Fourth Sunday of Advent
Check out our fourth Sunday of Advent’s Sabbath Guide!
Fourth Sunday of Advent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“Then the angel said to her, do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Lk 1: 30)
As we get closer to Christmas, you might find yourself reflecting on how fast this year has gone by. This year has pressed us to experience a dramatic shift from our familiar way of life. For many of us, letting go of the old familiar way we used to live has been particularly difficult as we adjusted to a re-routing of our lives. For this reason especially, you might be yearning to make Christmas and family traditions as normal as possible. The exterior preparation for the season might look the same as before such as a beautiful tree, shiny ornaments and twinkling lights. All of which have been prominently displayed in stores for a few months now.
Although surrounded by delightful decorations everywhere we look, it might not be a big surprise that many of us are feeling fatigued, melancholy and perhaps have a nagging feeling of how uncertain the future seems. It might be hard to muster up some Christmas cheer! Maybe you have a deep longing in your heart for some good news to help you feel reassured and safe. This sense of longing should not surprise us as one of the strongest human desires is for peace.
Whatever you might say about the times in which we live today, you would likely not say they are filled with peace. We need peace for our hectic and troubled hearts. In Luke’s gospel, we see a glimpse into Mary’s life as she also faced a dramatic shift from her reality, potentially disrupting her peace. In fact, her initial reaction was that “she was greatly troubled” (Luke 1:29). Although we get a sense of the initial fear and confusion she might have felt, we also see the example of God wanting Mary to be at peace. Before the angel announces a change of plan for her life, he reassures her to “not be afraid” because she has “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). This is a powerful reminder that peace is not absence of conflict or problems, but rather peace is an absence of fear. On the first Christmas night, the angels announced “peace among those with whom God is pleased” (Lk 2:14). How is it possible today to experience an absolute peace that erases fear from our hearts?
Christ our Lord, the Prince of Peace, has come into this world so that we might have peace. He was born, suffered, and died for us so that we might have the peace of being reconciled to God, and the grace to truly reconcile with one another. The peace he offers us is not the peace of the world, which seeks only to avoid conflict, but is a deeper peace, rooted in authentic reconciliation and forgiveness, a peace which anchors our hearts in his love and which casts out all fear, no matter what storms may rage around us. And so as we prepare for Christmas, prepare your heart to receive Him and allow yourself to let go of anything that keeps peace away. “Be anxious about nothing. But in all things, with prayer and supplication, with acts of thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And so shall the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
PRACTICE
Christmas is just a few days away. Even though this year has held extraordinary challenges, the Prince of Peace wants to be born anew in our hearts and lives. But often there are things we need to surrender to make room for Him. Our practice this week is to take some time to reflect on what we need to let go of so that we are better able to receive our newborn King, for example:
Is there any unforgiveness you need to surrender?
Is there any fear or anxiety about a situation that you need to surrender?
Is there any anger you need to surrender?
Is there a situation you are impatient about that you need to surrender?
Is there something in your life that you are trying to control that you need to surrender?
Whatever it is that you need to let go of, take some time to surrender it to the Lord in prayer. Your prayer can be as simple as, “Jesus, you are the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace, I give to you ________. Help me to let go of this so that I might be more filled with your love, joy, and peace as I celebrate your birth at Christmas. I am your servant, be it done unto me according to Your will.”
You might also find encouragement in reflecting on the words of St. Teresa of Avila, known as her “Bookmark”:
Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing; God only is changeless.
Patience gains all things. Who has God wants nothing.
God alone suffices.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to do something last week to spread joy to someone else? How did it go?
In this Fourth Sunday of Advent we focus on peace. What are words you would use to describe what it is like when you feel at peace?
Is there a difference between what the world considers to be “peace” and what a Christian considers to be “peace”? If so, what is different? If not, what is the same?
Do you consider yourself to be an anxious person? Are there things that you feel particularly anxious about right now?
We hear in today’s Gospel that Mary was “greatly troubled” at the greeting of the angel Gabriel. And, yet, even in the uncertainty and questions she is able to respond, “may it be done to me according to your word.” What lesson is there for us in her example?
