To help us experience Advent more deeply this year, we asked the Ursuline Sisters what words or phrases made them think of the Advent/Christmas season? They could choose scriptures, poems, quotes, lyrics, or any sayings that have special meaning to them. We will be sharing their responses throughout Advent until Christmas day. This feature is called “What Advent is All About.”

Our reflection today is from Sister Jane Falke, who ministers in Kansas.

“The first antiphon for Christmas morning prayer says, ‘Shepherds, tell us what you saw and heard in the night.’

“When I was a child, my family raised sheep. When a newborn lamb was too fragile, my dad would bring it into the house to keep it warm. We children got to feed it from a bottle. These lambs became our pets, and they were very special to us. We named them Feepo, a child’s effort to say sheep. It was grand to be a shepherd.

“The antiphon continues, ‘We saw a baby in a manger and heard angels glorifying God, Alleluia.’

“I wonder what the shepherds thought about this event, how it changed them? Did it make their lives better? Did they become closer to God?”