"The spirit of God, gentle, ever sweet is in the soft refreshing breezes, not in the whirlwind or the tempest."
- St. Jane de Chantal
God Is With Us
By Grace Dwyer '20
Growing up in a devout family, I've always turned to God in times of despair. When things look down, I pray to God for His strength and mercy. But as I've grown older, I've realized that God isn't just there when I call for Him. He's always with me, no matter what. When I'm upset, He's there. When I'm happy, He's there. God is always with us; we just need to realize it.
I think the first time I truly realized this was when I heard a poem called "Footprints in the Sand." The poem recalls a dream in which the speaker is walking along the beach with God. The speaker notices that God walks with us at all times throughout our life. He is there to guide us no matter what. This really resonated with me as I began to understand that God would not only be with me at my high and low points, but at all points in my life. When I found myself in the whirlwind of sadness and temptation, God would be there to keep me safe. But most importantly, God would always be with me, like a sweet and gentle breeze.
Our God has great power and mercy. He is capable of performing the greatest miracles and showing His power to every single one of His children. And yet, He doesn't display His power for all to see. Instead, God shows us His presence through each and every smile we encounter throughout the day. He shows us His presence in every little thing that brings us joy. We encounter God in each and every little virtue that we come across. Whether it be the little virtues in someone else or the little virtues in ourselves, God is ever present.
We must be aware of God's presence in our lives. He is always by our side to guide us through all the difficulties that we shall meet. We must constantly remind ourselves of His presence, especially throughout this Advent season. As we wait for Christ's birth, we must practice all of the little virtues in order to bring ourselves and others closer to God.
Carrying Christ by Ruth Mary Fox
Into the hillside country
Mary went, carrying Christ,
And all along the road
The Christ she carried
Generously Bestowed His grace
On those she met.
I pray that I may carry Christ,
For it may be
That some would never know of Him
Except through me.
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Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
1524 Thirty-fifth Street NW • Washington, DC 20007 • 202.337.3350
Special thanks to Cecilia Kane '16 for the banner photo.