Advent, a Walk with the Holy Family
Article written by Daniel Babcock , OCDS
In Advent, we expectantly wait and prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus and the return of Jesus at the second coming. Carmelite Spirituality leads us to this walk with the Holy Family all year long. God’s will is for us to be with Him all the time. We celebrate these special days of Advent with prayer and contemplation, asking God to walk with us as we journey with the Holy Family to Bethlehem.
I began my walk at an early age. My grandmother attended mass every day and never missed an opportunity to pray, like a model Carmelite. She taught us the rosary, and we would see her praying before her little shrine, each time we visited, three times a day.
I slowly grew away from the Church shortly after my Confirmation at age 13. I would attend mass mainly on Easter and Christmas. That is, until 1990, when my wife, Patty, was diagnosed with stage III cancer. For the next six months, we traveled to Texas from New Mexico, about 86 miles one way, for treatment. It was then that our Holy Mother entered back into my life.
One day, I decided to pray a rosary during each trip for Patty’s healing. As I prayed, counting the decades on my fingers as I drove, many things entered into my mind, but soon a change was apparent, bringing calmness and acceptance where turmoil and anger had been. I recollected a few hundred times, tuning in to God’s presence, and God granted healing to us both.
Unknown to me, Patty was undergoing a change of her own in those days. She came to me one day, asking questions about Catholicism. I didn’t have many answers for her. She heard of an RCIA class starting and wanted to check it out. At first, I didn’t accompany her, since I was already Catholic. Then the questions she was asking sparked an interest in me to renew my Catholic faith, and I began attending the meetings with her. I introduced her to the rosary, and God took over from there.
After her confirmation, Patty immediately began teaching RCIA classes. We started our walk with the Holy Family together teaching classes and tending to other duties within the church.
A few years went by, and our youngest daughter returned home after many years away. She was troubled and trying to fit in everywhere she went but couldn’t get it together. She wasn’t committed to anything but partying with her friends. One day Patty had enough and asked her to take her problems elsewhere.
Our priest was at the house for supper one night when our daughter was there. She asked Fr. Matt if she could talk with him. His “yes” moved mountains. They talked for a couple of hours, after which our daughter said she wanted to learn more about the Catholic Church. She joined Patty’s RCIA class and entered the Church the following year.
Unknown to anyone else at that time, one year earlier, I had asked the Blessed Mother for intervention in our daughter’s life, promising 1,000 Hail Marys for her conversion. It was almost exactly one year and 1,000 prayers later; now she was a Catholic and nothing would ever be the same again.
Shortly after her conversion, our daughter led us to the Carmelites: her to the Carmelite community in Austin, Texas, and Patty and I to the community in San Antonio.
Our contemplative prayers are for everyone: we ask God to grant the gift of contemplation and understanding to all His children. Many are asked but few answer the call. That God communicates with us through the Holy Spirit and we can enjoy union with Him here on earth is a special grace given freely. Come, walk with the Holy Family this Advent season. Feel the everlasting Love our Father has for us all.
Article first published in the Apostolate of the Little Flower Vol. 86, No. 4
Daniel Babcock is a member of the San Antonio Secular Order Discalced Carmelite community, where he serves as treasurer. Born on the Feast Day of St. John of the Cross, his religious name is St. John of the Cross and the Agony in the Garden. He was clothed into the OCDS in 2011 in New Mexico and made his Definitive Promise in 2016 in San Antonio. He retired as an avionics specialist and 1st Sargent in the US Air Force in 1997, and as senior vice president of a credit union in 2012. Dan and his wife have four children and 10 grandchildren.
