Advent: The Season of Waiting

November 30, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Advent Wreath

The period of four weeks before Christmas is called Advent. It is a period of anticipation and hope. In today’s culture it is a busy time, filled with shopping and socializing. However, in ages past, it was a quiet and sacred time of prayer and waiting… anticipating the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflecting on the birth of Jesus, we look with hope to our salvation. Jesus was born of Mary. He became man to redeem us. By the cross, we are saved from our sins and have the hope of eternal life. What a tremendous mystery! How can a little baby be both human and divine?

The omnipotence of God is shown by his humbling himself and becoming a man. His humble beginnings, being born in a manger, tells us of his connection to the poor and lowly. He was not the type of king the Jewish people were expecting. The kingdom of God is an important thing to reflect on during the Christmas Season. Are we trying to follow the teachings of Jesus…to love not only our neighbor but our enemies? Are we helping the poor and downtrodden?

God is love. When we look at a little baby it is easy to define love. However, we need to be loving our neighbor at all times. Celebrating the incarnation (God becoming Man) this year, let’s try not to lose sight of the spiritual nature of Christmas. Waiting helps us to slow down. Hopefully, we will be spending time in prayer… sharing with God our hopes, difficulties, fears and love.

A soul enkindled with love is a gentle, meek, humble, and patient soul.

Quote of St. John of the Cross

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Faith, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Feast Day Nov. 17

November 13, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

St. Elizabeth of Hungary by Moroder Public Domain Image — St. Elizabeth of Hungary
by Moroder

The feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary is celebrated on November 17. Elizabeth was a Princess born in 1207 to King Andrew II of Hungary. St. Elizabeth of Hungary is the patron saint of widows, charities, bakers and young brides.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary was born in 1207 in Hungary. She was the daughter of Alexander II who was the King of Hungary. She was betrothed at the age of four to be married to Louis of Thuringa (a German principality). At the age of 14 she married Louis who was 21.

Elizabeth was very pious from a young age. Louis, also was quite religious. Their marriage was a happy and fruitful union. They had three children. Louis was a brave soldier. While he was away Elizabeth devoted herself to charity. She helped to build a hospital which had 12 beds.

He encouraged her works of charity. After six years of marriage Louis was killed during the crusades while she was pregnant with their third child at the age of 20. Elizabeth’s relatives resented how generous she was with the family’s money. They mistrusted her and eventually threw her out of the palace.

Upon hearing the news of her husband’s death, Elizabeth cried out,

“The world with all its joys is now dead to me.”

After finding care for her children, Elizabeth left the castle and became a Third Order Franciscan, joining them on Good Friday. She devoted herself entirely to helping the sick and poor. A Franciscan hospital was built in which she was able to care for the sick and suffering.

St. Elizabeth died at the age of 24 in 1231. Soon after her death miracles of healing were reported at her grave site

A legend exists that her husband met her unexpectedly as she went secretly on an errand to help the poor. The bread she was carrying was turned into roses. Pictures of St. Elizabeth often show her carrying bread or roses.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary died at the age of 24 in 1231 at Marburg, Germany of natural causes. She was canonized on May 27, 1235 by Pope Gregory IX.

https://stelizabethdallas.org/

“How could I bear a crown of gold

when the Lord bears a crown of thorns?…

and bears it for me!”

Quote of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Art

November is the Month of the Poor Souls

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Carmelite Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Raphael Kalnowski, Feast Day Nov. 19

November 11, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of Bl. Raphael Kalnowski is celebrated on Nov. 19.

The name at baptism given to Bl. Raphael Kalnowski was Joseph. He was born to Polish parents in Vilnius in 1835. After military service he studied engineering at St. Petersburg. He helped design the Kursk-Kiev-Odessa railway.

During the Polish insurrection against Russia, he accepted the post of Minister of War. He was arrested on March 24, 1864 and condemned to death. The sentence was changed to ten years hard labor in Siberia.

After his release, he became a tutor for Prince Augusto Czarteryski in Paris. Augusto was inspired to become a priest, becoming a member of the Salesians. Through his travels, Joseph met St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, both Carmelites. Two years later he decided to join the Carmelite Order taking the name of Brother Raphael of St. Joseph. H studied theology in Hungary and was ordained a priest on Jan. 15, 1882.

He served as a priest with apostolic zeal. He was known as a good confessor and a spiritual director. He worked for church unity and was known for his holiness.

Bl. Raphael died of natural causes on Nov. 15, 1907. Miraculous healings which were attributed to him led to his canonization by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

I like to find at least a few moments each day spent in doing good for others out of love for God. These few moments, almost unnoticeably used, bring something like rays of peace and comfort behind them; they unite us with people and God by a pure feeling of tender sweetness.

Quote of Bl. Raphael Kalnowski

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

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Faith, Prayer, Quote, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes from the Saints about Truth

November 10, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Many in the world today are discovering that not everything we believe is actually true. The following quotes are attributed to the Saints. Hopefully they will help us to understand the meaning of Truth.