With Christmas being this week is there anything you need to let go of to be more filled with His peace at the celebration of His birth?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Draw a picture of what you think an angel looks like. We don’t know what angels look like so it’s fun to use our imagination to think about what they could look like!
CONNECTION
On this fourth Sunday of Advent we read the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus. We see Mary’s example of faith and obedience to God. It is a great example to us of how to be obedient even when we are scared or don’t know what’s going to happen. Mary trusted and said yes so we should follow her example in our own lives.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What would you say/do if an angel told you that you would be the Mother/Father of Jesus?
Do you think it was easy or hard for Mary to say yes to God? Why?
What do you think the life of Mary was like?
Mary says yes to being the mother of Jesus. What are some ways you can say yes to being a follower of Jesus?
Third Sunday of Advent
Check out our third Sunday of Advent’s Sabbath Guide!
Third Sunday of Advent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“My soul rejoices in my God.” (Isaiah 61:10); “My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47)
Have you been able to experience joy this Advent? It can be so easy for us to focus only on the negative things, as we observe life through the microscope of our minds. Sometimes it seems that all we can focus on under the microscope lately is the disease of the present. Ever before us is all that has been lost, the ways things have changed, the dissatisfaction with the current situation. But we can choose what we focus on, even in times of challenge and struggle. Where we place our attention can either lead to encouragement or consternation, to joy at the moment, or distress at the present.
To help us cultivate our sense of joy, we can look to Mary, the mother of Jesus, whom we join as we sing the Magnificat (in the responsorial-psalm). Mary is pregnant with Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her cousin Elizabeth, whom she is visiting, is pregnant with John the Baptist. John leaps for joy in the womb of Elizabeth at the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary, and in an explosive response of joy, Mary tells Elizabeth, “My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Lk 1:46-47).
In our Gospel, we encounter John the Baptist, the last great prophet, who announces the coming of the Messiah. Away from the commotion, out in the wilderness, John is more conscious of the promptings of the Holy Spirit, helping him to perceive the truth that Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us”. He is a living encouragement for us to do the same, to “make straight the way of the Lord” (Jn 1:23), which is so often overgrown with a tangle of voices and viewpoints which obscure our focus. We are encouraged during this time of Advent to withdraw from the world in some way to be able to be more aware of the presence of God, and to be able to recognize Him when He shows up in our life, which often happens in subtle ways. Our increased attention to God’s subtle action in us allows us to rejoice in His presence and, like John the Baptist, to point Him out as the source of joy to others: “He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him” (Jn 1:7).
With the example of John the Baptist in mind, we come back to Mary and notice that she could have easily focused on the struggles of her current circumstances, full of uncertainty, and the fears about her future as she traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Acknowledging God's goodness to her, Mary chose to focus on His greatness instead of her anxieties. The words of Mary’s song of praise contain real wisdom for awakening greater joy in our own life. Mary says that her “spirit”–all that she is–“rejoices in God” her “savior” (Lk 1:47). Where does such joy come from? How does this happen to her? She lets us know that it is because her “soul magnifies the Lord” (Lk 1:46). Mary is flooded with joy because she is “magnifying”, or zooming in, on the work and presence of God at the present moment.
There is, without a doubt, a lot of distraction from the goodness of God in our world today, and it is easy to allow ourselves to be swept along by it and focus on, almost exclusively, what seems to be inevitable chaos and doom. Mary’s situation was not ideal, but despite all that, she remembered the joy of the Savior by focusing on and pondering His ways. Within this time of advent, we are invited to take up Mary’s disposition, and refocus the eyes of our hearts on the Savior, who alone brings an unshakeable and lasting joy. Then we can live the words we hear from St. Paul: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess 5:16-18).
PRACTICE
The first reading speaks powerfully of the mission to spread joy to others, not just in word but through concrete actions. Find one way this week to spread joy to someone else. It could be sending a card to someone in prison. It could be making a phone call to someone you think might be lonely. It could be anonymously paying for the coffee of the customer behind you. Choose one specific way to bring joy to someone else this week.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Were you able to take any time last week to reflect on God’s action in salvation history or in your own personal history? If so, did you have any thoughts or insights on that?
