Advent 2014: Watch. Wait. Wonder. Welcome!

ADVENT 2014: Watch. Wait. Wonder. Welcome!

"The Shepards are asking, 'What have you seen?' and three times the answer is given, 'We saw a Child and the choirs of Angels praising God.' They were the first to give testimony to Him; so the nearest and first to come to our God are the poor and the simple."

Janet Erskine Stuart RSCJ (1857-1914)

6th Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart

The above quote is taken from the perpetual spiral-bound calendar "The Life Lived" which celebrates the Centenary of Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ - (click here to order). And. to order your very own Janet Erskine Stuart Centenary Memorabilia - click here.

ADVENT 2014: Watch. Wait. Wonder. Welcome!

By Ruth Cunnings and Stephanie Hamilton, Formation to Mission Co-Chairs

This year at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan the school-wide theme for Advent is "Watch. Wait. Wonder. Welcome!"  This theme will be the basis for our reflection and service during the Advent season. We will begin Advent with an all-school prayer service in the chapel on Monday, December 1 at 9:30 a.m. Please feel welcome to join us as we enter into the new liturgical year. 

Additional opportunities for prayer will be offered in each learning community throughout the season as we prepare to welcome Jesus at Christmas. As a whole school, we will also share daily moments of silence during Advent. Please consider joining in these moments of silence as your schedule permits:

• Week 1 of Advent, 9–9:05 a.m.
• Week 2 of Advent, 10:45-10:50 a.m.
• Week 3 of Advent, 1-1:05 p.m.
• Week 4 of Advent, 2–2:05 p.m. (at home)

In this season of giving, students, faculty and staff will be invited to bring in items to benefit the residents of Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac. Please see your learning communities eNews for additional details. 

Advent Message: Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ

"Preparation is spoilt by impatience and want of resignation. If the vision make any delay, wait for it, for it will surely come and shall not tarry. Few things are so restless, unsatisfactory and useless as impatient waiting - especially following on hurried preparation, and one of the hardest and gravest lessons is to learn to wait with patience and resignation. If Advent adds any of these qualities to our spirit of preparation, it will have been well spent."

Janet Erskine Stuart RSCJ (1857-1914)

6th Superior General of the Society of the Sacred Heart

The above quote is taken from the perpetual spiral-bound calendar "The Life Lived" which celebrates the Centenary of Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ - (click here to order). And. to order your very own Janet Erskine Stuart Centenary Memorabilia - click here.

Advent Message from Pam Snyder, AMASC President

Advent 2013 Message (below) from AMASC website - (photo click here)

December 1, 2013


First Sunday of Advent
 Message from Pam Snyder, AMASC President 


In most cultures children look forward to the annual celebration of their own special day ...very young ones may not understand that their birthday or saint's day is really shared with others. While the young look forward to presents of toys...over time the joy which come from celebrating our special day changes so that we focus less on what gifts we receive and more on the opportunity to spend our special days with friends and family. It is much the same with Advent...the season set aside on the Christian calendar to prepare for Christmas. During Advent liturgical readings focus on the time of preparation for Jesus's birth, while offering us time for reflection upon the importance of Christ's birth for our lives. We encourage young children to welcome and pay homage to the Christ Child in the crib in Bethlehem, so that by the time the young mature they will understand what the true focus of the nativity celebration. The nativity is the annual observance of humanity's awareness that God wants a personal relationship with us..... so much so that God revealed Himself as an infant in that manger in Bethlehem. God's self revelation invites a response. Nurturing that response to God's self revelation ... spending time on that response...... that is our Advent.

REFLECTION 

from Lectio Divina


Matt. 24: 37-44  
For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of a house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.