This week, I’ll be sharing my reflections on the third week of Advent from the Heart of Mary Women’s Fellowship’s Advent Bible Study. Today is about “The Joy of the Moment.” One wonderful thing about being Catholic is that Christmas lasts for more than just one day. The revelry and celebration last long enough for us to properly enjoy the holiday so that by the time the actual Christmas season is over, we are ready to go back into reality.... Read more
— 1 — My friends and I are starting a novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots tomorrow. If you wanna join in, I’ll post the novena on this blog! As many of you, Our Lady of Knots is Pope Francis’s favorite Marian devotion, so this is a perfect way for you to get a good start on this Year of Mercy. Offer this novena for anything that you’re struggling with, especially if you have an addiction or some unresolved... Read more
Darkness and light are huge themes in Advent. My friend Elizabeth Imms from the Heart of Mary Women’s Fellowship shared three Bible verses in the reflection she wrote for today: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” Matthew 4:16 “And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness does not overcome it.” John 1:5 “But if we walk in the light as he... Read more
I didn’t grow up knowing St. Juan Diego the way a lot of other Cradle Catholics did. In fact, I actually learned about St. Juan Diego from a show called “Wishbone.” The episode was called Viva Wishbone and centered on the main character, David, learning the story of Juan Diego from his Mexican nanny. David wanted to get a good present for his mother for Mother’s Day, especially when he feels like his mother likes one of his friends more than... Read more
One of the greatest lectures I ever heard was from Fr. Michael Gaitley about how Mary played an important role in bringing Divine Mercy to the world through St. John Paul II. Through doing Marian Consecration, Fr. Michael Gaitley gained a devotion to Divine Mercy. It is only appropriate that Pope Francis would choose this wonderful Marian feast to officially begin the Year of Mercy. So what exactly what does The Year of Mercy entail? Check out this short video... Read more
The second candle on the Advent Wreath is called “The Bethlehem Candle” and symbolizes faith. Today, I want to contemplate the faith of Mary and Joseph as they journeyed to Bethlehem. If you’re familiar with Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey,” there’s a point in the story where the heroes are asked to answer “the call to adventure.” Think of when Bilbo was asked by Gandalf to journey with the dwarves in The Hobbit or when Luke Skywalker was asked to undergo Jedi... Read more
There are days that I just want to hide away inside a cloister and pretend that the outside world doesn’t exist. I usually believe in the best in people, but when tragedies such as the ones in San Bernardino and Colorado happen and with threats of ISIS and other acts of terrorism and all the hatred in the world loom all over the news like the perpetually gray December skies, I can completely understand why Thomas Merton chose to go... Read more
Do you remember the things that you dream? Dreams are often absurd, but at the same time they are the subconscious’s way of processing things. I don’t remember my dreams often, but when I do, they usually mean something to me. I dreamt of dating whenever I was put into a situation where I met some cute guys. I used to have nightmares of running away from the things that scared me. My latest dream, though, was a weird one. I... Read more
One thing I’ve noticed is how much I feel called to imitate Mary. In this Advent season, Mary plays a particularly prominent role. I’m currently praying the Immaculate Conception novena in anticipation of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the official start of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. But I can’t talk about Mary without also talking about her most chaste spouse, Joseph. As part of Advent, some of my friends and I are doing meditations on Joseph and... Read more
One of my favorite books growing up was The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. I read that book so often in middle school and high school that I made notes in the margins and the pages are stained from the book getting mixed up with a jello I packed for lunch. In the introduction, Sean lists the first three habits as being a “private victory,” illustrated as the roots of a tall, strong tree. The next three... Read more
Monique Ocampo Writes
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