First, I would like to thank Sister Diane and the Dominican Sisters for inviting me to give a reflection today. I admire all the work that you do for our community and the world, and I am honored to be speaking today
Two weeks ago, we began the season of Advent by lighting the first candle of hope. In preparing for Jesus’ birth, a sentiment is held within all of our hearts to await his coming. Despite the suffering in our world, God remains present in all our lives, and we must trust his will.
In this reading, Isaiah describes a desert that is barren but will later become fertile and full of life. He uses this analogy to describe God's presence in our lives and to convey the message that we must place trust in Him even when we face hardships. Life is full of joy and suffering, and God wants us to know that He is with us when we have obstacles in our lives
Last year, I was having a very hard year at school. I was and still am struggling with a rare autoimmune disease. I missed a lot of school and was frequently in pain. I had to work hard to keep up with my schoolwork despite my discomfort, and many people did not know or understand what was happening to me. However, despite being in a rough patch, I tried my best to focus on the joy I could experience within a day. I appreciate the acts of kindness that were shown to me during this time period. Whether it was a teacher asking me how I was doing, or a hug from a friend, it meant a lot to me. I will always remember those who provided me comfort and made me feel I was not alone. Though God felt distant, I was able to see signs from Him and know that He was still there.
This year, I am certainly doing better than I was, but I am still frequently in pain and suffering from my illness. It is difficult to trust and feel close to God when going through something like this; I constantly question when it will end. And that's where hope comes in. I try my best to appreciate the moments in my life when I feel God is there. I remember talking to Sister Diane, and she told me to ask God, even if it was a mere whisper, for help and comfort
I know my personal suffering is immeasurable compared to the famine, violence, and injustice that is in our world, but I know how hard it is to still hold hope. If I find it difficult to trust in God, how can these people? I remember last year when I was on a Midnight Run for Albertus, which is a service project where a group of students goes to the city and distributes food. clothing and toiletries to those in need. I saw a man who had a sticker on his suitcase that related to Jesus. I was astonished by how we could still hold faith and health in his heart despite living in poverty.
I often feel powerless over what's going on in the world. What can I do to help support peace between Russia and Ukraine or Palestine and Israel? How can I bring food to those who are starving and scattered in countries throughout the world? How can I help people who are being persecuted because of their race or gender? It can feel overwhelming seeing all these problems in the world and not knowing what to do to fix them. However, I am grateful that my school offers numerous service opportunities to make a difference in our community. By doing something like donating to the toy drive, or participating in Days for Girls every month, though small. I'm still making an impact, showing people in need that someone cares. It provides me and those I am serving hope. Hope doesn't show itself in some dramatic epiphany. Hope comes from the small moments in your day when you don't feel so alone and that you can somehow keep going, one day at a time. Hope comes from people showing that they care by doing what they can to help you.
Shannon Nelson is a Junior at Albertus Magnus High School. She is an honor student and a member of the Preaching Team. Shannon is involved in several extracurricular activities, including the school band, chorus, performing arts club, and the swim team.