Christmas at the Academy (Guest Post by Sr. Brittany)

 

As the holiday break draws to a close, we've had some down time to reflect on how our Catholic identity shapes our approach to the holiday season. The holidays are quite a special time at the Academy. Fall has come and gone, and with the change of season comes a certain buzz of excitement amongst students. Without a doubt, the holiday cheer is contagious around these parts, and the world beyond our gates is no different: advertisers and retailers swiftly swap their Halloween setups with holiday themed displays seemingly overnight. As we turn our calendar pages from October to November, we are ushered into a two month celebration of the holidays and before we know it, the new year will have come and gone.

With the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations, it's not uncommon to find oneself drifting further away from the true meaning of Christmas. If we are not careful, Thanksgiving can easily be watered down to a Black Friday Sale, and Christmas reduced to a quest to get your hands on the year's hottest toy. For these reasons, we at Mary Help of Christians Academy believe in the importance of quieting external influences so we may center ourselves and reflect on the importance of this special time.

 

 

 

 

As the holidays approach, Theology classes pause to review the significance of Advent: the time for preparing for Christ’s second coming at the end of time and for recalling the joy of his first coming as a child in human history. As the hallways are adorned with garland and lights, our students are encouraged to examine their lives and adorn their hearts with extra prayer and sacrifices as they create a welcome space within themselves for Jesus.

 

 

 

 

After Thanksgiving, students begin their spiritual preparations by coming to “XLT”, which is a night of Adoration and fellowship that the school hosts once a month. Through the opportunity for confession and Eucharistic Adorations, students pause their busy lives for a time of prayer, making a resolution that will carry them through until Christmas.

 

 

 

Throughout the school day, hallway decor reminds them of the excitement of Christmas and students are encouraged to wear Christmas sweatshirts and sweaters with their uniforms, while various classes explore the traditions and cultural observances related to the holiday.

 

The last day of school before the Christmas break brings with it a communal prayer service, created by the students, and a shared celebration complete with food, drinks, and an all school movie. Some groups of students even plan “Secret Santa” and exchange gifts and cards. In the evening, past graduates with current students from Mary Help and area schools gather for a final “XLT” to deepen their bonds with one another through prayer and fun. The December XLT is always a highly anticipated event for graduates, especially for the college freshmen who consider it a form of “homecoming” after their first few months in higher education. 

 

 

 

As the students leave for their Christmas break they carry with them the joy of belonging to the Mary Help school family and the promise of prayers from the Salesian Sisters, who pray for each student and graduate every day, as the students grow closer to Christ - the greatest Christmas gift of all.

 

Now that our community has had some time to recharge our batteries, we look forward to entering the new year with renewed hope and purpose, sentiments that will carry us through the coming months as we direct our energies to new opportunities for learning, worship, and service.