4th Sunday of Advent
Christmas Letter
This week I will share with you my Christmas letter 2025.
Wishing you an abundance of grace-filled surprises this holiday season and graces a plenty throughout 2026 (and beyond).
In lieu of exchanging names for Christmas gifts our Sisters are contributing from their personal allowances (that range $25-70 monthly) to local local food distribution center and thrift store where some of our members volunteer each week. Sisters who have “advantage” cards make purchases to donate foods directly to the pantry. Rice, beans pasta, life-sustaining foods popular with Daystar clientele . The number of the needy who seek assistance each week is shameful in our lands of “milk and honey.” As Tiny Tim said, “God bless them all.”
~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
Also below please find my Christmas greeting.
The past year past has been one of CHANGE for our community! In August Sister Roberta stepped aside as prioress and Sister Tonette Sperando was appointed and installed as our Canonical Administrator. Sister Tonette is from our daughter-house in Alabama where she served as Treasurer and Communications director and a 6-year term as Prioress. In 1902 our Sisters and sisters from Kentucky merged to form that monastery. So, we were already related! Transition has been for the most smooth – few bumps along the way but with the agility of experienced bike riders we keep foraging forward. I have experienced ups and downs health-wise: “fall and get up” has resulted in a couple hospital stays and a stint of 21 days in a rehab facility. I assure you (and myself) I’m home now and growing stronger day by day. See … Obviously, I can use a computer!
Greetings to each of you and prayers for you and your families. May God shower you and them with blessings. Have a pleasant holiday season, peace and God’s favor in the new year!
Sister Roberta
Musings from a Long-Ago Christmas
He lies there in His manger,
Straw tickling the soles of His bare feet,
Strands of hay clutched in His fists.
A smile plays on His lips
And there is a sparkle in His eyes.
I sense a wisdom beyond His years.
I reach out to touch His hand …
let Him grasp my little finger,
turning my hand, palm upward, outward, open:
to Him and to His father – to Life
I struggle to answer His gurgling question
Respond to His smile – Affirm His trust –
And then …. My furrowed brow softens,
The tense jaw relaxes,
The mind, imagination and eyes turn from
far-fetched worries
and imagined troubles of tomorrow
to meet His gaze, nod approval,
and laugh in child-like delight at His touch.
The touch goes beyond the warmth of His
hand in mine, Rigid structures I’ve erected
Melting the hardened portions of my stony heart And setting tomorrow in the beautiful
perspective of a little child:
“Live this day,” He seems to say, But He’s so small where does the message come from?
I look into His eyes and I know He speaks.
“Live this day … where every tomorrow becomes today – threads of yesterday weave them-selves into the fabric of the present moment.
Think of Me when anxiety and cares pile up.
Smile at me, the Infant in the crib …
with gentleness hold me close to your heart …
and relax… for I am ever near.
“When noise and busyness surround you …
Let your mind step aside and
recall the quiet of Bethlehem’s stall.
Be steeped in calmness.
If the daily becomes hum-drum, see me in Joseph’s shop Where every moment is a delightful discovery. Wood shavings curl around my ear and cling to my hair As I struggle to fashion a chair “just like my Daddy’s”.
At the end of a weary day, be mother to me…
Rock me to sleep… hum a lullaby until the cares disappear beyond the horizon, Your shoulders droop and your head gently rests atop mine.
Together we will rest, dream great dreams of conquering all the dragons in your world
And spread peace amid chaos
Puff softly, gently on the smoldering
bedside candle and
Close the door on war and strife …
As I whisper, “Good night, sweet dreams.”
Together we will rest – Together we will rise,
Praise the Father and greet the new day … EVERYDAY – until that day when you will rest upon me eternally, and in that heavenly rest,
RISE, GREET and PRAISE God FOREVER!
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Gaudete Sunday
This Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, meaning Rejoice! Seems to me one might be tempted to sing for the Open Hymn “Pretty in Pink” as the celebrant comes reverently to the altar in rose-colored vestments and the altar server lights the one rose or pink candle in the Advent wreath. The candle and vestments remind us that the coming of Christ is very near. The focus is joy — not a fleeting feeling, but deep down spiritual gladness rooted in God’s goodness. This week encourages us to recognize the ways God is at work in our lives and to share that joy with others, especially those who are burdened or discouraged. The story that follows is not AI generated but it is adapted from the Internet.
“One cold rainy night at 4 a.m. a young girl entered the diner where I worked. The lass was trembling. She looked fragile, like she’d been crying, and she had no money. When I asked if she needed help, she stayed silent whether from the cold or fright. I gave her a cup of warm cider and a muffin to calm her down.
My boss saw it and fired me on the spot for “giving away free items.” I was devastated. That job was the only way I had to support myself and my baby.
