Awaiting the Light
Advent 2025
Inspiring joyful lives, filled with love, service, and respect.
Families and Friends of Saint Patrick Catholic School,
It is with great joy that we present to you the 2025 Advent Devotional. A special thank you to all who contributed to this project, especially the twenty-six writers who graciously shared their faith with our community. Thank you as well to Father David Mulholland, Father David Mayovsky, and Deacon Bill Eckert for their spiritual guidance and support of this project.
Over the next few weeks, we will prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ with this year’s Advent theme: Awaiting the Light. You might choose to read the day’s reflection as you sit down to dinner each night, or you might start your day together by reading it before you head out the door. Find a time that works well for your family. We hope this devotional allows you to deeply experience the glory of the Advent season this year.
May God continue to bless you all.
In Christ,
Kate Chambers, Principal
Abby McElligott, Vice Principal
Jack
Chambers, Communications Coordinator
Sunday, November 30
Christ is Among Us
Psalm 122:1: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. We begin Advent with the end in sight. Our destination is the house of the Lord, the place where Jesus dwells... first in Bethlehem at His nativity, then in Nazareth at His epiphany, and finally in our hearts and the hearts of every devoted follower of Christ. During Advent, we have the opportunity to prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus, and create a suitable place for Him to live and dwell among us. How are we going to welcome Christ into our lives this Advent? Let’s pray about that over these days of the Advent season, and think about the place we will build for Him In our hearts. For Christ is among us. He is and always shall be!
—Fr. David Mayovsky, Parochial Vicar
And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Monday, December 1
Gratitude for Everything
Psalm 122:4: According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. For years, my mom has received injections in her eyes every six weeks to slow the progression of Macular Degeneration. I accompanied her to the last visit, squeamish and cringing, and asked, “How are you doing, Mom?” Her unexpected response, reclined in the dim office, was, “I feel so grateful. I’m so grateful.” I thought I misheard her, but she continued, “I’m so thankful that these shots help me keep my vision. When you accept life as it is, there is nothing but gratitude.”
As we begin this Advent season, may we feel gratitude for all that our life entails – not just the things that bring us joy and are easy to appreciate, but the entirety of our life. Even the stressful, the disappointing, the boring, and the sad are opportunities to grow closer to God. May we offer it all to God with gratitude.
—Angela Carlin, Parent & School Commissioner
Tuesday, December 2
What Really Is Light?
Psalm 72:7: In his days justice shall flourish and great peace until the moon is no more.
As the Advent season rolls in, I find myself thinking about the moon (light) and how it always finds a way to pierce and slip through the dark. This verse feels like that to me – a reminder that peace and goodness still exist, even when things feel heavy, dark, and absent of light. Maybe that’s what “light” really is – those quiet moments when hope shows up, uninvited or otherwise, but nevertheless needed. And in those quiet, hopeful moments, one should take pause and look for that light, to let it soften the edges of one’s worry. Whether it’s God, love, or simple human warmth, it feels like something worth seeking and sharing with the world, for it too, needs light more than ever.
—Shawn Anderson, Parent & School Commissioner
Wednesday, December 3
God’s Love During Advent
Psalm 23:6: I will dwell in the house of the Lord for endless days.
Although this is a time of waiting, remember that God is already with us. Advent is a big lead up to Christmas, it is a time to prepare and wait for the exciting day when we open up our presents and celebrate with family and friends. In this excitement and joy of the holiday season, we must not forget the real reason we honor Christmas day. It’s not because of the gifts. It is Jesus, and the birth of our God that brings us together. While we open our gifts in the darkness of the early morning on Christmas day, we know that Jesus’ light will brighten the sky. Advent is our reminder to look for the small signs of God’s love, so try and find His love in the ordinary experiences this Advent season.
—Maggie Savage, Eighth Grade Student
Thursday, December 4
Rejoicing in the Body of Christ
Psalm 118:26: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
I have sung or recited these words since I was a child; they’re written in my heart. Every Mass, I join the angels and saints proclaiming a blessing on the One who has blessed me into new life.
But I also note something else as well. As I become part of the Body of Christ at Mass in Word and Eucharist, I am sent so that I might come in the name of the Lord and be light for others. The light I receive must be shared for the blessing to be real.
