Advent 2020 Begins

The First Sunday of Advent

Nov 29, 2020 - The First Sunday of Advent is particularly important during the Advent Season and many special activities are launched on this day. Advent calendars may be given on this day. Advent calendars are calendars which count the day to Christmas. Usually, these calendars feature a design where each day, or each Sunday, can be opened, after that day has passed, revealing a toy, chocolate or another treat. This makes it fun for the children to observe the Advent Season. On this day, some people may also light the first candle on their Advent Wreath. This candle symbolizes Hope.

The Second Sunday of Advent

Dec 6, 2020 - On the Second Sunday of Advent, the first and second candle is lit and this second candle represents Peace. It also symbolizes all of the preparations that had to be made in order to receive and take care of the Christ child. On this day, Bible readings that relate to Christ and his manger are read.

The Third Sunday of Advent

Dec 13, 2020 - The Third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, calls for the lighting of the first two candles, as well as the third candle of the Advent Wreath. The candle is known as Joy. On this day, rose-colored vestments are usually worn and the Bible passages read all relate to St. John the Baptist.

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

Dec 20, 2020 - All of the candles are lit on the fourth Sunday. The candle representing this day symbolizes Love. All of the readings on this day pertain to the annunciation of Christ’s birth. When the Advent Wreath has a fifth candle, a candle also known as the Christ Candle, it is lit during the Christmas Eve service.

The Advent Wreath or Crown

Advent Wreaths are often found not only in people’s homes but also in the church. This circular evergreen wreath usually contains 4 candles (and sometimes 5 candles) and each of these candles represents one of the Sundays of Advent. Families who have this wreath in the home will light the candles on each Sunday and say prayers together. It is believed that this tradition goes back to Lutherans in Germany during the 16th century. Sometimes this wreath is known as an Advent Crown.

The Colors of Advent

Purple is usually the primary color associated with Advent because it has historically been the color of royalty and has also been know to reflect penitence and fasting. However, over the years, many different churches have begun using colors other than purple for this holiday. Some churches now use rose or pink colors to represent the joy of the birth of Christ. Other churches may use the color blue to distinguish this liturgical season from Lent.

Advent 2020 will begin on Sunday, November 29th and ends on Thursday, December 24th

Archived 2015: Advent Prayer Calendar
the calendar offers resources for churches, schools and families aimed at helping people to pray and to reflect on how they can keep Christ at the centre of their Christmas preparations.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150523172450/http://www.catholicbishops.ie/advent-calendar/2nd-december/

Note: The virtual doors above cannot be opened ahead of their actual date. All content will go live in the early hours of each morning.

