Advent

Editor’s note: On this tenth day of our Advent and Christmas blog series “His Light Would Not Go Out,” Executive Director Liz Hughes offers a reflection on the tangles of her spiritual life and our world, inspired by the Madeleine L’Engle poem rooting this year’s Advent blog. Tangle. A challenge, but one that even in…

Editor’s note: Merry Christmas! On this ninth day of our Advent and Christmas blog series “His Light Would Not Go Out,” DC Service Corps volunteer Sam Goodyear uses the birth of Christ to reflect on the miracle of birth itself. The season is winter, and many Christians around the world have spent weeks prior in…

Editor’s note: On this third day of our Advent blog series “His Light Would Not Go Out,” current missioner Victor Artaiz offers practices that steady him even amidst the challenges of life on mission. During my nine months here on mission in Bolivia, there are many days when I ask myself if my efforts are…

Editor’s note: On this second day of our Advent blog series “His Light Would Not Go Out,” DC Service Corps alum and former House Manager Amanda MacMillan shares how a newfound interest in baking is challenging her to be a more patient person who “waits with purpose.” I do not like to wait. I am…

Editor’s Note: Merry Christmas! On this final day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” we invite you to reflect on the poem “Made Flesh” written by Luci Shaw as we celebrate the incarnation of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us. Made Flesh By Luci Shaw After the bright beam of hot annunciation fused…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-seventh day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Overseas Lay Missioner Rhonda Eckerman, who is serving on the US-Mexico border, reflects on finding joy, hope, and grace in seasons of waiting.  As I sit in my car in line with many other cars at the entrance into the United States,…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-sixth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” FMS’ Program Director Emily Norton shares a poem she wrote about the holy waiting, quiet, and sacred preparation of a personal Advent season she is experiencing in her life right now. How stunned I am As I realize God’s invitation for me…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-fifth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” we invite you to ponder the responses of Mary, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist in Luke 1:39-55 to the miracle of Mary carrying the son of God in her womb.  “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-fourth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Grace Kueber shares memories of specific times of growth in her relationship with God. In honor of remembering you,  I may not remember all of the moments of the day I came home from Korea, into the arms…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-third day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Lauren Barry discusses her experience with wonder and contemplation. I’ve always been curious about the world around me. When I was younger, the majority of my wonders consisted of ‘how’ questions. I would wonder:  At this stage in…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-second day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Victoria Wangler shares an original piece of prose that touches on the specific details within a person’s life at a given moment: “How small it can seem (arriving to a new life in a new city, understanding that our earthly…

Editor’s Note: On this twenty-first day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” FMS’ Executive Director Liz Hughes reflects on the importance of seeing goodness in the world. Earlier this fall, Fr. Joe Nangle ended a homily in the FMS chapel with a poignant story and the reflection: “If people only knew how good they…

Editor’s Note: On this twentieth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” FMS board member Teresa Redder reflects on the importance of gazing upon God’s creation with awe and wonder after a camping trip in Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota with her husband. While returning to my husband’s home state of South Dakota this…

Editor’s Note: On this nineteenth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Brigid Prosser, director of Catholic Charities Volunteer Medical Clinic, shares a poem she wrote that ponders the incarnation of Christ.  Let us celebrate this season By contemplating the Incarnation The mystery of God’s humility In His unfolding of salvation.   The Messiah…

Editor’s Note: On this sixteenth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” FMS Board Member Dr. Hans Dethlefs encourages us to place our hope in God’s promises. Promise is a powerful word as we await the coming of Christ during Advent. Promise is hope personified. When we receive a promise from another person, we…

Editor’s Note: On this fifteenth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Christopher Zaragoza reflects on what it means to be pilgrims on earth.  Advent is a time of reflection, meditation, and prayer. The Church gives us this season as an opportunity to prepare ourselves for the first coming of…

Editor’s Note: On this twelfth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” former DC Service Corps volunteer and current FMS House Manager Fatima Godfrey reflects on living in intentional community.  I assume “community” is not a word commonly used on a daily basis for the average person. I can certainly say “community” only became…

Editor’s Note: On this eleventh day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Lauren Barry reflects on how living in community at Casa San Salvador (FMS’ house of hospitality) during her year of service is helping her appreciate the present moment.  I have lived in Casa San Salvador for about four…

Editor’s Note: On this tenth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corp volunteer Grace Kueber shares how God’s grace has been revealed to her while learning to navigate Washington, D.C. A new environment keeps me unsteady Relying on Google maps to tell me when I am ready. To explore,  Open the…

Editor’s Note: On this ninth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Victoria Wangler writes a moving poem about God being a shelter throughout her life.  Hold it in your hands. Touch it in the air.   Inhale the breath and feel  the earth as it slips in there.  …

Editor’s Note: On this eighth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Kim Smolik, Ed.D reflects on what the pandemic taught her about accompaniment. Kim serves as Executive Partner at Leadership Roundtable, an international Catholic organization based in Washington, DC. Prior to her current role, she served as Executive Director of FMS from 2009-2016, after…

Editor’s Note: On this seventh day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Overseas Lay Missioner Mari Snyder reflects on a hospitality practice that she is leaning into this Advent. I have 21 days to make my newly created Advent hospitality practice into a habit.  This is the hardest time of year for me to…

Editor’s Note: On this sixth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” DC Service Corps volunteer Victoria Wangler reflects on the gift of friendship from the perspective of being a triplet.  A friend loves at all times. [Proverb 17.17] “Friend.” “Friendship.” “Best friend.” “BFFs.” “Bestie.” These are words that are used so commonly that…

Editor’s Note: On this fifth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Overseas Lay Missioner Victor Artaiz reflects on generations of faith in his family.  As I leave the Thanksgiving holiday celebrations with family and friends, I carry cherished feelings of gratitude, faith, hope, and love into the spirit and season of Advent. We…

Editor’s Note:  On this fourth day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Anna Fluharty reflects on what it means to embrace Advent as a DC Service Corps volunteer serving at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School.  To embrace is to hold someone close or to conceive and radically support a motion. There’s a difference…

Editor’s Note: On this third day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Sr. Meg Earsley FSPA, who recently completed her formation with FMS and will be serving with the Tertiary Sisters of Saint Francis in Bolivia, shares a reflection on her experience of “blessed leavings” as she said goodbye to the Casa community.  Oh, only…

Editor’s Note: On this second day of our Advent blog series “Hidden Joys,” Associate Director Meghan Meros shares how a reunion with a long-distance friend in Scotland inspired new reflections about Mary and Elizabeth’s meeting in the Visitation. Through the drizzle of a wet night in Glasgow, Scotland, a familiar face emerged from a hotel…

Editor’s Note: We invite you to join the FMS family as we journey toward Christmas with a new Advent blog series, “Hidden Joys.” In this first post of the series, DC Service Corps volunteer Emily Putzke reflects on the hidden joys of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, along with the hidden joys of being in the…