During this season of light, I rejoice that God’s mercy is stronger than my darkest moments. I rejoice that God sent His only Son to remind me that I am loved beyond measure. And I rejoice that God wants me also to be a light that banishes darkness.
—Deacon Bill Eckert
Friday, December 5
God’s Light For Us
Psalm 27:1: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear?
As we journey through Advent, we wait in hope and expectation for the coming of Jesus, the Light of the world. Psalm 27 reminds us that God’s light is stronger than any darkness we face. In moments of worry, uncertainty, or fear, this verse invites us to trust that God’s love and presence guide us, protect us, and give us courage.
In our school community, this can mean being a light for one another—offering kindness, forgiveness, and understanding. When we share light in this way, we help others see the hope that Advent brings.
May we open our hearts to God’s light this season, remembering that with the Lord as our light and salvation, we have nothing to fear.
—Mrs. Hanna Graves, Fourth Grade Teacher
Saturday, December 6
Preparing Through Song
Psalm 147:1: Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
What better season is there to literally sing the praises of God than Advent? Each year, I eagerly await the day after Thanksgiving to dust off the Christmas albums and fill the house (and car) with carols and hymns. The music of the season prepares us to celebrate the gift of the Nativity, to wait in anxious excitement, and to await the light of Christ. The carols continually remind us of the light of Christ: “all is calm, all is bright;” “O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;” and my personal favorite, The First Noel, “the shepherds looked up, and they saw a bright star, Shining there in the east, beyond them far, And to the darkened Earth, it gave a great light, And so it continued through day and through night.”
Lord, we wait with joyful hope and anticipation, and we celebrate your gift of life here on Earth with songs to prepare our hearts and minds for your presence.
—Mr. Aaron Riggio, Fifth Grade Teacher
Sunday, December 7
A Heart Ready for Advent Love
Psalm 72:2: May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
When I reflect upon these words, I hear the promise of a world guided by compassion. A world where true leadership is born not from power, but from love. It is the vision of a heart that listens deeply, shelters the weary, and lifts the silent voices of the forgotten.
Mother Teresa once said, “We belong to everyone.” Her life was a living Advent, a continual readiness to meet Jesus in each person, to recognize His face in the poor, the lonely and the unseen. She showed us that love is boundless, and that when we choose to see with compassion, justice flows gently and naturally from love, like a river finding its course toward the sea.
Advent invites us into this same openness…To slow down…To listen…To prepare a room within us where Christ is born anew. When we choose kindness over indifference, we become the hands in which God’s peace embraces the world.
“Father, as I wait in this peaceful season, fill my heart with Your vision of love made real in our world. Let me be Your hands of mercy and Your heart of care, for all who long to be seen and loved. Amen.”
—Mrs. Suzanne Christnacht, ELC Teacher
A voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
Monday, December 8
Marvelous Deeds From God
Psalm 98:1: Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous deeds.
In reflecting on the theme and this particular Psalm what struck me was “light” and “marvelous deeds.” I have macular degeneration and am visually impaired as a result. I need more light to be able to see than other people, more contrast, larger print. I have to have injections in my eyes every four weeks in order to keep my vision stable, and (hopefully) from deteriorating further. Most of us take our vision for granted; I do not. My impaired vision impacts every aspect of my life. I could be angry with God. I could ask “Lord, I’m a good person; I pray, go to Mass, do volunteer work, I am a good and faithful servant, Lord, why me?” Instead, I truly see the “light,” I see all the “marvelous deeds” he has done: I have medication to help save my sight, I have a Kindle so I can read, I have a special light I wear around my neck to do handwork, I have my iPhone, iPad, and MacBook which all have special accommodations built in for the visually impaired so I can continue to stay in touch with family and friends and do the hobbies and work I love. I say God, how marvelous indeed are your works that you would give the researchers the intelligence to develop the drug to save my sight, the doctors the skill to give the eye injections without harming me, and the knowledge you’ve given the engineers to design all these marvelous machines for us! I have faith in the Lord that there will be more help to come. It would be easy to be angry with God for my vision loss; however, I truly feel God’s presence in my life every day; and I am grateful for all his marvelous deeds that bring light into my life.