As we light the pink candle this week for Advent the theme is about joy! Do you see much joy in the world today? What about in your own life: are you experiencing much joy?
Is there a difference between joy and happiness? If so, how would you explain the difference? If not, how are they similar?
What is the kind of joy you want? Pause for a moment and reflect on what brings you joy; the real joy that has substance, the sort of joy that lingers in the memory years later.
In the Catholic devotion of the Rosary there are different sets of “mysteries” (or events in the life of Jesus) that you are invited to reflect on as you pray. What about each situation in the Joyful Mysteries do you think would have been hard or contained challenges? Why do you think they are still called “joyful”? The five events of the Joyful Mysteries are:
the Annunciation (when the angel Gabriel comes to announce to Mary that she has been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah)
the Visitation (when Mary travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is also pregnant)
the Birth of Jesus
the Presentation (when the infant Jesus is presented at the temple)
the Finding of Jesus in the Temple (when at the age of 12 Jesus was lost for three days before being found in the temple)
Can you think of a time when you were able to find joy even in the midst of challenge or suffering?
What are ways this week that you can “rejoice always”?
What are ways this week that you can spread joy to others?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Find a candle in your home. Turn off all the lights in the room and light the candle. Talk about how much light that one candle makes in the darkness. If you have more candles, light more and see how the light overcomes the darkness around it.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel we hear again about how John the Baptist was baptizing and preparing the way for Jesus. The Gospel says that John the Baptist “came to testify to the light.” Jesus, The Light of the World, is coming and we are called to testify, or be witnesses, to the light just like John the Baptist.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What does light do for us in our everyday lives? How is Jesus like light?
What does the word ‘witness’ mean? How was John the Baptist a witness to Jesus?
How can we be witnesses to Jesus? What is one thing you can do this week to be a witness to Jesus?
Second Sunday of Advent
Second Sunday of Advent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken” (Isa 40:3-5).
Over 2600 years ago, in 586 BC, it seemed like God had failed his people. The Babylonians were at the gates, and king Nebuchadnesar was poised to destroy both Jerusalem--the Holy city--and the God’s own temple. How could the Lord fail to protect them? He was the mighty one, the one true God who had chosen the people of Israel for himself, working such mighty deeds to free them from slavery in Egypt and to bring them into the promised land. He had done great miracles before, so why not now? But instead, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and sent the Jewish people into exile. It seemed as if God’s promises had failed.
It is into this darkness that the words of the Lord spoken through the prophet Isaiah radiate such great light. The beginning of Isaiah 40 reads, “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2). To a people in exile, to whom all hope seems lost, the Lord speaks words of comfort and hope. His promises have not failed, and on the contrary, the long-awaited Saviour is coming soon. These words of hope, echoing throughout the centuries to sustain the people, find their fulfilment in John the Baptist, who comes to prepare the way for the promised Messiah, proclaiming, “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:7-8). He is the voice who cries out in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight his paths” (Mk 1:3) for the Lord is coming soon!
This Advent season, with the pandemic still around us after nine long months, we may be feeling a heavy burden. We may be tired, frustrated, or ready to just give up, unable to withstand the darkness of our own exile from friends, family, and normal life any longer. These Scriptures speak a powerful word of hope for us in this time. By recounting the history of salvation, they help us read our own situation in the light of God’s mighty deeds. They recall to us the moments when it seemed as if God’s promises had failed, and the way in which they were ultimately fulfilled. They encourage us in times of darkness to remember God’s promises and His fidelity, and so to take hope. Hear, then, the word of the Lord, which He spoke so long ago to a people in exile, and speaks also to you today: “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end” (Isa 40:1-2).
PRACTICE
In this second week of Advent the readings speak to us of hope. It can be hard during times of challenge to remain hopeful, but it is in times of adversity that we need to cling to hope the most. Our practice this week is to have our hope renewed by reflecting back on God’s faithfulness. Consider using one, or both, of the suggestions below to find comfort in the ways God has moved in power in the past.
