“Mary is a mother who contemplates her child and shows Him to every visitor. In her, we see the Mother of God who does not keep her Son only to herself, but invites everyone to obey His word and to put it into practice. Saint Joseph stands by her side, protecting the Child and His Mother. Joseph is the guardian, the just man, who entrusted himself always to God’s will. – Pope Francis
Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
Is 40:1-11. Ps 95:1-3, 10-13, R/ cf Is 40:9-10. Mt 18:12-14. www.catholicbishops.ie/readings
Isaiah;s words of comfort breathe the very spirit of Advent. The nation’s slavery is ended and God will lead his people in a new Exodus. The road must be prepared for God to travel on.
Audio: Advent Thought for the Day
Each day during Advent we are bringing you an audio Thought for Today on a different theme. Today’s Thought for Today is from Mary Boyce from Trócaire, the overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland. In this piece Mary shares what the gift of a Mother and Baby Care Kit means to the women Gedo, Somalia which is one of the most dangerous places to have a baby due to the limited maternity services available.
Click below to listen to the audio.
Visual Thought for the Day
Today’s thought for the day visual 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 friendship:
Friendship is one of life’s gifts and a grace from God. Through our friends, the Lord refines us and leads us to maturity. Faithful friends, who stand at our side in times of difficulty, are also a reflection of the Lord’s love, his gentle and consoling presence in our lives. The experience of friendship teaches us to be open, understanding and caring towards others, to come out of our own comfortable isolation and to share our lives with others. For this reason, “there is nothing so precious as a faithful friend” (Sir 6:15).
Friendship is no fleeting or temporary relationship, but one that is stable, firm and faithful, and matures with the passage of time. A relationship of affection that brings us together and a generous love that makes us seek the good of our friend. Friends may be quite different from one another, but they always have things in common that draw them closer in mutual openness and trust.[80]
Friendship is so important that Jesus calls himself a friend: “I do not call you servants any longer, but I call you friends” (Jn 15:15). By the gift of his grace, we are elevated in such a way that we truly become his friends. With the same love that Christ pours out on us, we can love him in turn and share his love with others, in the hope that they too will take their place in the community of friendship he established. And even as he enjoys the complete bliss of the life of the resurrection, we, for our part, can work generously to help him build his kingdom in this world, by bringing his message, his light, and above all his love, to others (cf. Jn 15:16). The disciples heard Jesus calling them to be his friends. It was an invitation that did not pressure them, but gently appealed to their freedom. “Come and see”, Jesus told them; so “they came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day” (Jn 1:39). After that unexpected and moving encounter, they left everything and followed him.
Friendship with Jesus cannot be broken. He never leaves us, even though at times it appears that he keeps silent. When we need him, he makes himself known to us (cf. Jer 29:14); he remains at our side wherever we go (cf. Jos 1:9). He never breaks his covenant. He simply asks that we not abandon him: “Abide in me” (Jn 15:4). But even if we stray from him, “he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim 2:13).
With a friend, we can speak and share our deepest secrets. With Jesus too, we can always have a conversation. Prayer is both a challenge and an adventure. And what an adventure it is! Gradually Jesus makes us appreciate his grandeur and draw nearer to him. Prayer enables us to share with him every aspect of our lives and to rest confidently in his embrace. At the same time, it gives us a share in his own life and love. When we pray, “we open everything we do” to him, and we give him room “so that he can act, enter and claim victory”.
(Christus vivi 151 – 155)
#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
Share a smile with someone today!
Let’s Be Family – Act of Charity
Support families in need in countries ravaged by famine and conflict. Purchase one of this year’s Trócaire Christmas Gifts and give the gift of a family farming kit, a beehive, land for a family hope. Check out all the options on www.trocaire.org.
Living Advent by Caring for Our Common Home
We all love to receive gifts. A home made gift can mean so much more as someone has taken time to craft something for you. Why not choose a home made gift this year?
Living Advent by welcoming Migrants and Refugees
At home, at school, at work, wherever we go today, let us be committed to welcoming the vulnerabilities of our brothers and sisters with whom we come into contact.
Advent Prayers
Our Prayer Intentions for the Day to Pray Together as a Family
1. We pray for those who mourn;
that the Lord may remove their sadness.
2. We pray for our political leaders;
that they may govern with justice and protect the interest
of the most vulnerable members of society.
Remembering Missing Persons
Prayer for Missing Persons
God our Father,
your Son Jesus Christ as a child
was lost in the chaos of a great city
and was restored to the love of his family;
watch over (name of person who is missing),
for whom we pray and protect him/her with your love.
Be near to those who are anxious for him/her;
let your presence change their sorrow into comfort,
their anxiety into trust,
their despair into faith,
that they may know your loving purposes.
And this we ask
in the name of Jesus our Lord,
who loves and lives
and cares for all your children. Amen
Children’s Prayers
A Prayer of Thanks for Family
Lord Jesus,
You also needed a mother and father to grow.
Thanks for my parents.
What would life be without them?
Help me to always be grateful for
the gift which they are to me.
Source: The Family Prayer Book published by Veritas (www.veritas.ie).
Journey Prayer
Arise with me in the morning,.jpg)
Travel with me through each day,
Welcome me on my arrival.
God be with me all the way. Amen
Paidir Thurais
Éirigh liom, a Dhia,
Fan liom i rith an lae,
Sa bhaile agus ar gach turas,
Ná lig dom dul ar strae. Áiméan.
Advent Music
Wait for the Lord is an Advent hymn from Taizé.
The Taizé Community is an ecumenical monastic order that invites people of different Christian faiths to worship together. They are well known for their contemplative hymns in many languages