—Dr. Kristine Keough, Grandparent Tuesday, December 9
Sing With All Your Heart
Psalm 96:1: Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
In Psalm 96:1, there is such clarity in its words. Those words are not for one, but for ALL! We are asked to “sing a new song”. When I read this, I hear a new kind of worship...a kind of worship that breaks boundaries of space and time! It is a call to “sing to the Lord all the earth” and emphasizes that God is not a local deity, but the sovereign Lord of all creation, and His praise should be sung by all nations! I challenge you to worship God with excitement! With all your heart! Reflect on His greatness and you will be blessed!
—Mrs. Lacie Vierra, Parish CGS Coordinator & Parent
Wednesday, December 10
Blessings of Anticipation
Psalm 103:1: O bless the Lord, my soul!
This joyous time of year brings a familiar excitement as we enter the Advent season, awaiting the birth of Jesus Christ. The month of December brings a flurry of activities, holiday hustle and bustle, and, for many of us, competing priorities and distractions. While this season is my favorite time of the year, I often struggle to truly savor it as I intend. In the coming weeks, it will be important for all of us to be present and to find moments of calm for a watchful, quiet hope and joyful anticipation.
During this Advent, I pray that we may practice the art of stillness and reflection so that we may open our hearts to the spiritual invitation to celebrate Christ.
Lord, awaken my soul this Advent. Turn my anticipation into worship. Remind me of Your mercy and love, and teach me how to prepare my heart—in both joy and longing—to welcome Christ anew. Amen.
—Jen Skenfield, Parent
Thursday, December 11
The Best Present
Psalm 145:8: The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.
The Lord is the best present that we will receive. Praying every day during Advent and going to Mass are good ways to prepare for the Lord’s coming. I know that Jesus will always love me and keep me safe and will always show me kindness and mercy.
—Bash Harrington, Fourth Grade Student
Friday, December 12
Gift of Gladness
Psalm 15:9: Therefore my heard is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope.
I have always loved the movie Pollyanna with all my heart—so much so that I named my second daughter after this beloved character. Pollyanna tells the story of a young, kind, and optimistic orphan who moves to a small town filled with cynicism and, through her positivity and kindness, transforms the hearts of those around her. She plays a magical game called “The Glad Game,” in which she finds something good, no matter how small, in every situation. In one memorable scene, Pollyanna reminds her pastor that there are over eight hundred “happy texts” in the Bible—clear evidence, she says, that God wants us to rejoice. It is a story brimming with joy, faith, and hope.
When I read this psalm, Pollyanna’s gift of gladness comes to mind. Experiencing God in our daily lives can take many forms. We often turn to our faith in times of trouble or sadness, express gratitude in moments of happiness or success, and lift up prayers on behalf of others. All of these are meaningful and necessary expressions of faith. Yet, the gladness that shines from Pollyanna’s heart reminds us that joy can also arise simply from our existence as God’s beloved children, regardless of our circumstances. God Himself is the gift. When we rest in the light of His presence, our hearts are glad, our souls rejoice, and our bodies rest in hope.
—Ms.
Abby McElligott, Vice Principal Saturday, December 13
Divine Hope
Psalm 80:3: Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
This heartfelt cry from the Psalms is more than a simple request; it’s a profound admission of human need and a declaration of divine hope. The psalmist, likely writing during a time of national distress, understands that true rescue doesn’t come from a change in circumstances, but from a change in relationship.
The psalmist is asking for more than just God’s action; he is begging for God’s presence. He is saying, “Let us see your smile. Let us feel the warmth of your approval and nearness. Let us know that you are for us, not against us.” This is the deepest human longing—to be fully known and fully loved by our Creator.
Our salvation is found in the light of His face. When we see Him for who He is—a loving Father, a gracious Savior—we are healed, delivered, and made whole.
Sunday, December 14
The Music of Awaiting
Psalm 147:7: Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. During Advent, as we await the Light, this psalm invites us to center ourselves in gratitude. Before the joy of Christmas morning arrives, we’re called to notice the quiet ways God is already present. Singing “with grateful praise” isn’t just about music, it’s about choosing to see grace in the ordinary moments of our school days: a helpful classmate, a teacher’s encouragement, a community walking together toward hope.
