Fourth Week of Advent and Christmas Week: Dec. 21 - 27, 2008
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Authors
Alexander, Andy, S.J.
Issue Date
2008-12-21
Volume
Issue
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Language
en_US
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Abstract
"For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." Luke 2:11-12
The Fourth Week of Advent & Christmas Week|On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we read Luke's Gospel of the Annunciation, the moment when a troubled Mary is told she has found favor with God and she will conceive and bear a son. She questions: "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" and then, she accepts.|Luke's Gospel is our guide this week. Monday we read the Mary's magnificent prayer in the continuation of the annunciation story from Sunday. Tuesday is the naming of John by Zechariah. Wednesday, during the day, has Zechariah's prayer of praise after being allowed to speak again. The scenes and canticles, or songs, that are part of the story are so well known to us that we can miss hearing them with an open heart.|If we celebrate the Vigil of Christmas on Wednesday, the Gospel for this liturgy is the Genealogy in Matthew's Gospel (though any of the gospels for Christmas may be used at any of the Christmas liturgies).|The first celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass at Midnight. The first reading is from Isaiah: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone." This powerful reading deserves a slow contemplation. The Gospel is from Luke: the journey to Bethlehem, the birth, the angels announce the birth to the shepherds. The second celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass at Dawn. The Gospel is from Luke: the shepherds visit the newborn child. "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." The third celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass during the Day. Here the Gospel is from the beginning of John's Gospel: "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.|Many special celebrations of the Church year follow Christmas. Friday is the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. Saturday is the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist.|The Sunday that follows Christmas is always the celebration of the Holy Family. There are wonderful readings from the Book of Sirach, the First Book of Samuel, Paul's letter to the Colossians or the First Letter of John. Luke's Gospel is the Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple. The long version includes the beautiful prayer by Simeon upon seeing the child in the temple.
Daily Prayer This Week|This may be one of the most difficult weeks to be reflective throughout each day. This weekend may be quite full for many of us. Others of us may be alone although we may be a part of the faith community on Wednesday or Thursday, or perhaps daily this week. While some of us have had guests staying with us and a house to clean this week, others of us will be reviewing memories and struggling, even a little, with being alone.|Whether this week is full or slow, it is a treasure- filled opportunity for reflection. Using the same means we've been using, we can let the richness of this weeks' readings and feasts fill the background of each day. Even on Christmas eve or Christmas day we can wake up, surrendering anxiety by letting the fears of these days take us to the scene of our Lord's birth. We can imagine the anxiety that filled the experience of Mary and Joseph. We can keep in our consciousness their trust in God. The Christmas music on the radio or at our church services and liturgies can bring the faith of these hymns and songs into our hearts. And, once it is there, these songs of faith will remain in the background all day long. When we are tempted to worry or complain, to be hurt or angry, to be frustrated or exhausted, the hymns will draw our hearts to rejoicing and gratitude.|Thinking about Stephen the Martyr or John, the apostle of love, with a little desire and focus, can guide our hearts to reflect on the meaning of Christmas - the gift of self-giving love. We can ask ourselves, what generosity can come from from the gratitude I have in my heart after celebrating the gift of redemption? Who in my world needs more love? What happens in me when I think about the people in the world who need my support? Who is witnessing our world's rejection?|All of us can imagine Jesus, Mary and Joseph going home after their time in the temple. We can imagine their daily life. We can ask for the grace to live in God's presence, just as they must have done, and for the grace to be sensitive to each other and care for each other as they must have. We can ask that we might imitate their busy lives, trusting and dependent on God. Looking on their life together, we can grow in a desire to be more humble, in a peace with greater simplicity, in a courage to let God take care of us. Whether we experience the poverty of that holy stable or the ordinary simplicity of daily routine, we can enjoy this week as a special opportunity to be drawn to a greater closeness with Jesus.
The Fourth Week of Advent & Christmas Week|On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we read Luke's Gospel of the Annunciation, the moment when a troubled Mary is told she has found favor with God and she will conceive and bear a son. She questions: "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" and then, she accepts.|Luke's Gospel is our guide this week. Monday we read the Mary's magnificent prayer in the continuation of the annunciation story from Sunday. Tuesday is the naming of John by Zechariah. Wednesday, during the day, has Zechariah's prayer of praise after being allowed to speak again. The scenes and canticles, or songs, that are part of the story are so well known to us that we can miss hearing them with an open heart.|If we celebrate the Vigil of Christmas on Wednesday, the Gospel for this liturgy is the Genealogy in Matthew's Gospel (though any of the gospels for Christmas may be used at any of the Christmas liturgies).|The first celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass at Midnight. The first reading is from Isaiah: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone." This powerful reading deserves a slow contemplation. The Gospel is from Luke: the journey to Bethlehem, the birth, the angels announce the birth to the shepherds. The second celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass at Dawn. The Gospel is from Luke: the shepherds visit the newborn child. "And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." The third celebration of The Nativity of the Lord is the Mass during the Day. Here the Gospel is from the beginning of John's Gospel: "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.|Many special celebrations of the Church year follow Christmas. Friday is the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. Saturday is the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist.|The Sunday that follows Christmas is always the celebration of the Holy Family. There are wonderful readings from the Book of Sirach, the First Book of Samuel, Paul's letter to the Colossians or the First Letter of John. Luke's Gospel is the Presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple. The long version includes the beautiful prayer by Simeon upon seeing the child in the temple.
Daily Prayer This Week|This may be one of the most difficult weeks to be reflective throughout each day. This weekend may be quite full for many of us. Others of us may be alone although we may be a part of the faith community on Wednesday or Thursday, or perhaps daily this week. While some of us have had guests staying with us and a house to clean this week, others of us will be reviewing memories and struggling, even a little, with being alone.|Whether this week is full or slow, it is a treasure- filled opportunity for reflection. Using the same means we've been using, we can let the richness of this weeks' readings and feasts fill the background of each day. Even on Christmas eve or Christmas day we can wake up, surrendering anxiety by letting the fears of these days take us to the scene of our Lord's birth. We can imagine the anxiety that filled the experience of Mary and Joseph. We can keep in our consciousness their trust in God. The Christmas music on the radio or at our church services and liturgies can bring the faith of these hymns and songs into our hearts. And, once it is there, these songs of faith will remain in the background all day long. When we are tempted to worry or complain, to be hurt or angry, to be frustrated or exhausted, the hymns will draw our hearts to rejoicing and gratitude.|Thinking about Stephen the Martyr or John, the apostle of love, with a little desire and focus, can guide our hearts to reflect on the meaning of Christmas - the gift of self-giving love. We can ask ourselves, what generosity can come from from the gratitude I have in my heart after celebrating the gift of redemption? Who in my world needs more love? What happens in me when I think about the people in the world who need my support? Who is witnessing our world's rejection?|All of us can imagine Jesus, Mary and Joseph going home after their time in the temple. We can imagine their daily life. We can ask for the grace to live in God's presence, just as they must have done, and for the grace to be sensitive to each other and care for each other as they must have. We can ask that we might imitate their busy lives, trusting and dependent on God. Looking on their life together, we can grow in a desire to be more humble, in a peace with greater simplicity, in a courage to let God take care of us. Whether we experience the poverty of that holy stable or the ordinary simplicity of daily routine, we can enjoy this week as a special opportunity to be drawn to a greater closeness with Jesus.
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University Ministry, Creighton University.
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These prayer guides may not be sold or used commercially without permission. Personal or parish use is permitted.