Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

I could relate to Joan Durst’s post last week.   These short, dark, cold December days make me tired.   Usually when a dreary mood hits me, God quickly reminds me of the many gifts in my life.   I have a family I wouldn’t trade for the world and friends to match.   I have a warm bed, food in my stomach and a roof over my head … all shared in community with a group of really fine women here in St. Louis in the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate. The other day, I went to the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.   The first exhibit I encountered was a very simple yet very profound one titled, “I Was A Soldier”… a photographic journal by St. Louis photographer Jerry Tovo.   Mr. Tovo’s stark, larger than life, black and white portraits are of men and women who have faithfully served our country but now count themselves among the 200,000 veterans who are homeless on any given night.   Another 1.5 million veterans are at risk of homelessness. ...

I feel sad.  My body longs for light. I think that I should be a bear so that I could hibernate for this dark season.  SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder is descriptive of what this northerner experiences this time of year. Seeing the Christmas lights are a little comfort. For me taking time to light one advent candle at a time is more than just a symbol that Christmas is coming. When I sit in stillness the season of SAD and Advent reminds me that my soul also longs for light….. for enlightenment so I can let go of selfish plans and desires for freedom for 22,000 people in my state's prisons (Wisconsin) for healing for families I know that long for reconciliation for wholeness for the wounded earth smothered by carbon emissions for fullness of the universe where love and justice reside What are longings of your heart?   During Advent we pray for light.   Advent can be a time to share our longings with others in our life. Then we can remember, the ...