Advent & Christmas Year B

Transcription

1 A Sacred Calendar Advent & Christmas Year B Sundays & Feasts Spiritual Goals Personal Resolutions Connections From Bill Huebsch and the Team at PastoralPlanning.com & 23 rd Publications

2 Week of November 27, st Sunday of Advent Sunday November 27 Gospel: Mark 13:33-37 Question of the Week: How can you be sure that your heart is ready to welcome Christ (more) fully? Monday November 28 Preparing our hearts is certainly a lifelong process. This week s goal is to pay special attention to how we open ourselves to hear the voice of God more clearly. Tuesday November 29 Create a waiting game for your household, even if you live alone. Add one holiday decoration per day to your crèche or tree. Become patient for Christmas to arrive. Wednesday November 30 From today s liturgy: On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines -- Isaiah 25:6 (NRSV) Thursday December 1 Friday December 2 Saturday December 3 How s your heart feeling this week? Remember Sunday s Gospel when Jesus said, Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. -- Mark 13:33 (NRSV) Jesus, prepare my heart to receive you with joy! Feast today! St. Francis Xavier St. Francis was a friend of St. Ignatius and became a Jesuit. He spent his life among the poor, living as they did and helping them. In preparing for Christmas this year, get to know the poor who live near you. Instead of begging for yourself, raise money to help them. Common Hope is an organization which helps the poor of Guatemala. Visit their web site today. Learn about how you can help, too. Go to

3 Week of December 4, nd Sunday of Advent Sunday December 4 1 st Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-5, 9-11 Question of the Week: What is your strategy for making sure you are able to hear when Christ reveals himself to you? How is your faith made evident in your life? Monday December 5 Our goal this week is to prepare our hearts for Christ by doing three things. One, forgive those against whom you hold a grudge. Two, give generously of your money, even if you have only a little. Three, turn your heart toward Christ each day and allow him to touch you. Tuesday December 6 Feast today! St. Nicholas There are many legends about St. Nicholas. He was a humble bishop, who cared for the poor and is known to have given them gifts. By a twist of his name, he may also be called Santa Claus. In many countries, people give small gifts on this day, to commemorate the Saint. In your home, give each other small gifts of love today. Wednesday December 7 Remember our goal this week, to take specific steps toward preparing ourselves for Christ. Go back to the 1 st Reading from last Sunday: prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. -- Isaiah 40:3 (NRSV) Thursday December 8 Friday December 9 Saturday December 10 Feast today! The Immaculate Conception On this feast, we celebrate Mary having been conceived in the womb of her mother without the stain of Original Sin. Feast! Juan Diego He opened his heart to Christ through Our Lady, and knew peace and love. May we open our hearts like this during Advent. The greatest gift you can give each other is time. Take time with one another this Advent. Talk and Listen. Not everything has to happen with the TV or Internet running.

4 Week of December rd Sunday of Advent Sunday December 11 2 nd Reading: 1 Thess 5:16-24 Question of the Week: If you were to write three suggestions for those who follow Jesus, to keep them strong in their faith, what would you write? Paul s letter to the Thessalonians reminds us to keep our hearts focused on what is good. This will bring us peace. It is our goal for this week. Monday December 12 Feast today! Our Lady of Guadalupe This feast is a special one for all Catholics, but especially for those of Mexican descent. Mary made known her love for the people of Mexico through Juan Diego, a common person. Make God s love explicit to someone near you today! Show them how much God cares for them. Tuesday December 13 Feast! St Lucy She kept her heart pure and her thoughts on Christ. She loved the poor and chose them over everything else. May we turn to the poor this Advent and wish for their relief from hunger as a Christmas gift. Wednesday December 14 In order to really hear God speaking, I must quiet myself and listen. This week, I will allow my inner ear to do the hearing. Thursday December 15 Friday December 16 Saturday December 17 Return to this week s goal. What do you need to keep your heart focused on love, forgiveness, generosity, and other good things? What distracts you? The Joyful Mysteries of Our Faith The Annunciation The Visitation The Birth of our Lord The Presentation of our Lord The Finding of our Lord in the Temple Tell the story of each of these mysteries. Pray the Rosary together. Don t forget the needy among you. Visit this web site: to learn how to help those who live in Guatemala.

