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4th Sunday of Advent
AND
The Twelve Days of Christmas!!
Use your
violet candle Sunday, then switch to white
or gold
the rest of the week!
Please add Coming Home Catholic to your safe senders list. |
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Start with the
Basics
(Click
here to learn more) |
| Prayer of the Week
Last week we blessed our Nativity scene. This week we'd like to
bless the Christmas tree. There are many cultures, even pagan
cultures, who use greens to symbolize life. However, Christians
recognize the Christmas tree as representing the tree from the
Garden of Eden, the fertility of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the
tree from which the cross of Crucifixion came.
Click here for a tree blessing from the web site of the U.S.
Bishops.
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| Living Our Faith
Throughout this first week of Christmas we can focus on the
Nativity scene. On Christmas Day place Baby Jesus in his crib. Place
the shepherds nearby, but not yet within the scene. The Magi
are should be far away, even in a different room. The day after Christmas place the
shepherds in the scene. Each day move the Magi a little closer to
the Nativity scene. Wait until until January 6 (Epiphany) for the
kings to actually enter the scene. Next week we'll talk about the
Epiphany party!
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Celebrate All Year Long!
(Click here to learn more) |
| Saints to Celebrate
What a busy week! That's not a surprise, though! It is a lovely
season to celebrate our faith. Enjoy!
- Sunday, December 24 use your
violet candle for
Advent! (Click
here to learn more about Advent)
- Monday, December 25 use a white or
gold candle for
the Nativity of Our Lord - Christmas! (Click
here to learn more about Christmas)
- Tuesday, December 26 use a red candle
for
the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian faith.
- Wednesday, December 27 use a white
candle for the feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist.
- Thursday, December 28 use a
red candle for the
feast of the Holy Innocents
- Friday, December 29 use a white or
gold
candle and remember St. Thomas Becket.
- Saturday, December 30
use a white or
gold
candle for the 6th day in the octave of Christmas.
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This is a wonderful family
night movie during the holidays, or any time of year! |
These
lovely candles are
available for
purchase through Wolfe's Baldwin Brass Center
Ordering candles from this link financially supports this
site.
Thank you! |
This is a
perfect movie for family night during the Advent and Christmas
seasons. One of our favorites! |
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| Devotion of the month |
After a season of Advent full anticipation, we aren't satisfied
celebrating Christmas just one day. For more details about the special
days of Christmas and the celebrations associated with them,
click here.
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Keep Building that Faith!! (click
here to learn more) |
Start the Week off Right
(prepare for the Sunday Scriptures)
| Mi 5:1-4a |
Heb 10:5-10 |
Lk 1:39-45 |
Micah was a prophet at the same time as Isaiah, around the 8th
century B.C. He fiercely condemned the rich and powerful, and prophesied
the rule of a prince of Bethlehem from the house of David, a good
shepherd who would care for His flock and who would actually be peace. This is
complemented by the Gospel, which tells us of Mary's visitation to her
older cousin, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, too, prophesied the blessedness of
Mary based completely on Mary's faithful obedience to God.
It was just a few weeks ago that we read the letter to the Hebrews,
and, here we are, back again! We're not sure of its author, but scholars
believe it is a letter intended to help encourage a young Christian
community. It seems rather startling to talk about sacrifice this close
to Christmas, yet this reading reminds us that the sacrifice is being
made. Jesus came to atone for our sins. It is rather sobering to be
reminded of the Crucifixion right now, but isn't that the point? We can
live the entire mystery of the Incarnation in these few short weeks. The
expectation of the Savior; His miraculous conception and humble
beginnings; His life of faith, then His life of challenging the leaders
of His faith; finally, His dying and resurrecting to save us. We can
experience it all right now.
| Daily Dose of Scripture (our
picks of the week) |
- 1 Jn 2:12-17 (12/30)
"Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
This week is a festival of gift-giving. It is important to take a few
minutes of reflection - was Advent the time of preparation for which
it was intended? Can we make this Christmas season better than ever? It's been
so fantastic to concentrate on preparation. Now it is wonderful to
celebrate Christmas. Anticipation is so much better when it reaches
its climax when that climax was intended. Love the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, not the things of this
world. It is God who is love, who is peace.
- Lk 2:22-35 (12/29)
Joseph and Mary were obedient to the laws of Moses, so presented
their son at the Temple as required. Simeon saw the infant and at once
recognized Him as the Savior. Would you recognize the Savior in your
midst? So many people are offering salvation. How can we tell who is
sincere? The Catholic Church has guided Christians through many centuries
of seeking salvation. Although anyone can argue improvements are need,
overall it seems the Church is doing a pretty good job. How can we tell? Jesus certainly gives us a good
idea - humble, yet courageous enough to speak the truth no matter
what. Strong, yet loving to all. Jesus knew how to reach those who needed
Him. He banished demons
and gave each person peace. He is, through our Church,still doing that today.
Open that Catechism!
Christmas is a season for family. What does the catechism say about
the Christian family? Find out in paragraphs #2204-2206 in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church.
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