A Journey Through Advent 2022

ADVENT A JOURNEY THROUGH WITH HOLY FAMILY

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

by Deacon Bill Hill, Deacon

There was a man who was standing in line with his 5-yearold son at a card store during the Christmas season. The son noticed on the counter a small statue for sale, depicting Santa kneeling at the manger of baby Jesus. Curiously the boy asked, "Daddy, did that really happen?"

Knowing it had not happened but not wanting to blow any Santa legend, the father simply replied, "No, it did not."

Satisfied with his answer, the boy stepped over to be with his mother, while the father remained in line with the card he was going to purchase. The woman standing in front of him in line turned around and snapped, "How dare you, sir?" He said, "How dare I what, ma’am?"

She said, "How dare you tell your little boy that didn’t happen?"

He pointed to the statue and said, "This? Well, it didn’t happen." She insisted, "Oh yes it did! It’s in the Bible. You really ought to read it!"

Chuckling to himself, he told her that he did indeed read the Bible and in fact was a Christian minister. She slammed her cards down on the counter without buying them and stormed out of the store. He apologized to the clerk if he had cost her a sale, but she couldn’t stop laughing, saying, "I can’t believe she actually thought that really happened! I guess some people don’t know the truth about Christmas."

Indeed, some do not because Amazon has over 100 Nativity scenes with Santa Claus kneeling next to the manger. Advent is a four-week period of preparing for the coming again of the Messiah. This should be a time of great expectation and great anticipation. But exactly what is it that we anticipate? What are we getting ready for? What do we expect to happen? Are we preparing our hearts and spirits to receive again the coming of the Christ child into the world? Is Santa Claus or Christ at the center of our Christmas celebration?

Although most of us do not believe that Santa was present at the manger as the lady at the card store, in many instances our Advent preparations are more associated with Santa Claus rather than Christ. For many of us, the center of our Advent preparation is concentrated on Santa Claus! Santa’s purpose was solely to give gifts and that is what dominates our Advent preparation.

This year, can we try to put Christ back into Christmas and prepare for His coming? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could give Jesus a gift from us?

Please think for a few minutes how you individually can make Christmas more about the coming of Jesus. I am not talking about anything earth shattering, but maybe you can try the following:

1. Pray with the Advent wreath at meals, or pray a decade of the rosary each day.

2. Read a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day.

3. Go to a few Masses on weekdays.

4. Think about the sacrifice Jesus made for us by taking on our human form, and just thank him. Amen.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

by Janis Lovecchio, Director of RCIA

The second purple candle on the Advent wreath that we light this week represents peace. In this season of heightened stress and busyness, peace seems almost unattainable. The verse on my coffee mug advises that, “Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” This seems to suggest that the Advent peace longed for this season is not achieved by running from what troubles you. Rather, this peace might be found by simply moving toward the moments of quiet surrender that can be found in prayer. What is occupying your attention this Advent season? Is it fear, anxiety, busyness? Consider taking time to move toward the peace of stillness and prayer. The Daily Examen described below is one way of doing this.

The Examen of Consciousness is a method of reviewing the day in the presence of God. Adapted from a technique described by St. Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises, it is an attitude of thankful reflection on how God is present in everyday life. It’s not complicated and usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Although there are typically five steps to this prayer, the concern should not be with finishing them all. Its goal is a deeper relationship with God and not with merely completing a formula. The steps are simple:

1. Presence: Remember that you’re in the presence of God in a special way when you pray. Ask God for help in your prayer.

2. Gratitude: Recall two or three things that happened today for which you are especially grateful. Savor them. Then thank God for these gifts.

“Be at peace and put aside all anxious thought and imaginations.” — St. Frances de Sales

3. Review: Review your day from start to finish, noticing where you experienced God’s presence. Notice everything from large to small — from an enjoyable interaction with a friend to the feel of the sun on your face. When did you love? When were you loved?

4. Sorrow: You may have sinned today or done something you regret. Express your sorrow to God, and ask for forgiveness. If it’s a grave sin, pray about seeking forgiveness from the person offended, or the sacrament of Reconciliation.

5. Grace: You may want to return to a meaningful part of your prayer and speak to God about how you felt. At the close of the prayer, ask for God’s grace for the following day. Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer. (From “The Daily Examen” by James Martin, S.J.)

Our Gospel for today reminds us that Advent is not so much about Christmas planning as it is about preparing for Christ’s arrival. The Daily Examen is one way to watch and prepare for how Jesus wants to come into our world today.

EVENTS AT HOLY FAMILY THIS WEEK

Icon

of St. Joseph & Prayer Service –

December 4

The Icon of St. Joseph will be the centerpiece of a special prayer service at 7 pm in the Main Sanctuary to honor St. Joseph and pray for his intercession in preserving, cultivating, and passing on the Catholic faith.

