Happy New Year!!

We trade a 2014 calendar this year at New Years for a 2015 calendar. What does that mean to you? Are you hoping for a healthier year? Or for a less hectic year? Is the resolution list longer that it should be? Here is a fun way to usher out the old year and usher in the new one.

Instead of throwing out that 2014 calendar make a new tradition by celebrating the switch. When you take down the 2014 calendar sit with it for a while, look through it see all of your notes, appointments, etc. Talk about how the year went with your family remembering the good times and the not so good times.

Have some hot cider for everyone, and toast the old year, maybe sing “Auld Lang Syne” as a way to say good-bye to the past year. Then if you can do so safely, either in a fireplace or outside in a fire pit, or a grill, along with some Christmas greens, set the 1014 calendar on fire. As the smoke rises let it carry your thanksgivings and petitions to heaven. If burning the calendar isn’t an option then try to think of a way to reverent and affectionate way to say good-bye. Maybe you are able to bury or even tuck into your compost pile so it will become part of the earth as it originally was when it was a tree.

Next make a ceremony of carrying the new calendar across the threshold and into your home. To do this think of a creative place outside to store the new calendar, perhaps the trunk of the car. Welcome the New Year into your home like it is a newfound friend. As part of this ceremony, decorate the calendar with ribbons, or greenery or flowers. Then flip through the new calendar much like you to said good-bye to the old one, check to see when Ash Wednesday is and then Easter. Does your new calendar have the phases of the moon on it? If it does…Easter should be on the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the 1st day of Spring. You could also find everyone’s birthdays and mark them appropriately. What about anniversaries? Is anyone you know getting married in 2015? When is the last day of school?

Then bless this gift of time give to you by the Lord. Ask God, for “peace and prosperity for all the world’ this year. Then hang the calendar in a prominent place and as you do so everyone should shout “hallelujah!
(from Take Me Home Too, ©1997, LTP)

Mary, Mother of God

Blessed by God

Reading I: Numbers 6:22–27 (the priestly blessing)
Reading II: Galatians 4:4–7 (free sons of God in Christ)
Gospel: Luke 2:16–21 (the shepherds’ visit)

Key Passage: So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. (Galatians 4:7)
Adult: Which of God’s blessings are you most thankful for right now?
Child: What does it mean to you to be a child of God?
(from PastoralPlanning.com)

Holy Family, Year B

Compassion

Reading I: Sirach 3:2–6, 12–14 (duties toward parents)
Reading II: Colossians 3:12–21 (the practice of virtues; the Christian family)
Gospel: Luke 2:22–40 (circumcision of Jesus; presentation in the temple)

Key Passage: As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Adult: How do your family members know that you are a compassionate person?
Child: What family member needs your compassion and kindness right now?
(from PastoralPlanning.com)

Christmas: Dawn

Reading I: Isaiah 62:11–12 (your salvation comes)
Reading II: Titus 3:4–7 (the loving kindness of God our Savior appeared)
Gospel: Luke 2:15–20 (the birth of the Savior)

Key Passage: Luke 2:19 (Mary treasures these events in her heart)

Adult: What will you do during this Christmas season to reflect in your heart, as Mary did, on God’s gift of the Savior?
Child: What would you say to Jesus as you stand before the nativity scene in your church?
(from PastoralPlanning.com)

The Twelve Days of Christmas

You are probably thinking why am I reading about the 12 Days of Christmas this week this should have been posted on December 13? Wrong, The 12 Days of Christmas are actually the days following Christmas running December 26 through January 6. That can’t be right you say? Well, actually January 6 is the traditional celebration of the Epiphany which is when the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to worship the “Newborn King.” And if you remember they came baring gifts for Jesus.

Perhaps this year you could find a way to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas and have it become a tradition in your family. One way is to have the Magi move through your house getting a bit closer to your nativity scene each day and on the 12th day they will arrive at the stable. They could be moved throughout the house, moving from room to room…

Another way, that might be a bit late to do this year but can be kept in mind for future years is to have a small gift for each person to open each night, a candy bar one night, a pack of gum another, (the Dollar Tree would be a good place to shop for these small gifts) and maybe ending with a bigger gift on January 6th. Keep the celebration of Jesus’ birth alive throughout the Christmas season which doesn’t end on December 25th, but actually ends on January 11th when we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.

On December 26th we celebrate St. Stephen’s Day which might be a perfect day to sing Christmas Carols especially “Good King Wenceslas,” which is about a saint who fed a poor man on the “feast of Stephen.” In honor of this saint maybe you could remember to bring a donation for the food pantry when you come to church on the weekend of December 27 and 28.

This year on December 28 we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, maybe you could plan a fun family day to just enjoy each other. This is the day we also will remember the “Holy Innocents,” which are the infants that died when King Herod tried to have Jesus killed. Say a prayer for all children this day and thank God for the blessing that they are to our lives.

On New Year’s Eve, you can chase away the old year and welcome in the new year by blowing horns and clanging bells. Then think about having guests for New Year’s Day, remember that a guest in your home is Christ in your home and we surely want to have Christ in our home to celebrate the Christmas season with us.
(from Take Me Home: ©LTP 1991)

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B

Acceptance of God’s will

Reading I: 2 Samuel 7:1–5, 9–11, 16 (the Lord’s promises to David)
Reading II: Romans 16:25–27 (doxology)
Gospel: Luke 1:26–38 (the annunciation of the Lord)

Key Passage: Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38)

Adult: How do you open your heart to what God wants for you? How do you follow the pathway that leads to happiness?
Child: Is there something hard you need to do this week? What might make it easier?
(from PastoralPlanning.com)

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

This is the time we become more and more excited about the coming of Christmas and the coming of Jesus.

