it.  I hope it is meaningful to you as well.

Cecilia Carroll

Advent Square Director

The quote from Psalm 90 and photo above reminds me of Autumn, my favorite season.  It is the one I miss most since moving to Florida: the crisp air, the pretty colors, even the fading daylight. More than any other season, it reminds me of the passing of time.  As the days shorten, I am reminded of the brevity of life.  We exist on this earth for such a short time.  God gave us this brief moment in time to live purposefully, to make use of the time we have. 

One of my favorite settings of Psalm 90 is “In Every Age.” By Janet Sullivan Whitaker.  

Psalm 90 speaks to us of the eternity of God.  “Before the mountains you are God.”  A mountain can appear to soar forever into the sky.  Looking out over the water at the horizon, it seems to never end.  Yet, God is above, before and behind all of it.  God is God from long before we can remember and for beyond the span of our lives.  We will wither and fade, but God is forever.  We embrace everything that comes to us because even in our most challenging times, our joys and sorrows, God is eternal and He is with us.

Cecilia Carroll

Advent Square Director

Some have wrongly interpreted this to be a condemnation of wealth and success.  It is not.  It is rather a cautionary tale, asking us to look deeply at our motivations and values.  Are we attaining stuff just to have it or are we using the gifts given us to strive to live the best Christian life that we can?  Do we give credit where credit is due and in the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola “return it all to God.”  

We can contrast the story of Mark’s “Rich  Young Man” with another rich young man who did choose to give it all away and follow what he believe was the path for his life, St. Francis of Assisi.  If our rich young man chose the crown of gold, we can say that St. Francis, eventually, after an encounter with the Lord, chose the crown of thorns.  

In our time and context, what does it mean to choose God, rather than gold?  Are we really supposed to give all of our hard won possessions away, dress in brown sack cloth and with nothing but sandals and a staff, set out to spread the Gospel?  No, we are all products of our time and St. Francis was reacting to what he saw as excesses in and out of The Church.  Rather, we should take the words of prayer of St. Francis to heart.

In his “Simple Prayer,” St. Francis challenges us to be the Lord’s instruments in the world.  To bring compassion, peace, understanding, truth, faith, love and justice to the world.  We don’t need to give up our worldly possessions to do so, but rather put the gifts the Lord gave us to work for His glory.

I was told to “be me” in sharing these devotions, so I wouldn’t be me without music, the link below is to a version of the Prayer of St. Francis that I hope you enjoy.  It is not a professional recording, but the best I could find.

As I became acclimated to my role at Advent and learned of all the ministries the community supports, the song that popped into my head was “We are the Hands of Christ” by composer Joel Raney.  Click HERE for a recording.  The text set to this haunting melody is a teaching attributed to St. Teresa of Avila, a mystic and Doctor of the Church.    

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which He looks

           Compassion on this world.

Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are His body.

Christ has no body now but yours.” 

When I ponder these words and look at the photo above, I see Advent Life Ministries. One example is the inspiring group who just completed the Camino.  They literally used their feet to be Christ in this world.