Say Yes to Holiness Newsletter #344
Inspiration for the week of December 8, 2025
Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly Say Yes to Holiness newsletter—designed to help inspire, encourage and accompany you on the path towards holiness.
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception!
Today is a day that is very often misunderstood as many think that today is about the immaculate conception of Jesus, (we celebrate that on March 25th on the Feast of the Annunciation), but this feast is about Mary. His Mother.
We celebrate the reality that God’s infinite mercy and grace is eternal and without restraint. So much so, that the benefits of the victory of the cross, the salvific act that freed all of us from darkness, sin and death, was applied to Mary at the moment of her conception.
In other words, before Jesus even came into the world.
For us humans, this idea of benefits of something from the future having an impact on the past is absolutely mind-blowing (or at least it is to me!), and so we struggle to wrap our heads around it.
And often, we just don’t even bother to try and meditate upon it.
But we should.
Why? Because the Feast of the Immaculate Conception isn’t just about celebrating that Mary was given this great grace that helped prepare her for her role in salvation history to serve as the Mother of God.
It’s about celebrating that nothing is impossible for God—even if He has to break the barriers of time and space.
During this Advent season, we are invited to pause and spend time in silence as we await the coming of the Lord. Hopefuly, this silence helps to increase our wonder, awe and gratitude in the face of the the reality that God is going to stop at nothing to break through whatever barriers may be in my life—interior or exterior—to ensure that if I but give my YES, then His grace will be enough.
So, this week’s Food for the Head, Heart, Hands and Feet is going to examine how God may be trying to break into our lives, so that when He arrives at the end of this Advent season, we are filled with greater wonder, awe and gratitude as we continue our journey towards holiness…
Food for the Head
"Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind.”—Saint Ambrose of Milan
Saint Ambrose points out a often forgotten point about being ready to receive the Lord—we have to open the door.
In addition, we need to unlock our soul and offer Him a welcome in our mind.
What might that look like?
Well, think about all of what you might do before guests arrive at your home.
We tend to have food and drink on hand, clean the house, and organize our schedule so that we can accommodate our guests being with us.
So, when we look at Advent, are we doing those things for the Lord?
Am I intentionally seeking to clear out a space in my busy holiday schedule to pray and then being faithful to it? (opening the door and receiving Him)
Am I entrusting my worries and concerns to Him instead of relying upon myself? Am I cleaning out those habits that cause us to close our souls to His presence by going to confession? (Unlocking our souls)
Am I filling myself with things of goodness, truth and beauty? Am I choosing to read uplifting books, spend time with friends and family instead of rushing around trying buy another gift, and enjoying the quiet stillness and beauty of Christmas lights by taking a walk with someone I love? (offering Him a welcome in our mind)
In all of these ways (and many more!), we can set set about following the practical advice of Saint Ambrose, and as we do, we will find our days filled with more wonder, awe and gratitude.
This week, resolve to do one thing that will help you either open the door, unlock your soul or welcome the Lord in your mind during this Advent season.
Food for the Heart
"In order to hear the voice of God, one has to have silence; not a gloomy silence but an interior silence; that is to say, recollection in God.”—Saint Faustina, Diary of Divine Mercy, n.118
With so much hustle and bustle of the season around us, it can be really difficult to hear the voice of God.
But Saint Faustina tells us that all is not lost!
We need to seek out silence.
Not a gloomy silence, but an interior silence that allows us to step into the quiet and be recollected with God.
What does it mean to be recollected with God?
Recollection is an deep awareness of God’s presence in our lives and souls.
Recollection is not necessarily a feeling, but rather is more of a seeing and hearing as God sees and hears.
We nurture recollection primarily through silent prayer and Eucharistic adoration, and this activities help us to experience more deeply His Presence and help us be more attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit—even in the midst of the hustle and bustle that may surround us.
But it all starts with silence.
This week, resolve to spend time in silence.
Food for the Hands
"I have often regretted the words I have spoken, but I have never regretted my silence.”—Saint Arsenius the Great, Sayings of the Desert Fathers, 13
Saint Arsenius gives us a different perspective of silence—the absence of words.
During the holidays, when many of us are feeling stressed, overburdened, worried, anxious and overwhelmed by expectations, we will lash out—particularly through words.
Although Saint Arsenius is referring to spoken words, I believe that he would have included regretting written words if he had access to texts and emails.
How often have we responded with a snippy response in a text to someone who simply asked a question?
Or written an email that we sent thinking one thing was being communicated, and then later find out that it was something else entirely.
But in the process, harsh and cruel words are spoken (or written) in the moment, and the relationships with those around us are harmed.
And then it gets compounded because people get embarassed and defensive, and put up barriers to rectifying the situation by either gaslighting (trying to make the person think you said or wrote something other than you did) or by justifying the behavior because of what was said or written initially.
