Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

I experienced a variety of different traditions in preparation for Christmas in Mexico.  One of these beautiful Christmas traditions was the Posadas, (inns).  The tradition involves families with children dressed as shepherds in a procession singing songs re-enacting Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. They take place for nine nights leading up to Christmas Eve.   Another traditional celebration is la Buena Noche (Christmas Eve).  Families celebrate by gathering together, adoring the baby Jesus and singing traditional songs.  The celebration continues with food like tamales, buñuelos, drinks of atole and rompope.  The preparation for these traditional events is as important as the actual events. All family members participate, work and spend time together.  The focus is sharing with others and celebrating the birth of el Niño Jesus (the child Jesus)….all are welcome. I experienced this “welcome” thro...

Today those of us in the Northern hemisphere celebrate the "return" of the light; we will now enjoy a few extra minutes each day.  I've been spending time this week with some of our Sisters who lived many years in Alaska, where winters were spent in almost perpetual dusk.  Hearing their stories, I've realized today is really a cause for celebration for our Northern neighbors! Although I welcome the returning light, I've tried to make a point this Advent of reverencing darkness.  So often we focus only on the light, hoping and waiting for its coming.  We see darkness only as the absence of light, and we forget that Holy Mystery often resides in the sacred darkness.  In fact, I bet Mary felt very "in the dark" in today's Gospel reading, when invited by the angel to take on an unthinkable role.  We have the advantage of knowing how it all turned out for her, but Mary simply had to trust.  And her trust-filled yes, offered in darkness, would eventua...