Flocknote

The 4th Week of Advent begins this Sunday, December 20 when we will light the last candle on the wreath as we consider love or charity. Along with its other challenges, 2020 has brought us a gift. We have an extra long Advent: a chance to focus on preparing our hearts to receive Jesus in a more profound way this Christmas. You are encouraged to come to Holy Spirit this Wednesday, December 23 for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharistic Adoration. Both are available from 5:30-6:30 PM. You don't have to stay the whole hour. Yet, I encourage you to spend some time basking in God's loving presence in Adoration.

Advent Week 4 Prayer

Loving God, we thank you for your gift of love - shown to us perfectly in Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us prepare our hearts to receive Him. Bless us in our prayer. Help us to hear and do your word. We ask it in the name of the one born in Bethlehem, Jesus our Lord. Amen

Prayer from https://www.bne.catholic.edu.au

This week, we reflect on Mary's faith, her fiat (Yes!) to God, and think of her as she anticipated the arrival of Emmanuel- God with Us! Consider praying a Hail Mary each day this week until Christmas Eve.

Holy Spirit's Advent Project

Our Lady of Guadalupe Free Clinic

Please pray for the clinic's volunteer staff of doctors and nurses, and pray for the people who are helped by the clinic.

If you'd like to offer a monetary gift, you may do so online on the parish website.

Visit the parish website for more information on the OLGFC.

Advent Christmas Trivia II

Back by popular demand, the Advent Christmas Trivia event will be offered again this Saturday, December 19 at 7:00 PM. (There will not be new questions, this is a chance for those who missed last week to join this week.) The Zoom link is below, join us for an hour of fun! You can keep score, but we'll also work together, too.

Topic: Advent Christmas Trivia II
Time: Dec 19, 2020 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83553911417?pwd=ckxJcExyRVg4RlF1Z1RMbGRCRmk2dz09

Meeting ID: 835 5391 1417
Passcode: 793664

8 Little Christmases

With a feast as important as Christmas, we are not limited to celebrating it on one day but are encouraged to continue the celebration for eight days – referred to in the Christian tradition as an “octave” – concluding on

January 1. Each day is still another “little Christmas”.

Here is a great quote explaining the reason for the Octave of Christmas:

“In the spirit of the Church the great feasts of redemption should not be restricted to a single celebration but should continue on through a full week. Mother Church is a good psychologist; she understands human nature perfectly. When a feast comes, the soul is amazed and not quite prepared to think profoundly upon its mystery; but on the following days the mind finds it easy to consider the mystery from all sides, sympathetically and deeply; and an eighth day affords a wonderful opportunity to make a synthesis of all points covered...Today for the last time the Church leads us to the crib at Bethlehem” (The Church’s Year of Grace, Volume I, pp. 244-245).

Don't be afraid to turn up the Christmas music, bake more treats, admire your tree, and continue to celebrate Christmas in the days following December 25th.

Plan to celebrate the Octave of Christmas until January 1, making each day

after Christmas Day a ‘little Christmas’.

Wishing you all a Blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Mary Nowakowski