Ijournal entry 120114 #48 Season of Advent
GO SAINTS! Quotes from St. John Paul II, Blessed Fr. James Alberione, Mary Lewis and Edie Staf. Booklet: "Celebrating Advent in the home". Booklet: "Celebrating Advent At Home" by the Channing L. Bete Co. Advent Resources: "Advent Boot Camp", by Dan Burke, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, my friends Cathy & John, Franciscan University of Steubenville, and Dr. Taylor Marshall. "THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", by Fr. John Bartunek
GO SAINTS! Quotes from St. John Paul II, Blessed Fr. James Alberione, Mary Lewis and Edie Staf. Booklet: "Celebrating Advent in the home". Booklet: "Celebrating Advent At Home" by the Channing L. Bete Co. Advent Resources: "Advent Boot Camp", by Dan Burke, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, my friends Cathy & John, Franciscan University of Steubenville, and Dr. Taylor Marshall. "THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", by Fr. John Bartunek
GO SAINTS!
SAINTS 35 STEELERS 32
WHO DAT! Yea! A winSomething of ours dat should hav long been
The Cheese & Crackers= Quotes from St. John Paul II, Blessed Fr. James Alberione, Mary Lewis and Edie Staf.
The Veggies= My 2cents
The Potatoes= "Celebrating Advent At Home" by the Channing L. Bete co. Booklet # 17483.
The Meat= Advent Resources: "Advent Boot Camp", by Dan Burke, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, my friends Cathy & John, Franciscan University of Steubenville, and Dr. Taylor Marshall.
The Dessert = "THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", by Fr. John Bartunek
Cheese & Crackers
⚪️ "The liturgy of Advent helps us to understand fully the value and meaning of the mystery of Christmas. It is not just about commemorating the historical event, which occurred some 2,000 years ago in a little village of Judea. Instead, it is necessary to understand that the whole of our life must be an ‘advent,’ a vigilant awaiting of the final coming of Christ. To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously." By St. John Paul II
⚫️"At the beginning of the liturgical year we are told of the universal judgment & given a description. If we follow the liturgical year well, every year we would grow in the grace that Jesus acquired for us. The Church accompanies us during the liturgical year so that daily we may rise a little in our spiritual work.
The spirit of the world makes us tend to mistake the end for the means, that is, to make us seek happiness & satisfaction here on earth, as though we had been created to live for only a few years, & then all would come to an end! Actually everything begins at the end of the present life, that is, all tat merits the name of "everything": ETERNITY." By Blessed Fr. James Alberione,
🔵"Advent can refer to first coming of Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago at Bethlehem, but the liturgy also refers to the Second Coming at the end of the world. Then, there is a third coming-the coming of Christ into our hearts with His grace. Daily preparation in the Eucharistic Celebration is an ideal preparation for Christmas that may bear lasting fruit in our lives. In this way a real Advent spirit can help us prepare the way for the Lord in our win lives & those of our love ones". By Mary Lewis and Edie Staf from the book: "Living & celebrating the Advent-Christmas seasons",
🔴 "On Dec. 16, the Christmas novena begins, a beautiful custom that is becoming better known internationally. When Christmas Day finally arrives, we can truly rejoice and carry a joyful spirit. The Advent and Christmas traditions will enable us to manifest in an exterior way the interior meaning of expectation of Advent and the joy of Christmas. In contrast to our secular age, we can again experience the worth and value of the sacred. How precious will be the seasons if we live and celebrate them." By Mary Lewis and Edie Staf from the book: "Living and celebrating the Advent-Christmas seasons"
The Veggies
📖 "Celebrating Advent in the home", link for the booklet:
http://www.kingofpeace.org/resources/advent.pdf
One Advent season upon awaking to a new day, several thoughts about Advent entered my mind. Hopefully the Holy Spirit was at work.
✔️1. Pull out the combat boots, because what Lent is to Easter, is what Advent is to Christmas.
✔️2. There are two sides to every coin, flip the coin and see both sides of the necessary preparations for the Christmas season: the spiritual and the material preparations.
✔️3. What buying gifts, wrapping presents, preparing the guest list, cooking and baking, decorating, shopping for the appropriate apparel and accessories, are to material preparation, is what the following are to spiritual preparation: personal prayer, interior reflection and purification, spiritual renewal, shared family activities like sending Christmas cards, assembling a crèche, making a wreath, a Jesse Tree, reading the Bible, poems and telling stories (Gift of the Magi), watching DVD's appropriate to the season, making resolutions and giving to the needy, caroling, attending church services, and spreading joy by the offering of your services to others in need.