God’s Faithfulness to His People - The Advent tradition of a “Jesse Tree” is a way to remember God’s action throughout salvation history. You can consider making a physical Jesse Tree with ornaments that can be placed each day to remember specific events from the Bible. Or even without the physical tree, take some time to read through the Scripture verses that go with the ornaments to remember how God has been faithful to His people. You can find many creative suggestions online for how to make a Jesse Tree, and also a list of Scripture verses for reflection.
God’s Faithfulness to You - Set aside some time to reflect on your own personal history. Start as far back as you can remember, and as you think through your life ask these questions:
Where has God been present in the circumstances of your life?
Where has God been faithful to you in the past?
Where have you seen God’s gifts and blessings to you throughout your life?
As you take time to remember God’s action throughout salvation history, and throughout your own personal history, ask Him to fill you again with trust and hope for the future.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything different last week to enter into this season of Advent?
In the first reading we hear the Lord speaking words of comfort and encouragement to His people. Is there any certain area of life right now where you are longing for comfort or encouragement?
To the Israelites in exile it had seemed like the Lord had failed them, but the second reading assures us that the “Lord does not delay his promise.” What are your feelings on that? Has it ever felt like the Lord did not keep His promise to you? How do you work through those feelings with faith and hope?
Is hope something you are experiencing right now? Or do you feel more a lack of hope? Why do you think that might be?
Can you think back on a time when God has been faithful to you? What is one way you have seen Him at work, even if at the time it didn’t seem clear?
Are there ways this Advent that you could “prepare the way of the Lord” with hope? What could that look like in our circumstances of 2020?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Set up an obstacle course by placing objects around the room which the kids will have to navigate around as they follow a designated leader around the room. The leader and kids will pick up the items to clear the path as they march just like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.
CONNECTION
In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist announces that something great is about to happen- the savior that God has promised is coming. John preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins as the way to welcome Jesus. In this Advent season, we must prepare our hearts for Jesus’ coming by being sorry for our sins and asking for God’s forgiveness.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does our family get ready for the Christmas season?
What does John the Baptist announce to the people?
How does John the Baptist’s message help us get ready for Jesus’ coming?
What can you do to get ready to welcome Jesus?
FAMILY PRACTICE
During the Advent season, if you are old enough, go to confession. Confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness is a great way to “make straight his paths” in our lives.
First Sunday of Advent
First Sunday of Advent
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come” (Mk 13:33).
This time of year is often filled with a flurry of busy-ness and a bustle of preparation as we look towards Christmas. We are invited, though, to take some time to watch and wait during Advent, the four weeks leading up to the celebration of Christ’s birth.
What is it that we are to be watchful for? During Advent, which comes from the Latin word meaning “coming,” we are watchful for the three comings of Jesus Christ. The first coming we prepare for is to remember the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The second coming we prepare for is as we look towards Jesus’ final coming in glory at the end of time. But we also wait and watch and prepare for another coming - the coming of Jesus more into our lives right now, in this present moment.
Think of a time when you were eagerly anticipating the arrival of someone you love. Did you check the time often, impatient for the moment to come? Were you busy with preparations - maybe cleaning your home or making a meal - fervently getting ready to welcome the one you were waiting for? Love makes us vigilant. In this season of Advent, we are invited to be vigilant in love, to watch and prepare for the coming of Jesus Christ. Not so much in the hectic tasks of decorating and baking and buying gifts, but to prepare our hearts with more silence and more prayer, with repentance from our sins and sincere care and concern for others.
It can be tempting during this busy season to allow ourselves to become overwhelmed and distracted. Or to unintentionally skip over Advent. But just as you wouldn’t start the dinner before your special guest had arrived, so Advent invites us not to jump straight into Christmas, but to take the four weeks we are given to prepare our hearts for the arrival of our King.
Jesus asks us to be watchful and alert, breaking from the demands of this world, waking from the slumber we can be lulled into through the routine of daily life, to place our focus more on Him and His love for us. We eagerly look towards the celebration of Christmas. We ardently wait for Jesus’ return at the end of time. And we fervently long for Him to come more and more into our hearts right now.