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Angel At Midnight

ANGEL AT MIDNIGHT by Diane Dean White One year, while waiting to move into our own home, we rented an older house in town. It had bedrooms for our children, a nice kitchen, dining area and large spacious living room and enclosed front porch. Our bedroom was at the front of the house and the children's were next to the kitchen near the back. Similar to other older homes, this one had a large attic that had been converted into a small studio apartment. The young man who lived there, was always polite but would soon be moving to another area and new job. The children walked to their schools across the street, and the playground and library were close by. The apartment upstairs remained empty for sometime. With the coming of Thanksgiving, I was busy with preparations for the children and the activities they were involved in so I hadn't noticed the young mother and her little girl until after they had moved in upstairs. I immediately placed some cookies on a plate and took our eighth grade daughter up the side stairway to greet our new neighbors. A young girl in her middle twenties stood in the doorway and stepping back, asked us to come in. Her young daughter spotted the cookies and gave us a bright cheerful grin. You could tell they were mother and daughter --each had lovely blond hair and kind smiles. I introduced myself and my daughter and we talked about the area for a few minutes and, before leaving, Mandy volunteered to watch the little girl if her mother was in need of a babysitter. It turned out that she had her daughter enrolled in day care while she was at work, but Saturdays she might need to call on her. We assured her that was fine. A few days before Thanksgiving, I realized how much I missed our own stove and oven, which was packed away while we were renting. I made a mental note to clean the oven before baking my pies. It was a gas stove, and although I liked cooking over gas, I'd always had an electric stove before. We were planning on grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members to come and share the day. I also sent a note to the gal in the upstairs apartment and invited them to join us. She stopped by later and thanked us but said they would be going home that night to visit her family for the holiday. Thanksgiving was just a few days away! That evening after the children were in bed, I remembered the oven and asked my husband if he would spray the oven cleaner inside and lay papers under it. He took care of it while I busied myself with other things. Then we went to bed. A little after midnight, we were awakened by someone banging at the front door. While grabbing our bathrobes, we realized there was smoke all over the place. I ran to the children's rooms as my husband went to the door. There stood our new neighbor and her little girl. They had just arrived home, and she smelled smoke and called the fire department. Within minutes the firemen came with the siren on and burst into the house. I had gathered the children onto the front porch, wrapped in blankets, far away from the kitchen area. Immediately, the firemen realized where the smoke had started and what had happened. In my haste to have a clean oven, I forgot that the paper which catches the grease doesn't go under a gas oven. Although it had taken a few hours, it caught on fire and the smoke was spreading around the house. We felt awful. The damage was minimal, but most importantly, our three children were safe. After airing the house out, with the help of our friendly fire department, we went back to bed, thankful everyone was okay. Thanksgiving came and we enjoyed pies and a turkey, roasted in a clean oven, along with sweet potato souffle, cranberry sauce, and other vegetables and favorite dressings and trimmings. We were truly grateful for the Lord's protection over us and for our kind neighbors upstairs. As we looked forward to the Christmas holiday, I watched for our neighbor and her little girl, having made some eggnog and cookies. I also had a special gift for each of them. But, the truth was, after that fateful evening when she came and knocked on our door, I hadn't seen them again. I made a trip up to their door and peaked in through the window. The place was empty, as if nobody had even been there. I tried contacting the landlord, but he didn't know anything about them. It seemed incredible. The more I thought about it, the more I realized their short stay had possibly saved us all in an old house that could have gone up in flames so quickly. A Thanksgiving Day doesn't go by that I don't think about them. I know God brings many people into our lives for various reasons. An angel? Perhaps. What I do know for certain, is that each Thanksgiving I remember an old house with young children, and I especially give thanks that we have celebrated many more Thanksgiving Days. The Bible says, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Source:

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The Day After Christmas - Version 4

Twas the day after Christmas, our house filled with joy, the trash-cans were full, from unwrapping each toy. We loved both our children, little Brandi and Rick, So glad they were happy, with the gifts from St. Nick. I sat in my chair and stared out the window, as my wife and the children, took turns with Nintendo. I was deeply troubled for some strange reason, something was lacking, in this Holiday Season. Then the answer came, I knew what was wrong, We've lied to our children, for God knows how long. As I thought more about it, I couldn't help crying, they believed in a Santa Claus, we created by lying. We've told our children, every since I can remember, that Christmas means toys and they come in December If they're good all year and get right to bed, then Santa will come, with his reindeer and sled. When all along we should have taught them to pray, to thank the LORD JESUS, being born on that day. To teach them that Christmas, was a time meant for giving, to share with the needy and be thankful for living. To give from within, then recieving will please us, share the best gift of all and give the LORD JESUS. Caught up in themes, we went along with the rest. but the time had now come to take the parenthood test. I told the children, what I just told you, then they responded like this, when I was finally through. "Thank you Daddy, for telling us this." Wrapped their arms tight around me and gave me a kiss. We've known for a while, that Santa was fake, but we swore not to tell it, for your and Mom's sake." We didn't want Christmas, to be a big flop, and the fun that we have every year to just stop." "And Yes we know Jesus, but thanks just the same, every night when we pray, we call on HIS name." "And remember last Christmas, when we lost all our toys? We gave them to the orphanage, for the girls and the boys." "And we wrote on each package, each one we would send, Merry Christmas, I Love You, from Jesus your friend." "Is that what you meant, what giving's about? "Sharing with others who are doing without." Yes I told them and patted their heads, gave them a hug and put them in bed. Our talk was now over but I have to admit, they acted so grown, that it scared me a bit. But from this day forward, the truth it shall be, cause God gave me children, who are smarter than me.

 

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