Let us behave as the Christians we are, for if we who are called by His name, do not observe the Advent season who will? Maybe this is a bit of evidence to support a little spiritual growth, while preparing this Ijournal entry, the focus is not only on observing the Advent season, but observing it well. A dab a day of metanoia should become a pattern in the course of our everyday living out the faith. If we don't lead by example who will? So put on your spiritual combat boots and begin the journey.
Advent is a mandatory celebration, if we want to have a meaningful Christmas. Daily mediations are a good way to start. By spiritual renewal and family togetherness we begin the celebration. In closing, saying to one and to all: "Happy New Year", "Happy New Liturgical Year" that is, for the Catholic Church begins it's new year with Advent.
What's been gleaned so far from the research regarding Advent, is that without a shadow of a doubt, it is vital for one to truly celebrate Advent if you want to be able to truly rejoice as the Christmas Season unfolds. The interior will be manifested outwardly to the exterior, no matter what you have or do not have. No wonder some people are so unhappy and stressed as this time of the year, it's because there is no substance interiorly. Focusing on all things secular, and listening to the drum beats of the world that leads away from Christ Jesus, is a recipe for spiritual bankruptcy. For the things of the world can not satisfy a hungry heart that longs for a taste of the spiritual things of God. The gift of God Himself, "Emmanuel God with us", will no doubt bring JOY into lives, like nothing else can do.
Matthew 1:23 ""The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us").
Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"
John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Psalm 105:43 "He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy"
With God, we can fully appreciate and enjoy the things and gifts He provides. Without Him the "things" present in our lives can be liken to the experience of being given a battery operated toy without the batteries, an incomplete experience resulting in muted fun. The combat boots tie in because we are traveling towards Bethlehem and like St. Paul says, as soldiers we have to stay on guard and fight the enemies of our sanctity.
With God, we can fully appreciate and enjoy the things and gifts He provides. Without Him the "things" present in our lives can be liken to the experience of being given a battery operated toy without the batteries, an incomplete experience resulting in muted fun. The combat boots tie in because we are traveling towards Bethlehem and like St. Paul says, as soldiers we have to stay on guard and fight the enemies of our sanctity.
Let us aggressively seek the Lord this Advent season, so that finding Him anew in our hearts at Christmas, our Joy may be complete. Amen & Amen.
The Potatoes
Celebrating Advent At Home" by the Channing L. Bete co. Booklet
# 17483.
"Advent is derived from the Latin word for "coming". It is the season before Christmas which Christians anticipate the coming of the savior, it begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas & extends through Christmas Eve. Advent originated in the 4th century as a period of penance & preparation for baptisms at Epiphany on Jan. 6th. In the 6th century, advent was moved to the 4 weeks before Christmas with a special liturgy added. In the 9th & 10th centuries, Advent's meaning was broadened to include the expectation of Christ's second coming".
Bio on Blessed Fr. Alberione
On August 20, 1914, in Alba, Italy, Father Alberione founded the first congregation of the "Pauline Family," the brothers and priests of the Society of St. Paul. They were to use the modern means of communications to spread the Gospel. The following year, along with Sr. Thecla Merlo he founded the Daughters of St Paul to carry on with the men this important mission. In 1924, a second congregation for women was born: the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master for the eucharistic, priestly, and liturgical apostolates. To guide these sisters in their new vocation, Father Alberione chose Sr. Scholastica Rivata. Before his life was over he founded and organized a grand total of 10 groups that now make up the Pauline Family. He stressed a spirituality based on the Eucharist and the study of the Scriptures. He presented his followers with Christ as the Divine Teacher, the Way the Truth and the Life. He stressed the importance of developing the whole person and transforming the person into the whole Christ.
Prayer, study, work and poverty were the four wheels that would keep his followers moving towards Christ and make them instruments of salvation. In a papal audience of 1969, Paul VI stated, "Here he is: humble, silent, tireless, always vigilant, ever recollected in his thoughts that run from prayer to work, ever attentive to the ‘signs of the times,’ that is, the most ingenious forms of reaching souls. Our Father Alberione has given the Church new instruments to express herself, new means to add vigor and breadth to her apostolate, a new capability and new awareness of the validity and of the possibilities of her mission in the modern world and with modern means." Fr. James Alberione died in 1971, on nov. 27th. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 27, 2003. Receive more information on the Society of ST. Paul
The Meat
Advent Resources: "Advent Boot Camp", by Dan Burke, Meg Hunter-Kilmer, my friends Cathy & John, Franciscan University of Steubenville, and Dr. Taylor Marshall.
