The familiar song, The 12 days of Christmas has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning that represents tenants of the Christian Faith. There is some debate on the original meaning and intent of this song, but the lyrical symbolism remains to be a beautiful tool for exploring our faith, particularly […]
Author: Sarah Streitwieser
The 12 Days of Christmas
Liturgically speaking, the season of Christmas actually lasts beyond 12 days. Christmas season begins with the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass and lasts through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. This year the Christmas season will last for 19 days, but the length of the season varies slightly each year with the calendar. Regardless […]
Christmas: Family Prayer
Nightly Prayer: Christmas Season Leader: Let us pray, In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Loving Father, with open arms and hearts we ask to receive Your Son Jesus anew this Christmas season. All: Jesus, You are welcome here. Family member lights the four advent candles, plus […]
Christ the King Reveals Christ Hidden in Advent
I love the Solemnity of Christ the King. Celebrated on the final Sunday of the liturgical year, I imagine the feast as sort of New Year’s Eve celebration – the current year’s way of “going out with a bang” before the next year takes its place. I envision it like an exclamation mark on the […]
Celebrate the ENTIRE Christmas Season
You have spent four weeks preparing for Christmas —don’t let your celebration end after only one day! Starting on Christmas Day, we invite you to light a Christ Candle (usually a tall, white candle), and gather with your family each evening or during a regular family meal. You may wish to place your Christ Candle […]
Family Advent Week 4
Nightly Prayer: Love In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Leader: God our Father, in this final week of Advent, we ask You to fill our hearts, home, and family with Your great love. All: Come, Lord Jesus. Family member lights the four advent candles. Leader: Lord, […]
Family Advent Week 3
Nightly Prayer: Joy In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Leader: Come Holy Spirit! In this third week of Advent, we ask You to fill our hearts with joy as we prepare for Jesus, who is coming soon! All: Come, Lord Jesus. Family member lights the first […]
Family Advent Week 2
Nightly Prayer: Peace In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Leader: Come Holy Spirit! In this second week of Advent, we ask You to fill our hearts with peace as we prepare for Christ’s coming. All: Come, Lord Jesus. Family member lights the first and second purple […]
Family Advent Week 1
Nightly Prayer: Hope In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Leader: God our Father, during this first week of Advent, we ask You to fill our hearts with hope as we journey toward the birth of Your Son. All: Come, Lord Jesus. Family member lights the first […]
Family Advent
Advent Around the Wreath During Advent, we look forward to celebrating the first coming of Jesus at Christmas. With great hope, we also look forward to Jesus’ second coming — His glorious return! As we wait, we seek deeper encounter with Jesus at the Mass, in the Eucharist, and through prayer. The tradition of lighting […]