Joy, prayer and gratitude, the Holy Father said, are three attitudes that prepare us to live Christmas genuinely. In this last stretch of the Season of Advent, we entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary.
She is the “cause of our joy,” not only because she generated Jesus, but because she sends us continually to Him. “When you pray at home, before the Crib with members of your family, let yourselves be drawn by the tenderness of Baby Jesus, born poor and frail in our midst, to give us His love.”
Pope Francis said this is the true Christmas – “If we take Jesus away, what remains of Christmas? An empty celebration. Don’t take Jesus away from Christmas! Jesus is the center of Christmas; Jesus is the true Christmas!”
Pope Francis
Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Advent
Gn 49:2, 8-10. Ps 71:1-4, 7-8, 17, R/ cf. v 7. Mt 1:1-17. www.catholicbishops.ie/readings
Audio: Advent Thought for the Day
Each day during Advent we are bringing you an audio Thought for the Day on a different theme. Today’s Thought for the Day is from Father Thomas Casey SJ, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, Co Kildare. In this piece Father Casey reflects on the great gift that Mary, the Mother of God, gave to all of us and how we should approach the Season of Advent and our preparations for Christmas with a sense of gratitude.
Click below to listen to the audio.
Visual Thought for the Day
Our thought for the day for today for sharing on social media is from Pope Francis.
The Words of Pope Francis
“Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world. The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!”.
Thus begins the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Christus vivit (Christ is alive) by Pope Francis published in April. This year’s Advent Calendar is featuring Pope Francis’ words from Christus vivit which he has addressed to young people , and to the entire People of God and published on 2 April 2019. In the document, the Pope explains that he allowed himself to be “inspired by the wealth of reflections and conversations of the Synod” on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment which took place in the Vatican in October 2018.
Today’s excerpt is on the accompaniment of young people and how it begins at home in the family.
242. Young people need to have their freedom respected, yet they also need to be accompanied. The family should be the first place of accompaniment. Youth ministry can present the ideal of life in Christ as the process of building a house on rock (cf. Mt 7:24-25). For most young people, that house, their life, will be built on marriage and married love. That is why youth ministry and the pastoral care of families should be coordinated and integrated, with the aim of ensuring a continuous and suitable accompaniment of the vocational process.
243. The community has an important role in the accompaniment of young people; it should feel collectively responsible for accepting, motivating, encouraging and challenging them. All should regard young people with understanding, appreciation and affection, and avoid constantly judging them or demanding of them a perfection beyond their years.
#LivingAdvent 2019
During Advent are sharing family prayers and suggestions for acts of kindness or charity that all of us are encouraged to undertake during the month of December. The Advent Calendar is also also offering tips on how families can care for our common home by having a more sustainable Christmas.
Advent Random Act of Kindness
Be aware of those living alone and check in on them to see if they need help with anything in the run up to Christmas.
Let’s Be Family – Act of Charity
Support families in need this Christmas. Give what you can of your time or make a donation to one of the many organisations helping people in need.
Living Advent by Caring for Our Common Home
Consider re-reading Laudato Si’ or reading it a chapter at a time in the New Year.
Advent Prayers
Our Prayer Intentions for the Day to Pray Together
1. For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and the religious life; especially within our diocese/parish.
2. For all who await God’s blessing; that God’s comforting and strangthening
love will sustain them.
3. Prayers for Those Away From Home
Loving God,
We pray for those whom we love
But who are absent from us.
Keep them safe from all harm, evil and danger.
Bless them with peace, laughter, wisdom, love and joy.
Grant that we may be reunited in the fullness of love;
In Christ’s name we pray.
AMEN
Family Table Prayer for Christmas Day
This is a family table prayer for Christmas Day but it might be used for any meal
during advent and Christmas.
Advent Music
This is an instrumental version of the well-known Advent Hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel and it is performed here by the Piano Guys.