Come, Lord Jesus, come.
PRACTICE
It can be tempting to jump completely over this time of Advent, diving headlong into celebrating Christmas already. While there is nothing wrong with listening to Christmas carols and putting out Christmas decorations during Advent, we also want to be conscious of giving Advent due space in our lives so that when Christmas does finally arrive we are filled with joy, not with “holiday let-down.” Below are a few suggestions to consider for your time of watching and waiting during Advent:
Use an Advent wreath - You can find a prayer of blessing for your Advent wreath as well as prayers to use each week online here.
Ease in to decorating your home for Christmas - maybe do a little each week of Advent, or wait to decorate your tree until Christmas Eve
Put out a Nativity scene but do not put out baby Jesus until Christmas Day
Commit to a small sacrifice during the time of Advent similar to what you might do during Lent, as a way to wait and to prepare
Add times of prayer and silence during Advent, perhaps with a form of prayer you aren’t usually able to be committed to like the Rosary or reading the Daily Mass readings that can be found here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything different last week based on the readings or practice?
Did you grow up with any Advent traditions? Are there any Advent traditions you practice now?
Has there ever been a time in your life when you were watching and waiting for someone or something? What emotions did you experience? What did you do during that time?
Are there ways that Advent and Christmas become “blurred” for you? Is there any one thing you could do to keep Advent as a time of preparing for Christmas?
What does it mean for you in your life to be “watchful and alert” for the coming of the Lord?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Make an advent calendar! You can make a paper chain countdown- removing one chain each day. Or you can write out the numbers 1-26 on separate pieces of paper and remove a number each day.
CONNECTION
Today’s Gospel reminds us that Advent is about more than our preparation for Christ’s birth at Christmas. Advent is also about preparing ourselves for Christ’s return in glory at the end of time. We must stay alert and watchful. Our faithfulness to God through good and bad times helps us to be ready for when Jesus will come again.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What’s your favorite thing about the Christmas season?
Do we know when Jesus will come again? (No) What did Jesus tell us to do?
How can we stay watchful and alert?
How can we keep our focus on Jesus during this season?
FAMILY PRACTICE
As Advent begins, come up with a family practice that you can commit to doing every day. Praying a decade of the Rosary, or reading a family reflection on Advent during dinner are great practices to add during this season as we prepare for Jesus’ birth.
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit upon his glorious throne, and all nations shall be gathered together before Him, and He shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates His sheep from the goats. He will set/place the sheep on His right side/hand and the goats on His left” (Matthew 25:31-33).
Perhaps you have never noticed the stained glass image of Christ the King in the St. Kilian Chapel at St. Ann, but it is worth reflecting on, especially this week, as we celebrate the solemnity. The depiction of Christ crowned in glory with sheep approaching one side and goats departing by the other is something we may have glossed over, but it has an important message for us if we take the time to ponder it.
In the Gospel, Jesus declares that the Son of Man “will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left” (Mt. 25:33). This is likely the first thing that we might notice as we look at this image, but notice also that the sheep are facing Christ, while the goats are facing away from Him. The main dividing characteristic between the sheep and the goats is their orientation and posture. Those who keep their gaze on Christ, no matter what comes their way, are rewarded with beatitude, that is, with the blessed vision of Christ for all eternity. They are able to perceive Him in all situations and people, especially ones filled with hunger, thirst, nakedness, exile, illness, and imprisonment. Despite all the desperation displayed before them, the sheep stay oriented towards Christ the King who reigns in every circumstance. The goats, on the other hand, are not facing Christ. With their face turned away, they give Christ their backs. The posture they assume shows us that they have turned away from the face of Christ, facing instead out towards the world.
