Christmas is Only Beginning

December 27, 2016

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace
and truth; we have beheld His glory.”

John 1:14

Christmas Meditation
Christmas day marks the beginning of the Christmas celebration. We have spent the past few weeks preparing ourselves for the coming of our Savior, and now we get to rejoice in that coming for 12 full days.

If you wish for the true spirit of Christmas to linger, remember to pray, to lift your eyes from this world, to make time for family and friends, and to put silence into your life. These things help you prepare for Christmas, but they also help you enjoy it.

Merry Christmas!

Prayer for Christmas
Father in Heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love, and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth. We ask this in the name of
Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
The Sacramentary (New York: Catholic Book Publishing, 1985)

Spend Time with God in Silence

December 20, 2016

“For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night
in its swift course was now half gone, thy all-powerful word leaped
from heaven, from the royal throne.”

Wisdom 18:14-15

Advent Meditation
When it was time for Mary to give birth to Jesus, there was no room for the Holy Family at the inn. That means that the Inn would have been crammed with people scurrying around. To be honest, it sounds a little bit like the mayhem in the mall the week before Christmas.

But notice, that’s not where Christmas happened. Rather, it happened away from the hustle and bustle. It happened in a family, united to God in the silence of the night.

This Christmas, follow St. Joseph’s example. Go into the silence, and perhaps you will glimpse God’s all-powerful Word hidden in the
eyes of a child.

Prayer for Advent
Father in Heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love, and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth. We ask this in the name of
Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
The Sacramentary (New York: Catholic Book Publishing, 1985)

Spend Time with Family and Friends

December 13, 2016

“When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him. He took Mary as his wife.”

Matthew 1: 24

Advent Meditation
When St. Joseph took Mary into his home, the Holy Family was born, which was the first Christian family.  Christmas is certainly about family, and many people get together with friends and family during this time. Nonetheless, the frantic pace of our preparations and the focus on material goods is impacting our relationship with others.

In the Garden of Eden, “God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone.’” That’s more true than ever when you’re under stress. Make time for family and friends as you prepare for Christmas, and it will change you and your Christmas.

Prayer for Advent
Father in Heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love, and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth. We ask this in the name of
Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
The Sacramentary (New York: Catholic Book Publishing, 1985)

Develop a Vision that Goes Beyond this World

December 6, 2016

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Colossians 3:2

Advent Meditation
Last week, we learned that an angel of the Lord appeared to St. Joseph. This divine answer to his prayers radically changed St. Joseph’s vision. His mind began to consider the meaning of Christmas not from a human level, but from the divine level.

We need to learn from St. Joseph how to set our minds on things above. For St. Joseph, an angel opened for him the meaning of Scriptures. Reading the nativity stories from Scripture during Advent is an excellent way to help focus your mind on the divine reality of Christmas. Most of us won’t see an angel, but God will give us the grace to enter more deeply into the true meaning of Christmas.

Prayer for Advent
Father in Heaven, our hearts desire the warmth of your love, and our minds are searching for the light of your Word. Increase our longing for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love, that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His presence and welcoming the light of His truth. We ask this in the name of
Jesus the Lord.
Amen.
The Sacramentary (New York: Catholic Book Publishing, 1985)