“Make music…on the harp” reminds us that praise can take many forms. Gratitude can show up in our actions, our patience, our generosity, or even in a simple moment of stillness. In a season that often feels busy or heavy, praise becomes a way of preparing our hearts for Christ’s coming. As we wait, may gratitude be the melody that guides us toward the Light.
—Jack Chambers, Communications Coordinator
Monday, December 15
Our Journey to Joy
Psalm 25:4: Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths. The third week of Advent celebrates joy. The deep and lasting joy signified in the birth of Jesus is near!
Our journey to joy involves seeking God’s wisdom and guidance. Where information is readily available at the palm of our hands, we struggle to find peace, calm, balance, and joy. Let us welcome Jesus into our hearts and find peace, calm, balance, and joy in him.
Lord, we thank you for this day. We don’t know all that the day will bring, but You do. So we place our faith in You and ask that You show us Your ways and paths today. Lead us and teach us, for you are our joy and our light. Come with power to enlighten us with Your grace, that we may live in praise and joy all our days. Today, we wait on you and celebrate that Your birth is near!
—Mr. David Baine, Subsitute Teacher & Parent
Tuesday, December 16
God Listens
Psalm 34:7: When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress he resues them.
When you feel scared or sad, God listens and helps you. When my grandma died, I was sad and I cried. My dad hugged me and told me her spirit is still with us and that made me feel better. That’s what God does, too.
—Adelaide Chambers, ELC Student
Wednesday, December 17
Joy, Hope, and Peace
Psalm 72:17: May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun. May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed.
This Psalm reflects on Advent because Advent is a time of joy, hope, and peace. “May his name endure forever;” Advent is a time of joy, but also Jesus’ name can last eternally and bring peace. “May his name continue as long as the sun,” is somewhat like a wish which asks for Jesus’ name to last as long as the sun which reflects on hope. “May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed,” is the hope that blessings come to all people across the globe, and every country calls him blessed.
—Joseph Nikolao, Seventh Grade Student
Thursday, December 18
Jesus’ Justice For Us
Psalm 72:1: Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
People believe in justice, specifically from the world around them, where everyone receives an equal share. Yet the purest justice is the most difficult for us to witness. Despite this, I believe it is something we should mindfully attempt to give to others in the world around us.
Christmas is an opportunity to remember that Jesus didn’t experience the glory and honor He deserved by being the Son of God. Rather, He was born into the humblest of environments, without every possession a true King deserves yet, with everything a King is at heart.
We find true justice within Him. Letting Jesus into our hearts is to give His perfect justice the opportunity to live through us, from us and around us.
Again I encourage you, to mindfully give justice to the world.
Jesus is with us and within us, as long as we allow and welcome Him into our hearts.
—Señora Erika Gasper, Spanish & MS Religion
Friday, December 19
God’s Goodness
Psalm 71:8: My mouth shall be filled with your praise, and I will sing your glory all the day.
As we approach Christmas, our hearts are filled with excitement and gratitude. Today’s psalm reminds us that praising God isn’t just something we do at Mass or in prayer; instead, it’s something we can do all day long through our words, actions, and joy. In these final days of Advent, may we take time to notice God’s goodness around us: the kindness of friends, the love of family, and the light of Christ shining in our school community. Each smile, prayer, act of generosity, and love are beautiful songs of praise to God.
—Mrs.
Kate Chambers, Principal
Saturday, December 20
Lifting Our Souls to Him
Psalm 25:1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Advent is a season of hopeful waiting, a time when we lift our hearts and souls toward the Lord in trust and expectation. In Psalm 25:1, the psalmist expresses a deep act of surrender: “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” This simple yet profound prayer reminds us that faith begins with openness, an offering of our whole selves to God. During Advent, we are invited to pause amid the noise of the season and raise our gaze toward the One who comes to bring light into our darkness. Lifting our souls means placing our hopes, fears, and uncertainties into God’s hands, confident that He will guide and renew us. As we prepare for the coming of Christ, may our lifted souls reflect our longing for His presence and our willingness to be transformed by His love.
—Mr.
Nick Conklin, PE Teacher
Sunday, December 21
The Light of Hope
Psalm 27:10: Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Long before there were satellites in the sky people used celestial bodies for their navigation. (I’m not proud to admit that even in the 21st century, I personally can barely identify the Little Dipper, much less use stars to find my way anywhere.) Over two thousand years ago, a single star brought wanderers to a stable, to visit a new little king. The King of glory was born, and the light of the hope of salvation had arrived!