During the final days of Advent there are special prayers that can be said each day, asking Jesus to come soon. We know these as the “O Antiphons.” Beginning on December 17th and continuing through December 23rd, each evening, one of the 7 “O Antiphons is said (sung). They begin with the titles for Jesus which were chosen from the Bible.

The Song “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is a version of the O Antiphons so if you know that song you can choose the correct verse each evening and sing that. Here is a list of the days and the “O Antiphon” that corresponds: December 17 is “O Wisdom”; December 18 is “O Adonai” (which means Lord in Hebrew); December 19 is “O Flower of Jesse” (Jesse was King David’s Father and the Savior was to come from the root of Jesse); December 20 is “O Key of David”, these are quite a few different names for Jesus. Can you think of a reason why he might be called each of these wonderful names? The antiphon for December 21st is “O Daystar” (and since the 21st is the shortest day of the year this is the perfect way to use the old word for the sun); December 22nd is “O King”; and December 23rd is “O Emmanuel” (this means God is with us). Then on December 24th at sundown our Advent waiting is over and Christmas begins.

This might be a good year to start an Advent tradition of using the “O Antiphons” with your family. A wonderful way to end the day and give praise to Jesus at bedtime.
(from Take Me Home: ©LTP 1991)

Our Lady of Guadalupe

On December 12 we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Senora de Gduadalupe). This day is a remembrance of the day that Mary appeared to Juan Diego whose feast day we celebrated early this week on December 9th. This happened in Mexico.

Mary left a picture of herself on his cloak and is shown shining with the light of the sun, moon and stars. Mary has a cinto, or sash worn by pregnant women, wrapped around her. This honors her pregnancy with Jesus.

On this day in Mexico, which always falls during Advent, the people are called from their homes early in the morning (around 4:30AM)and they gather in the darkness of this December morning outside the churches. They offer up a morning serenade (mananitas) to Mary. Then the church doors are opened and everyone enters to celebrate Mass.

After Mass there is an elaborate breakfast. Pastries, sweet Mexican chocolate, hot bread and menudo, (a hot tripe soup, that has garlic added and is thickened with hominy; it also has ancho and pasilla peppers which gives it a spicy dimension. The menudo is topped with sliced radishes, cilantro, oregano, chopped onion and lime juice. What a breakfast that is!

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of all peoples of the Western Hemisphere. On this day honoring Mary offer up a prayer to her. And you could toast her with a cup of hot chocolate with maybe a touch of cinnamon added.

3rd Sunday of Advent, Year B

Bringing joy through justice

Reading I: Isaiah 61:1–2, 10–11 (the mission to the afflicted)
Reading II: 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24 (Christian conduct; blessing)
Gospel: John 1:6–8, 19–28 (John as witness to the light)

Key Passage: I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation. (Isaiah 61:10)

Adult: What work of justice could you do this week to bring someone joy?
Child: What could you do for someone this week to make them happy?
(fromPastoralPlaning.com)

Pope's Prayer Intentions for December 2014

The Pope’s universal intention is: “That the birth of the Redeemer may bring peace and hope to all people of good will.”

His intention for evangelization is: “That parents may be true evangelizers, passing on to their children the precious gift of faith.”

Second Sunday of Advent, Year B

Patience

Reading I: Isaiah 40:1–5, 9–11 (promise of salvation)
Reading II: 2 Peter 3:8–14 (Christ will come in judgment)
Gospel: Mark 1:1–8 (John the Baptist)

Key Passage: The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Adult: With whom could you be more patient this week, as God has been patient with you?
Child: With whom can you be more patient?
(from PastoralPlanning.com)

Waiting for the Lord

This season we call Advent is all about waiting. How can we be expected to be patient and wait when we are bombarded with ads and flyers touting the latest and greatest deals of the “holiday” season? It starts way before Thanksgiving and keeps escalating right up to December 25th and then continues after with all the great deals you can get on items that haven’t sold and stores do not want keep in stock.

We need to be intentional about Advent, since this is the liturgical season that is building toward Christmas. Advent is not Christmas it is the time before December 25. And we need to remember as we build toward this Holy Day that the season of Christmas lasts well into the new year not just one day in the form of December 25. We need to wait with patience to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

I know this idea is difficult for those of you with children but waiting until as close as possible to decorate your home is one way of anticipating the great celebration. Then you will be able to leave your decorations up for the entire season of Christmas which ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which is January 11 2015 this year. One way I did this when my children were younger was to start the season with the Advent wreath the first week of Advent. Then the 2nd week add some of the festive decorations that decorate the house, maybe turn on the outside lights that 2nd week, (which I do put up early when the weather is still warm, just because they are up does not mean they need to be turned on.) Another idea is to put your tree up that 2nd week with the lights but hold off on the decorations until the 3rd week of Advent (Gaudete Sunday). You get the idea, when you prolong the decorating the anticipation grows with each thing added.

And of course remember to wait to place Baby Jesus in your manger scene until Christmas Eve. When I had an outdoor nativity scene that would be the last thing to be lit and come to life on Christmas Eve. I would gradually light more of the outdoor lights leading up until that night. The lights around it would become brighter and brighter each week until the figures of Jesus, Mary and Joseph were lit that special night.

Earlier I mentioned that the Christmas Season lasts well into the new year. You could have a 12th night party as part of the celebrations. Did you ever wonder where the carol
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” came from? If you count 12 days from December 25 you will end up on January 6 which is the traditional day to celebrate Epiphany which is day we celebrate the Magi visiting Jesus and giving him the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The things you can adapt as new traditions are endless.

Have a very blessed Advent Season.