Sydney Higgins
Begin this Advent season with senior Sydney Higgins on her transformative journey of faith inspired by daily walks with a theology course professor and friend willing to journey together.
“Throughout the semester, after each class, I would walk with Professor Lacy and a friend from Bond Hall to God Quad, parting ways at the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue. On our way, we would talk about the life of faith, and soon those walks came to represent my re-entrance into my relationship with Christ.
“In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo states, ‘To love another person is to see the face of God.’ To me, these walks with friends, mentors, and strangers help me see the face of God more clearly. In this season of Advent, I hope we allow ourselves to walk with others — and allow others to walk with us — because I know taking that first step brings us closer and closer to the face of God.”
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Beautiful words and spirit!
Sydney, thank you for sharing your beautiful story!
Thank you for sharing your journey of Faith…. Notre Dame is a sacred place for certain ☘️
Beautifully written and reverently presented here to the Notre Dame community, this video prepares us for an Advent journey. Thank you for this story which gives us hope and strength.
Beautiful sentiments. Brought a tear too my eye.
💕☘️🙏
Thank you for this… such inspiration!
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing your walk with us, Sydney .
Lovely and inspirational.
Beautiful story, Sydney, and beautifully told. Happy Advent.
This is so beautiful!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story!
What a great way to begin Advent.
Excellent sharing on the basic message of revelation: God is love. What an awesome truth so simply manifest in Sydney and her story. Thanks!
Remarkable message so desperately needed during times of war. If only we could look into the eyes of our enemies and see the face of God.
Thanks for sharing your faith journey! So happy your heart was lead to the Catholic faith! Congratulations!
I very much enjoyed her story. My favorite part is how she defined love. She said,
LOVE: “It’s simply about accompanying others in daily life.”
That is a really great line. It’s excellent and so simple. After taking a course in Theology, she was able to define love in a very easy to understand way.
These very short sacred stories coming from Notre Dame are incredible and powerful. Thank you!
I To agree, it’s very simple to see love and others, is to see love in Christ.
Although I have done the gospel reflections (and written a few) for many years, I will admit that this is the first video that I have watched. It was spectacular! Great way to start my advent. Good luck, sweetheart.
Thank you Sydney for your beautiful story. God placed you at ND and in that Theology Professor’s class for a reason. Your life will bring others closer to God.
Hearing your story fills me with hope that ND mission is and has always been about “hope” and God. Thank you for the passion you share and the faith we all have in ND!
“To love another person is to see the face of God”.
Les Miserable Victor Hugo
Beautiful.. simple and all we are called to do.
Grateful to you, Sydney
Your clear eyed testimony of faith and hope makes my season bright.
Blessings
I graduated from Notre Dame 50 years ago and had always thought of it as a sacred place in my life. When I returned for my 50th reunion, I felt again the power of the place and the sacred meaning that it imparted to my life and continues to nurture within me even 50 years later. Thank you for reminding me that it still offers the mystery and love to all who walk with an open, vulnerable heart.
Sydney, Thank you for sharing your story with us and giving us some hope and inspiration this advent season.
What a perfect way to start the Advent season, thank you for reminding us that God is truly Love!
Thank you for sharing Sydney!
So beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Your story, brought tears of joy to my eyes.
Thank you for such a positive message. May your enthusiasm and hope inspire the world to all work together to strengthen the kingdom of God here on earth.
Wow. A beautiful testament to the power of Gods love Thank you Sydney for sharing.
Such a simple yet elegant message: reach out to God is in all of us … for He is Love & we can not be afraid to show, demonstrate & express that to anyone around us.
Thank you for sharing
What a great story to start the Advent season. Sydney, may God’s blessings and favor continue to shine upon you.
Great way to start off Advent! Thanks, Sydney…awesome. Continued blessings to you…
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story and reminding us about these simple truths and ways we can serve eachother as we prepare and walk together this advent season! Prayers for you in your senior year!
Thank you, Sydney, for reminding me that sometimes we need to allow others to walk with us, too. That we don’t have to do it all alone. A beautiful way to start this year’s Sacred Stories.
Welcome home, Sydney!
I love the true depth of her restatement of the first words she heard in her freshman theology course.
What an amazing & beautiful story! I too, became so emotional listening and watching the video! It really touched me in a such a special way! What a wonderful start to the Advent season! Thank you!
Beautiful beginning of this series. I look forward to all of the testimonies to come. Thank you Sydney for sharing your joyful faith.
The Notre Dame family is vast and welcoming. Thanks for your special story, Sydney.
Walking with others changes our lives. You captured the love and trust experienced as a Notre Dame student and how it grows into so much more! Thank you for sharing this message Sydney! This starts the Advent season of reflection on the best note.
And this is why I listen to Sacred Stories! God is love! Thank you!
Such a touching personal testimony to start the Advent season! I’m so looking forward to more Sacred stories to follow! I love this! Thank you NDFaith for doing this!
Loved this reflection!
What a beautiful reflection to open the season of Advent. Thank you for opening our hearts to hope and love.
Your story was beautiful, but your delivery, with your face shining bright with enthusiasm, warmed my heart even more than your words. Thank you!
So simple. So powerful. So amazing that a person Sydney’s age can learn what takes so many of us decades of battling through life to learn. Go out and reflect God’s love, Sydney!
Absolutely beautiful! I wish you all the best as you continue your journey in Christ.
Notre Dame means so much to me. My daughter, Meaghan, attended there and cherishes her time at ND as long as I have. I look forward to the futchure!
Thank you for sharing your spiritual journey.
So beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story.
So beautiful! Thank you for sharing your faith journey!
Thank you for sharing – your story is beautiful!
I love these Sacred Stories ND does for
Advent…look forward to them every year ☘️
Thank you Sydney…beautifully stated Christ accompanies us daily through those who have been placed in our lives
Thanks Sydney! if the rest of the sacred stories are as uplifting and interesting as yours, this will be an advent of spiritual growth for everyone who listens and reflects on each story.
Thank You Sydney. Your very authentic story reminds me of my Mom’s telling me once that every moment of the day and night can be a prayer; as is your Walking with Others. God is Love. Hugo quote is awesome.
Thank you for sharing such an amazing and inspiring story, Sydney. Notre Dame truly is a place where one gets to see the Face of God and understand it better! Wish you all a blessed Season of Advent!
A beautiful story. A long-time Jesuit Brother friend of mine would always write “God is Love”🍀
As the mom of two graduates (ND ‘85 and SMC ‘86), all sentiments are right on.
Perhaps a trip back remembering the fun times at a football game. The hall mates that resided with us during breaks. Never will forget those times. ☘️. 🏈
Sydney, you are truly a child of God. I am so proud of you and your willingness to share your story and your faith.
Grandma O
My daughter, Meaghan attended her Notre Dame years long after I did . We both cherish Notre Dame. We look forward to the time when her children have the same experience!
Ebby Moran
Your candid video was a blessing to me. My grandson is going through his own search for faith, your words make me hopeful he will make the same discovery.
Sydney ! … thanks for sharing the personal sense of uncertainty, the journey of listening, and the work of learning to join the Faith Community. You are an inspiration for others to take the same path, or a similar one, toward the God of Love. Merry Christmas !
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