On this shortest and darkest day of the year--the winter solstice-- we are certainly awaiting the light that will come with the changing season. Meanwhile, let us celebrate the constant, brilliant light that Christ, the KIng of glory, brings to all of us each day.
—Barbara Bolaños, Grandparent & Retired Principal
Then he says, Behold, I come
Monday, December 22
PHD
Psalm 30:1: I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
Thank you, O Lord for drawing me up and embracing my heart and soul with Your Divine Mercy of Spiritual Nutrition and Righteousness rejoicing over our foes, with our hearts renewed, we transform our world with Your Light and Unconditional Love as Your Sacred Children of God loving and serving others.
We are now filled with Your Blessings, enabling us in our Sacred educational journey enhancing and pursuing the role modeling of Saint Patrick Catholic School teachers and staff to obtain their same Patience, Humility and Divine Discipline as our P H D.
We can now proclaim the greatness of the Lord as our spirit rejoices in God, our savior. In today’s Gospel, Mary said: “From this day all generations will be called blessed.”
—RJ Ryder, Grandparent
Tuesday, December 23
Preparing for the Lord
Psalm 24:7: Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
When I read this psalm, I see Heaven opening its gates wide open for the Lord to be welcomed home after his resurrection. This is a psalm I would expect to see in the season of Lent. However, we are in the season of Advent, so what does this psalm mean during this time? “Lift up your heads” means we as Christians need to look up, look around, and focus on the time we are in. We are two days away from Jesus’ birth! “That the King of glory may come in;” what have we been doing to let Jesus in this Advent season? Have we been more prayerful? Have we been more thoughtful with our deeds and actions? How have we prepared to open our gates to let Jesus into our lives this Advent season? This psalm is telling us to get excited because Jesus is ready and we need to be as well. Take this as a moment of reflection on what you have done these last few weeks to be ready for the birth of Jesus and what you will do in these last two days to open your gates and let Jesus in.
—Ms. Teresa Keck, Middle School Math & Religion
Wednesday, December 24
Music in Our Hearts to the Lord
Psalm 89:2: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Singing is a very special part of my life. I have been in the Saint Patrick Catholic School Choir since I was in the fourth grade. We sing for many events, including Masses, competitions, assemblies, and the annual Christmas program.
One of my favorite Christmas songs to perform is “Angels We Have Heard on High.” It makes me wonder what it was like for the shepherds on the night Jesus was born, when the Angel Gabriel told them not to be afraid, and when a choir of angels sang glory to God.
Our family has a Christmas Eve pageant at my grandparents’ house each year, where there is always singing, dancing, and laughter as we celebrate this happy holiday. It is a fun way of connecting with loved ones, and sharing our (sometimes questionable) talents. I hope that we always sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Merry Christmas!
—Desmond Melvin, Eighth Grade Student
Thursday, December 25
Merry Christmas!
Psalm 98:3(c): All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
The Advent Season gives way today to Christmas and the joy of the entire Christmas season to come in the weeks ahead. Our joy today is rooted and grounded in the great gifts God has given us; especially in the “victory” of our God. Psalm 93 seems like an odd scripture for Christmas day. But really, it’s perfect. The victory of our God is a victory over sin and death; disorder and dysfunction. And this victory comes to us in an unlikely way: through the birth of a baby boy. But this baby is not just a son, but the Son. The Son of the eternal Father. The Son will grow in age and wisdom and bring salvation to the world by His sacrifice on the cross and in His resurrection from the dead. In that, the “victory” is ours and is a great gift from the Father.
The victory coming to us on Christmas in the Christ child is a powerful reminder that sometimes great gifts come in small, simple, and subtle ways. We are so delighted by flashy and expensive things. But often it’s the simple and humble things that bring the greatest joy! That is the case in the newborn babe lying in the manger. He’s a baby who is also our Lord and savior.
Take some time this Christmas day to give thanks to God for the victory of our God in the person of the baby Jesus. Give thanks for family, friends, and the simple things in life. There is great joy and victory when we are grateful for all the things that God has done for us in big and little ways!
Christmas blessings to you and your families!
—Fr. David Mulholland, Pastor
