Ateneo alumni experience a renewed sense of their faith during “Hope does not disappoint”: An Advent Recollection

On 14 December 2024, Ateneo alumni experienced a renewed sense of their faith during “Hope does not disappoint”: An Advent Recollection with Fr Edwin Castillo SJ as the recollection master.

The recollection began with Fr Edwin's points on "Journeying With Hope," which focused on the Magi who came to see Jesus at His birth and the guiding star that led them. He describes the Magi as embodying courage and boldness, embarking on a journey motivated by a desire to encounter the deeper mysteries of the Divine. They carried both burdens and gifts, proving that hope is more than just optimism; it is a profound confidence in God's love. As they traveled towards the star, they tested their faith, confident that answers awaited them at the end of their quest. Furthermore, Fr Edwin states that this Advent season invites us to place our hopes and burdens upon the infant Jesus, reminding us that fidelity to God sustains our hope and leads us to inner peace and joy, even in the midst of life’s difficulties.

Participants were then given time to pray individually and reflect on these points. This was followed by small group sharing for both online and onsite retreatants.  The small group sharing and breakout rooms were much appreciated as one participant shared, “It made us see and feel the Lord in each one, in situations each one has.”

The program concluded with a Mass. In Fr Edwin’s homily, he emphasized God’s intimate involvement in our lives, urging us to recognize and respond to God's persistent call to live out one's faith in anticipation of Christ's coming.

“Advent is a journey. It is God journeying to us as much as it is us journeying to Him. We continue to ponder the ways the Lord comes to us because He does so in a very personal way. He is not just an abstract concept of the Church; rather, He embodies the personal way the Church reaches each and every one of us. He came to us in the mystery of the Incarnation, born of a human mother at Christmas. He will come again in the glory of the end times, but He also comes to us today, seeking and calling us to a life of faith and charity rooted in hope that does not disappoint us, thanks to the faithful and merciful love of God. ”

The Advent Recollection gave participants a much-needed break from a challenging world, as one retreatant shared. “I am able to take time, to pause, to ponder this Advent season, with joyful hope of God coming to me in the here and now, in the midst of the busyness and preparations for Christmas. I am reminded of God’s great love for us that He sent His only begotten Son.”