Catholicism 101: Mary – December 7

Msgr. Mike Johnston will lead a discussion on Mary at 7:30 pm in the Daily Chapel.

Immaculate Conception – December 8

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Holy Day of Obligation. Mass times are 6:30 pm on December 7, and 12 pm and 7 pm on December 8.

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

by Fr. Mark Simpson, Associate Pastor

I remember as a kid gathering with family around the wreath to say some family prayers. We always lit the candles according to the week of advent and sang “O Come O Come Emmanuel!” before fighting over who got to blow the candles out. With each week another candle was lit, and our excitement grew! We always knew that when the pink candle was lit that we were getting very close. Christmas is almost here! I had to double down on doing good deeds such as cleaning around the house, scratching dad’s back, and trying not to fight with siblings because I knew there was not much time left. Christmas is almost here!

This sentiment that I had as a child was not far from what the Church herself feels even liturgically. Our excitement for Christmas should indeed grow with every candle lit. Now that I am older, I have come to understand that the pink candle is actually rose colored. Rose is a lighter version of purple. The third Sunday in advent is called Gaudete Sunday, coming from the Latin imperative, “Rejoice!” It is a command for us to rejoice because Christ’s coming is imminent!

This Sunday, the rose color represents a reprieve amid the dark winter days, penance, fasting, and almsgiving. Even the first reading for this Sunday says that the desert and parched land will “rejoice” with flowers blooming and goes on to tell us to be strong, have hope, and rejoice! The day is finally approaching.

How many of us have felt like we were in a desert spiritually? How often do we feel overwhelmed by things we have to get done? Where will our reprieve come from? Let us find this healing in prayer, Adoration, confession, or by singing with family off key around the wreath. May our hearts quicken with rejoicing this Gaudete Sunday as we find our hope ever so close in the one whose coming was foretold by John.

"Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them." (Matthew 11:4-6)

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emanuel shall come to you, O Israel!

EVENTS AT HOLY FAMILY THIS WEEK

Christmas Baskets – December 14 – 17

Every year, Holy Family partners with GraceWorks to provide families in need with gifts and food baskets for Christmas. This week of Christmas Basket activities includes Holy Family at the Manger, staging and packing food baskets, and the delivery of food baskets to recipient families. Find out more and sign up to participate at holyfamilycc.com/christmas-baskets.

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

by Amy Eubanks, Director of Adult Faith Formation

Over 20 years ago, my parish in Cincinnati included this reflection in the bulletin:

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is than Falling In Love in a quite absolute final way. What you are in love with, What seizes your imagination, will affect everything.

It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything. pedro arrupe, sj

In the years since, I’ve found it to be a centering point to which I return again and again. The desire to keep finding more of God is my compass in our broken world, pointing me in my own brokenness toward the good Lord. It reminds me I have one true job with simple directions — to keep growing in Love with God. Everything in life is an opportunity to do so, or a distraction that can lead me away.

In this Christmas season, it is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of shopping, presents, cooking, hosting, etc. As we enter this fourth week of Advent, let's take a moment to rest in the love of the Lord and remember the reason for the season.

1. Pray with the Gospel today: Matthew 1:18-24

2. How did Joseph grow in his response to God’s love? How did that response, amidst serious distractions, “decide everything” and change the course for all of us?

3. As I await the birth of Jesus, how is God waiting for me to grow deeper in His Love? What distractions separate me from His Love? How do I offer His love to all whom I encounter?

4. How do I experience God's love for me?

CHRISTMAS

by Fr. Joe McMahon, Pastor

In celebrating the Feast of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the fullness of God’s loving presence becoming fully human. It is important to note that in celebrating the Feast of Christmas we do not celebrate the birth of Christ coming again each year in history. We celebrate a promise fulfilled, that in the birth of Jesus, God truly became fully human once and for all time. In celebrating this feast, we celebrate that God loves us so much he becomes fully human in Jesus of Nazareth. And what this means is that because of God becoming fully human in Jesus of Nazareth, all our humanity is an encounter with the fullness of God’s loving presence in Jesus the Christ.

Concretely this means that all our thoughts, all our feelings, all that we experience in our humanity, provide an encounter with the fullness of God’s loving presence in Jesus. Even our sins are an encounter with the forgiving love of God in Christ Jesus. All human relationships, even the broken ones and the strained ones, are encounters with the fullness of God’s loving presence in Jesus. Not only can we experience this individually and in our respective communities and countries, but also because of the Incarnation — God becoming fully human in Jesus — all of humanity for all time is an encounter with the fullness of God’s loving, saving presence.

Because of the Incarnation, a promise fulfilled, we celebrate that God in Jesus, becoming fully human, comes to where we are in life —in our life situations, our struggles, our brokenness, our hopes and dreams, and efforts to love and be loved. It’s important for us to realize that it’s not up to us to find God, for in Jesus becoming human, God comes to us wherever and however we are in life with the fullness of God’s loving, saving presence.