⭕️ PREPARING OUR HEARTS FOR THE COMING KING – ADVENT PREPARATION. By Dan Burke
"There are a number of good ways to say “yes” to God as we prepare for and then enter into Advent:
✏️Attend Mass more frequently with the intention and offering at Mass for the purpose of drawing your heart more deeply into the mystery of Advent.
✏️Begin paying close attention to the readings at Mass.
✏️As you pay close attention to the text, you might want to begin or redouble your commitment to Lectio Divina or Christian meditation during this time.
✏️Read a Devotional Book
✏️Begin a daily reading of a devotion that will specifically address the themes both leading up to and during Advent. Here are the best daily meditation materials that I have encountered (all of these would make great Christmas gifts as well):
- Divine Intimacy
- The Better Part – A Christ Centered Resource for Personal Prayer
- In Conversation with God – Full Set
- In Conversation with God – Advent and Christmas
- Meditations for Advent
- The Liturgy of the Hours – 4 Volume
- The Liturgy of the Hours – 1 Volume – Shorter Christian Prayer (Morning and Evening Prayer)
- Daria Sockey’s great book, The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours
- Praying the Liturgy of the Hours by Fr. Timothy Gallagher
⭕️ "Advent Boot Camp", by Meg hunter-Kilmer
http://www.piercedhands.com/advent-boot-camp-2014-2/
"Week 1: Begin each day with 5 minutes of prayer, make one chapel visit
Day 1: 5 minute warmup; Isaiah 40; 5 minutes silence
Day 2: 5 minute warmup; Isaiah 9:1-6; one decade of the rosary, 5 minutes silence
Day 3: 5 minute warmup; the Office of Readings2; 5 minutes silence
Day 4: 5 minute warmup; Catechism 522-526; one decade of the rosary; 5 minutes silence
Day 5: 5 minute warmup; Luke 1:26-38; 10 minutes silence
Day 6: 5 minute warmup; Chaplet of Divine Mercy; 5 minutes silence
Day 7: 15 minutes of prayer: your choice
⭕️ Thank you Cathy for sending this link for those interested in receiving free daily Advent reflections from "Word on Fire".
http://www.adventreflections.com
⭕️ Thank you John for this info:EWTN Advent preparation
www.ewtn.com/advent/?utm_source=ewtnhome&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=advent
⭕️ "Stay inspired during this joyful season of hope with daily doses of inspiration sent straight to your inbox. Every day, from November 30 to December 24, you will receive inspirational messages in your inbox from saints, popular authors, and others - friends to accompany you on your Advent journey and help you prepare to welcome the Christ Child into your heart. And the best part is that it's FREE! So sign up today to receive our daily Advent e-Spirations - and share this email with your friends and family, too! It's our gift to you. (Check the box next to "eSpirations Daily Emails" on the form.)
May this Advent season be a fruitful one for you and your loved ones. We are praying for you! Peace"
The Christian Outreach Team (Franciscan University of Steubenville)
⭕️3 Reasons to Consecrate Yourself to Mary This Advent By Dr. Taylor Marshall"Do you have a plan for Advent? The best gift you could give to Christ this Christmas would be to consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary using Saint Louis de Montfort’s 33 Day Consecration.Please take a moment to watch the video on the Presentation of Mary in the Temple and learn how you can join our 33Mary.com consecration movement this Advent:
Would you like to join 33mary? Simply visit33mary.com and follow the instructions, and I’ll send you a free book later this week along with your first email for 33Mary this Saturday. Here are three reasons why you should consider consecrating your life using the 33 day consecration:
✏️1) Saint John Paul II said that the 33 Day Consecration was the “major turning point” in his life before becoming Pope.
✏️2) Over 10 Popes have endorsed this 33 Day Consecration Devotion.
✏️3) Numerous saints have endorsed the 33 Day Consecration Devotion as integral to their formation"
The Dessert
THE ART OF WAITING: A RETREAT GUIDE FOR ADVENT", by Fr. John Bartunek
"The Introduction" for this week.
For the next 3 weeks: "Meditation 1", "Meditation 2", and for the last week of Advent, "The Conference".
Audio Link to the retreat: https://soundcloud.com/rcspirituality-org/the-art-of-waiting-audio
Video Link to the retreat: http://rcspirituality.org/the-art-of-waitinga-retreat-guide-for-advent-guide/?submissionGuid=03fe7d90-8258-4918-a38d-fa24a0483dbd
Thanks 4 taking a little time out to feed you soul
Trying to provide quality nourishment is my number one goal
To prevent a lack of spiritual knowledge from taking it's toll
✞ⓂⓂ/℘✞L̶o̶r̶d̶ \o/
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