Happy New Year...Advent Begins!

WHAT?!?!?!   It is the new year for us....it is a new LITURGICAL year!  We love this time of year when everything begins anew!  We begin to anticipate the coming of the Lord and we have the opportunity to recommit ourselves to his will.

We have already begun our dash to the mailbox for our surprise Christmas cards from around the world.  I suppose many of you have already made your lists and are checking them twice....but we do things a little slower around here.

Before leaving for Mass, we began our Advent Adventure.  This is a great internet-based program for the family to enjoy during this season.  There are videos and activities to keep up with liturgical readings of the season.  It is available at no cost and is well thought out for all ages to enjoy!

Then we headed out for morning Mass...we went to a different church on the other side of town.  The church is dedicated to St. Anthony Mary Claret, a Spanish priest who led a well traveled life which included missionary work in Cuba.  He died in 1870 after life in exile (Paris) due to the revolution of 1868.  The church itself was beautiful as the wall behind the altar was almost completely glass, which made a beautiful backdrop for the enormous crucifix!


This was funny to have such a view while the priest spoke about staying alert, as it was hard to not day dream as the clouds passed by.  Isn't that what life is like sometimes?  Just when we need to stay focused, we are distracted by the littlest thing and we are off balance and off track.  That is why the Advent is so important.  We read today from Isaiah:

"Would that you might meet us doing right,
that we were mindful of you in our ways!
Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;
all of us have become like unclean men,
all our good deeds are like polluted rags;
We have all withered like leaves,
and our guilt carries us away like the wind.
There is none who calls upon your name,
who rouses himself to cling to you;
for you have hidden your face from us
and have delivered us up to our guilt.
Yet, O LORD, you are our father;
we are the clay and you the potter:
we are all the work of your hands."
(64:4-7)

Notice how it begins with the desire to do what is right.  I do not know many Christians who do not have a desire to do the will of God.  That should always be our greatest desire.  However, the reality sets in that we do not always follow through with that desire.  Sometimes we fall short and we are sinful.  The passage ends with the hope that can only be found in our savior...We must be reminded that we are the clay and God molds us to his will.  When we allow our will to fade away and let God take control of our lives, we become "the work of [his] hands."

This acknowledgement of God's will in our lives continued into the Gospel reading for the day:

"Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be watchful! Be alert!
You do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man traveling abroad.
He leaves home and places his servants in charge,
each with his own work,
and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch.
Watch, therefore;
you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or in the morning.
May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping.
What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’"
(Mark 13:33-37)

Our priest spoke to us about the need to stay alert.  He said, "As a people, are we willing to accept Jesus...if we truly want to carry out God's plan, it is crucial that we recognize Jesus in our lives."  Why do we have to be reminded of this every year?  I guess it goes back to that first reading, we are sinful...and it is hard not to daydream and lose focus.  I am just glad we are given that little nudge each year (day?) to stay alert.

A powerful message to walk away from for the season.

We then made a quick stop at a store to find a coordinating look for Christmas pictures.  (Well, as quick as this could be with 5 children!)  I think we did a good job of making this happen.  It took us a while to get the "perfect" shot for the occasion.  I will post the funny pose the children did at the end of the day to show how much fun we had.

We started a couple of new traditions this year to help us get focused in the right direction.  I will try to share as the days of Advent continue.  This evening, we made a salt dough path to move our Advent candles along (one spot for each day of Advent) that was placed around our traditional wreath.

We ended our day with a dinner of Stone Soup.  This day is traditionally known as Stir Up Sunday and a special pudding is made.  We decided stirring up a pot of soup was more interactive, and we can enjoy one of our favorite books as a family.  Sean found the stone and the adventure began.  We have done this for several years and the soup is always different but always tastes great!  There is something about that stone that makes the soup delicious!  Even the smallest of our crew and the pickiest (not the baby) ate THREE bowlfuls each!  The recipe is great and the story is even better.  A great way to remind our children what can happen when we share with others.

Tomorrow we start using ideas from The Truth in the Tinsel.  Again, I will share as we go along (a little hint...it includes the help from a special angel).  I have great hopes for this season.  I love preparing for the real meaning of Christmas...it is such a great time of healing.  May God bring the same joy to your home!