Before she left, the girl handed me a clean green sock — just one — and said, “This will save you one day. Someday you’ll get the matching green sock.”
I didn’t understand, but I kept it. 5 weeks later, I found the matching green sock on my doorstep. Mmmm! It was heavy. Inside was $30,000 in cash and a small note with a phone number. When I called, a man answered and said, “You don’t know me, but you saved my daughter. This is my ’thank you’!”
He explained that the night she came to the diner, her boyfriend had thrown her out with no phone and no wallet. My simple act of kindness kept her safe until her father found her. Later on, she told her dad everything and begged him to help me because I’d lost my job for helping her. The money was his way of thanking me. He said, “Good people are rare. My daughter was lucky to meet one. So, I asked about you and found your address.”
That unexpected money truly saved me. It helped me open a small bakery — something I had dreamed of for years. The girl still visits whenever she’s in town. She’s now happily married, and her daughter is thriving. I’m grateful every day that our paths crossed.”
In our fast and unpredictable world, even small gestures can create big shifts. A quiet act of compassion, a burst of empathy, or a wholesome moment can brighten any day. Heartwarming stories highlight inspiring acts of kindness. Uplifting experience reminds us how powerful human connection and everyday good deeds can be. What did you do today to bring a smile to the face of the one God placed in your path?
~by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
Second Reading: James 5:7-10
Gospel Reading: Matthew 11:2-11
Continue ReadingJohn the Baptizer
In our Gospel account for the second Sunday of Advent, John the Baptizer is the voice of prophecy in a world where such voices had been silent for nigh on 400 years. It’s hard for us to realize as we read the Old Testament and turn to the New Testament, that there is this lengthy period of time between the prophetic word of the Old Testament and the prophetic voice of John the Baptist. Now, in the Scriptures we hear the echo of John’s voice sounding once again through the voice of modern day prophets.
Jesus’ cousin had a message that people were ready to hear. Is the same true today? The key is when I perceive that voice to reply, “Yes, I believe that the Lord is coming! The Kingdom of heaven is near!” The oppressed Jews looked forward eagerly to the coming Messiah. Many listened to what John had to say. His was a teaching firmly anchored in their religious traditions. John was speaking their language, and they understood what he had to say. The practice of baptism which earned John his nickname “John the Baptizer” was not new to the Jews. It was a frequent practice used to mark atonement for sin and a renewed and purified spirit, to show that one who had been unclean was made ritually clean again.
John was an inspired preacher, one in whom could clearly be seen the power of God. After all, who would live like John out in the wilderness on locust and wild honey? Well, take a look around! Look at the effects of climate change and just plain selfishness! Hundreds, thousands go to bed hungry. They wake up (if they ever got any sleep) hungry and freezing or exhausted from the heat. If we listen with an open heart, we can hear their cries. Do we act on it? Do we take heed, and put flesh on our Corporate Commitment? Or do we apply “band aids” (a stamp and a dollar) while we stuff our monthly allowance in our purses and pockets? Do we remain blind to what surrounds our 39 acres? Are we true to our word that we “respond to the hungers of the people of God.” And pay honor to the slogan “Think global, act local.”
We must take care that we do not become complacent when we hear an overlay of quiet unassuming accounts of today’s inspired, even unaware, leaders. Or we don’t listen to the news because it just may “rattle our cages.” We can’t just admire others’ good deeds or simply shake our heads when we see newscasters talking about how cold it is across the country as they stand there in a cozy warm newsroom smiling in a short-sleeve shirt while the homeless huddle shivering under bridges or cardboard huts.
On the one hand, one can clearly see the power of a giving, and forgiving, heart, influencing our world. But, are you, are we, simply admiring the kindness of folks OUT THERE who are part of a “pay it forward” movement? Are we the recipients only of others’ kindness and generosity? Keep in mind “if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem.” What will be our legacy?
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
First Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10 Second Reading: Romans 15:4-9
Gospel: Matthew 3:1-12
Continue ReadingThank you!
The Sisters express our deepest gratitude for each and every one of you who made a donation on Giving Tuesday.
You made a meaningful difference to fulfill needs for us and for those we serve.
We dearly appreciated your gifts and your outreach to friends and family.
We will announce the total of donations in an email in the coming days.
We are Grateful for You!
Continue ReadingToday’s the Day
Giving Tuesday is today!
Did You Know? Giving Tuesday (today for 24 hours) is the biggest charitable giving day of the year.
Please consider making a gift to the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. Any size gift will make a difference in our lives and ministries. We can continue our lives of prayer, work and hospitality because of wonderful friends like you.
Remember that we have a match for $45,000, so every dollar you give will be doubled!
Just click on the link below to donate:
Benedictine Sisters of Florida
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