5 Week of December 18, th Sunday of Advent Sunday December 18 Gospel: Luke 1:26-38 Question of the Week: Name one area of your life where God has surprised you with love, abilities or disabilities, or even a pregnancy. How is God s Spirit upon you in this dimension of your life? Monday December 19 Mary is the model for us. Her heart was ready for God to act in her life. Our goal this week is to make sure our hearts are also ready. Empty them of what is false and selfish and fill them with love. Tuesday December 20 Make your final preparations this week. Who is waiting for your love? Wednesday December 21 For our Jewish friends: Hanukkah begins. It is an 8 day festival of lights! Thursday December 22 Winter begins Friday December 23 Christmas cheer is only days away now! We know happiness only when we fill our lives with the love of Christ. Saturday December 24 Christmas Eve Spend time today thinking about those most in need of companionship and comfort. They would be the ones to whom Christ would go first. Remember your house is the house of Christ: the most needy in your community must be as welcome there as you & your family are. Otherwise, what is the point of Christmas?

6 Week of December 25, 2011 Christmas Octave Begins Sunday December 25 Christmas Day Gospel: John 1:1-18 Question of the Week: What or who is the light of your life? How does God figure into that for you? Monday December 26 Feast today! St Stephen He kept faith! May our faith be unshaken by the events of the world around us. Tuesday December 27 Feast today! St John Beloved of Jesus and friend to Mary. May we likewise allow others to live comfortably near us. Wednesday December 28 Feast today! The Holy Innocents They were killed in a madman s drive for power. May we learn not to hurt others in order to protect ourselves. Kwanzaa begins Boxing Day Thursday December 29 Allow Christ to live within your heart and then take him with you out to your world. Friday December 30 Feast! The Holy Family No matter how or with whom you live, we are all called to live in evergreater holiness. May the New Year bring you closer to that goal so that, like the Holy Family, you may know God s love in your life. Saturday December 31 New Year s Eve

7 Week of January 1, 2012 Christmas Season Sunday January 1 Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Gospel: Luke 2:16-21 Question of the Week: What signs are there in your life that God is with you, inspiring you to love through the Holy Spirit? Monday January 2 Feast today! Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen Men of faith, hope and love, they turned their skills to work for the Reign of God. May we do likewise today! Tuesday January 3 Learn to see how God is calling you to live your faith. Listen to those around you when they call you to help, and listen to your heart as you make your response. Wednesday January 4 Feast today! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton She dedicated herself to the welfare of those in need. May our hearts likewise turn toward those who are most vulnerable. Thursday January 5 Friday January 6 Saturday January 7 Feast! St John Neumann May our faith be as strong as his and may we all help to build the Reign of God. Feast! The Epiphany One way to discern the will of God for us is to discuss our options with those around us. Before every big decision, ask a friend or spouse to help you listen.

8 Week of January 8, 2012 Christmas Season Sunday January 8 The Epiphany Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12 Question of the Week: When they met Christ, the magi opened both their hearts and pocket books to give all to him. How do you do this yourself? How do you give all to Christ without holding back? Monday January 9 The Baptism of the Lord Gospel: Mark 1:7-11 Reflection Question for today: In our baptism we promised ourselves to God. How do you live that in your everyday life? Tuesday January 10 Become more clear about how you live your faith on a daily basis. See forgiveness, charity, generosity, and hospitality as part of that and signs that you are living your faith. Wednesday January 11 Return to the reading from last Sunday. They opened their treasures (Matthew 2:11 NAB). We are called to do likewise, holding nothing back. Thursday January 12 Friday January 13 Saturday January 14 From 1 John: And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, be hears us John 5:14 (NRSV) Feast today! St Hilary A man of great faith who led others to Christ. May our faith be so strong that others see in us what they long for in their own lives: peace, joy, and happiness. Here in wintertime (for those in the north), let us light the fire of love in our lives. And for those in the south, may this summertime be full of rich blessings of light as well. The Christmas Season ends with evening prayer on January 14. How will you continue to live this season now as we enter Ordinary Time in the Church Year?