Dear friends, colleagues and neighbors,

We will soon be entering into the fourth week of Advent. This season of Advent is one of my favorites because it allows me the time to prepare for Emmanuel - God with us. A lovely insight comes from a book titled The Circle of Life: The Heart's Journey Through the Seasons, by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr.

Their reflection reminds us that darkness is a beautiful gift. The seed in the earth must have darkness in order to grow. We were fashioned and formed in the darkness of our mother's womb. After a day of hard work it is good to turn off the lights and let the darkness bring sleep to our eyes. Only when it is dark can we see the wondrous night sky with its display of moon, stars and planets. Let us honor the fruitful darkness of our lives, the comforting and restful darkness, the nurturing darkness. And in the darkness when the deep loneliness comes, be mindful and remember that we are cradled in God's embracing arms.

It is in the darkness the Holy One teaches us to trust him with what we cannot say, to hope for that which seems impossible, to have faith in the night of unknowing. And there are those who believe it isn’t a night of unknowing because we wait and hope for the coming of the Christ - through him we find light, and through him we come to understand that deep in the recesses of our soul, light shines. In this holy season amidst all the challenges, sorrows, tragedies and pain, be a lantern for one another.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and your loved ones!

Dr. Jeanette Rodriguez, ICTC Director
and Jessica Palmer, ICTC Assistant Director