Once upon a time in Bethlehem

Once upon a time in Bethlehem

Advent 2016 Signing of Greetings cards for Prisoners of Conscience After all Masses 3 rd /4 th December 2016 Retiring Collection for Christmas Flowers After all Masses 3 rd /4 th December 2016 Deanery Service of Reconciliation St. Thomas More, Knighton 7.30pm Monday 19 th December 2016 followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Parish Room (proceeds to Sick and Retired Priests Fund) The Big Clean Please come and help prepare the Church for Christmas Oadby after 12 noon Mass on Wednesday 21 st December 2016 Knighton after 9.00am Mass on Friday 23 rd December 2016

Building the Crib The crib first built in 1223 by Saint Francis was to help people understand God s holy words. Cribs still have the same function today. It is not good enough to get the plaster crib out of the cupboard at 2.00pm on Christmas Eve. Today the crib still helps us to celebrate the most profound story of our Christianity. The stories we learnt as an infant about and through the crib stay and carry with us throughout our life. God s Love is announced The Lantern Christmas is being pushed further back into the year by commercialism. By beginning to build the crib from the First Sunday of Advent we push back and against commercialism. The lantern which is the first symbol of the crib points to what the story is about (The Light of the World) and reminds us we too are called to be Light for the World and push against the now taken for granted worldly norms. Bible The Bible is placed by the crib it is where the story came from! The crib is the manifestation of God s holy words. It is our story and Jesus story the same. And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; my first sound was a cry, as is true of all. I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.(wisdom7:3-4) God made man because He loves stories (Elie Wiesel) Over the coming weeks of Advent we are going to be building our crib on the sanctuary. Just like any good story the scene needs to be set; we will read the story chapter by chapter, day by day, week by week, trying to make sense of the words and understand the story. What are we being told? Perhaps then, by the time Christmas arrives, we might just live into realising Jesus the Christ is the best gift we will ever receive He personifies God s steadfast love.

First Sunday of Advent This week the Lantern, Holy Bible and angel has been placed on the sanctuary. The Holy Bible is where all our stories come from it is God s story and we are very much part of the story. Why not get out your Bible at home and read the first chapter of Saint John s Gospel? Read about the True light, which enlightens everyone, coming into the world and John the Baptist preparing the way for the Light of the World. We might in this way take a small step against the commercialism of material gifts by focusing on The Gift. The angel is also in our crib. Angels proclaim messages in Saint Luke s Gospel the angel Gabriel came to Mary and in Matthew s Gospel the angel came to Joseph in a dream. Enjoy the stories! (to be continued) Were you there when the Prophets spoke the Word? Were you there when the Prophets spoke the Word? Oh! Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when the Prophets spoke the Word? (Matthew 24:37) (Copyright: Rev. Professor Joseph O Hanlon)

Second Sunday of Advent This week the manger has been added. As is the tradition in our parish, we ask you to help build the manager for Jesus. Besides the manger is plenty of straw. Please come into church during the week, or spend a moment after Mass today, to go to the manger, say a prayer and add straw to the manger as a sign of your offered prayer. Have a look around the Church too for the shepherds and magi. They, like us, are on the way to receiving The Gift. We must all make our way to Bethlehem to take our part in the story. (To be continued) Were you there when John prepared the way? Were you there when John prepared the way? Oh-oh! Oh-oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when John prepared the way? (Mark 1:4) (Copyright: Rev. Professor Joseph O Hanlon)

Third Sunday of Advent This week Joseph has been placed in our crib. To understand the New Testament, we must read the Old Testament. We are all familiar with Joseph of the Old Testament and his technicolour dreamcoat - Joseph in our crib may not have the technicolour dreamcoat but he is a man of dreams; he will care and provide for Mary and Jesus as a father just as Joseph of the Old Testament cared and provided for not only his brothers but the whole of Egypt. This week might be a good time to read again the story of Joseph in Genesis 36-50 or at least watch the DVD of Joseph and his amazing colour dreamcoat (to be continued) Were you there when the LORD prepared the Way? Were you there when the LORD prepared the way? Oh! Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when the LORD prepared the Way? (Matthew 11:2-11) (Copyright: Rev. Professor Joseph O Hanlon)

Fourth Sunday of Advent This week Mary has been placed in our crib. The Gospel today tells the story of Joseph s dream and how Joseph should name the child Jesus. We hear again an echo from the Old Testament the virgin will conceive and bear a son will and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means God-is-with-us. Looking forward, Mary will also be present at another birth in years to come Mary will be at Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. Mary s story will become the Church s story so like Mary we are all called to be handmaids of the Lord and servants of God in the world today. As Christmas arrives we remember once more God-is-with-us today in our world as much as he was with Mary in Bethlehem. Over the past weeks we have reflected on the stories of angels, Joseph and Mary; we have watched shepherd and magi on the way. Now like the angels, shepherd and magi we need to tell the story again. Christmas arrives! Jesus the Christ is the best gift we will ever receive He personifies God s steadfast love. (to be continued on Christmas Day and beyond) Were you there when Joseph woke from his dream? Were you there when Joseph woke from his dream? Oh! Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when Joseph woke from his dream? (Matthew 1:24) (Copyright: Rev. Professor Joseph O Hanlon)

The Travelling Nativity During Advent our travelling Nativity takes a journey around Knighton parish. This is a great way to prepare for Christmas and to celebrate Advent with others - and it s good fun for the whole family! Two families meet every day in December as part of our preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, with one family handing the Nativity over to another. If you would like to be part of it, all you have to do is put your name on the day you want to receive the travelling Nativity into your home on the list in the narthex at Knighton. The travelling Nativity will be brought to you on this day. The following day you will deliver it to the next family on the list. You can agree the arrangements and time to meet with the families you re meeting. A reflection on the Advent Wreath Our Advent wreath is traditionally circular in shape with four candles. May the four candles represent the four corners of the earth, north, south, east and west and the circle reflect the shape of our earth. Together they represent the whole of the world awaiting redemption. Each week of Advent a candle is lit marking our active waiting for Christmas. As the season of Advent comes to a close with the Vigil Mass of Christmas the season of Christmas begins and runs through to the Baptism of the Lord. Christmas is more than a day! The Advent wreath has completed its task of marking our time of waiting and is replaced by the completed crib. Jesus the Christ has arrived; our waiting is over. The Word becomes flesh once more and the earth welcomes her Redeemer.

Blessing before the Christmas Meal Lord Jesus, in the peace of this season our spirits rejoice. With the Angels, Shepherds and the animals, with Mary and Joseph we give thanks for the gift of Jesus. By His coming may the hungry be filled with good things. Bless our food and those who have prepared it, bless all gathered around this table. May our family and home be blessed with Joy, Peace and Love now and forever. Amen

Christmas Mass Times Saturday 24th December Vigil Masses for the Nativity of the Lord 5.00pm at Oadby and 6.00pm at Knighton First Mass of Christmas 9.15pm Carols and Readings prior to 10.00pm Mass at Knighton Sunday 25 th December 9.00am at Knighton and 11.00am at Oadby Monday 26 th December Saint Stephen 10.00am Mass Knighton during which our Altar Servers from both parishes are invited to renew their commitment to their ministry of serving. Sunday 8 th January The Epiphany of the Lord 4.00pm A service of prayer and reflection during which we will take down the parish crib and look at building our baptismal crib.