Choose Joy!

by Susan Maulbetsch on Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent

Choose Joy... a phrase that I am borrowing from Jill Grabowski, one of our student leaders who was a presenter at Festifaith, an event held on the Diag in September with the Catholic Student Association and other student faith organizations.  What a novel idea…Choose Joy.  It really spoke to me that day; I consider myself a happy, positive person, but joyful?  Why not?!

I wonder if Mary was joyous when the angel Gabriel spoke to her and said, “Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus”?  How long did she have to discern that this was going to be a good thing?  Or did she readily accept this challenge with a servant’s heart?  What a gift to us that God had chosen her for that task!

I think of the many tasks that I have been asked to undertake.  Some I have to think about longer than others, but God has given you and me gifts and has asked us to use them to His glory.  God has given me special and unique gifts that I try to use every day here at St. Mary’s.  I am very blessed to be the Welcome and Hospitality Coordinator and support our campus ministers any way I can in their areas of ministry.  Whether it’s a warm welcome as people walk in the door, hand lotion and a peppermint in the bathroom, a special touch on the table at an event, or a warm meal at Ig.nite after Thursday’s daily mass, I know I was chosen to bring joy to others.  Will you?

Questions for Reflection:

What brings you joy and how might you share joy with others every day?

How can you find joy in difficult situations?

-Susan Maulbetsch is the Coordinator of Welcome and Hospitality at St. Mary Student Parish.