None of this brings about a world in which we are able to feel peace and goodwill towards our neighbor, does it?
So, try some silence instead.
Refrain from an initial response.
If you have to respond immediately, ask a clarifying question (not in a snarky way) to make sure you understand what they are asking you.
But whenver you find yourself texting or emailing furiously, or are tempted to say something unkind or cruel to another, take a beat.
In the silence, breathe in the Holy Spirit.
And then share the goodness of the season with words of hope, peace, joy and love instead.
This week, resolve to be silent before responding to the queries and requests of others.
Food for the Feet
"When we take the rosary, we take our Lady’s hand and we are led to where Jesus wants us to be.”—Saint Dominic
Liturgically, you can make the argument that this week is solely about Mary.
We celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception today, and then Our Lady of Loretto on Wednesday, and then Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday.
All week, we will be reflecting upon the great work of salvation that God has done for all of us and how Mary has been an instrumental part of that work—beginning most significantly with her yes at the Annunciation, but subsequently as our Mother, and Mother of the Church.
As our Mother, Mary desires to mold us into disciples of her son, and there is no easier way to do this then by praying the rosary.
Saint Pope John Paul II said that praying the rosary was like sitting in the “school of Mary” where she takes us by the hand and leads us to Jesus by having us meditate upon each of the Mysteries of the Rosary.
When we do this, we are meditating upon the life of Christ and being formed ever more fully into His disciples, and this brings nothing but joy to our Mother, Mary, because it brings joy to Jesus, too.
How so?
Because we are honoring His mother by being attentive to her model and example and direction—just like He did when He lived on earth.
What better way could there be to become a more faithful disciple than becoming more like Mary?
This week, resolve to pray an entire Rosary this week by meditate upon one mystery and praying one decade of the Rosary each day.
Exhortation
"Open to the Spirit, [Mary] consecrated herself totally as lowly handmaid to the person and work of the Savior. She received Christ in order to share Him with all the world whose hope He is. In her, we recognize the model of the Church’s faith and our own.” – Saint Eugène de Mazenod
Saint Eugene helps us understand more fully how Mary can help us become the saints God created us to be and be filled more fully with the wonder, awe and joy of this holy season of Advent.
Through giving our YES.
Our YES is what allows God to break down any barriers that may be preventing us from receiving Him fully at Christmas.
Mary opened herself to the Spirit, and consecrated herself totally to be a lowly handmaid to the person and work of her Savior—our Savior.
Mary received Christ so she could share Him with the world as the hope He is for the world.
We are called to do the same, and Advent is the opportunity to allow God to prepare us for our mission.
We prepare by intentionally preparing for His coming by opening the door, unlocking our soul, and welcoming Him in our minds.
We prepare in silence and seek to grow in recollection by spending time in quiet prayer and Adoration.
We prepare by taking a beat in silence to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the spoken and written words that come forth from us bring hope, peace, joy and love.
And we draw close to Mary in the rosary and allow her to mold us just like she did Jesus long ago in Nazareth.
In these ways we intentionally move through this Advent season and allow God to gives us the great gifts of wonder, awe and gratitude.
May each of you do WHATEVER IT TAKES to help God break interior and exterior barriers in your lives this Advent, so that together at Christmas we can tell the Master of Death, "NOT TODAY!"
All the best,
Christina
Below are the Latest Happenings In the Say Yes to Holiness Community!
Guest appearances on the Religion to Reality podcast:
Catholic Podcasting with Paul Fahey, Christina Semmens, and Jose Manuel de Urquidi
Living the Works of Mercy: Bridging Faith and Action
(My comments can be found around the 24 minute mark.)
Guest appearance on the Equipcast Podcast:
"When God Asks, How Do You Answer?: The Power of 'Yes' with Christina Semmens
Posts on the Women of the New Evangelization (WINE) blog in 2025:
Do Not Be Terrified (Nov 16)
Gaining Wisdom of Heart (Sept 9)
The Passion of the Passion (Apr 13)
Bearing Fruit in a Pruning Season (March 23)
Putting Out Into the Deep (Feb 9)
Article on Catholic365.com Platform:
We Are All Eucharistic Missionaires!
Latest episode of the Say Yes to Holiness podcast...
Episode #254—”Created to Create—1:1 with Racquel Rose, Founder of The Little Rose Shop”
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The Say Yes to Holiness YouTube Channel
Episode #254—”Created to Create—1:1 with Racquel Rose, Founder, The Little Rose Shop
The Catholic Leadership Puzzle content continues! Here is the latest...
The Catholic Leadership Puzzle is a initiative that shares and discusses content from my upcoming book (also to be named The Catholic Leadership Puzzle) that focuses upon how we each can help to create life-giving communities where we can become the holy men and women that God created us to be.