Contemplating this image brings to mind another dramatic scene from the Gospels: the crucifixion. Looking at this teaching of Christ, we can see a similarity with the cross. We read that after Jesus' crucifixion, the soldiers placed above His head a sign which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (Mt. 27:37). Next it is recorded that “two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left” (Mt. 27:38), like the sheep and the goats of our parable. Christ’s response to the repentant thief is the same as what he says to His sheep: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43). The glory of Christ and the cross are connected. The “good thief” on the right side of Christ does not look to himself for salvation but to Christ on the cross, to Christ who is hungry for souls, thirsting for love, estranged, alone, and abandoned, to the Christ who hangs naked from the tree. The thief on the left, the goat, does not accept Christ on the cross and can only mock what he cannot control. To those who lack the humility to see grace breaking out in these terrible circumstances, all that can be done is to curse the world, which begins to become less clear, less comprehensible, and less full of meaning.
If we stop and take a moment to think about it, we can find that, throughout this tumultuous year, we ourselves have taken on the orientation of both the sheep and the goats. At the close of this liturgical year, on this Solemnity of Christ the King, we are called to reflect on when we have responded to the cross-moments in our lives like the good thief and bad thief. When we look at the fading light of this year, and as the dawn of a new year is just about to rise, it is important to ask ourselves an uncomfortable but necessary question: where am I? On the left or the right? Perhaps, if we do not like where we are now in association with Christ, we ask forgiveness and ask for the grace to be where He wants us to be at this time next year.
PRACTICE
This week think about how you can help those who are hungry or in need. Maybe you can clean out your closet and your toys and donate them. Or you can use some of your own money to give to the Thanksgiving baskets. Or donate food to a food bank. Or you could make cards for those in nursing homes. There are lots of ways we can help those in need around us.
Next Sunday marks the beginning of a new liturgical year with the season of Advent. As this year comes to a close, it can be helpful to look over this year, to take stock of how closely we journeyed with the Lord, and how we cooperated in His grace.
For the practice this week, spend some time reflecting on this past liturgical year, thinking back to the first Sunday of Advent in 2019 to now. You may have found that you have had more time than usual to reflect, or maybe you’ve been doing everything you can just to stay afloat. Either way, we’re inviting you to spend some time prayerfully reflecting on this year. Where have you witnessed God at work, God’s grace breaking into the everyday burdens and tasks? Where did you cooperate with God’s grace and grow in obedience and humility? Where did you fall short? When in these past twelve months have you been a sheep? When were you a goat? How in these past twelve months have you reached out and cared for those near you?
Having spent time reflecting on this past year, thank the Holy Spirit for His inspiration and journeying with you in this process of recollection. Ask Him to guide you now to make some firm resolutions for the coming year. Looking over this past year and how you cooperated in God’s grace or have fallen short, what can you do moving forward to stay oriented towards Christ’s face?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
When you think about Christ as the King, what image comes to mind? Have you ever looked at the image in the St. Kilian’s Chapel of Christ the King? When you look at it what do you notice?
The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel speaks about how God will rescue His sheep “scattered on the day of dark clouds” (Ezek. 34:12). It seems there have been a lot of “darkness and clouds” in this past year for many of us. Where have you experienced this? Did you experience God’s presence working in that moment or later on? Where have you witnessed God at work, in the everyday burdens and tasks? Have there been any struggles this year that you have been grateful that God has allowed?
Where did you cooperate with God’s grace and grow in obedience and humility? Where did you fall short?
In the Gospel, Jesus talks about the time of judgment saying that He will be separating “sheep from the goats.” and that “He will set the sheep on His right side and the goats on His left” (Mt. 25:32-33). What does it look like to be a “sheep” vs. a “goat”? When in these past twelve months have you been a sheep? When were you a goat?
Christ identifies Himself with the hungry, thirsty, strangers, abandoned, naked, sick and imprisoned. How in these past twelve months have you reached out and cared for Christ in people suffering in those ways?
Do you have a vision for where you want to be at this time next year?
Having recalled this past year and how you cooperated in God’s grace or have fallen short, what can you do moving forward to stay oriented towards the face of Christ?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Make a list of the things that make someone a good King/Queen (helpful, kind to others, brings peace, etc.). Then go through the list and see if Jesus has all of those requirements. He should! He is the greatest King!
CONNECTION
Today is a special feast in the church year- it is the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (also known as the Feast of Christ the King). The priest wears white vestments to signify this special feast. Jesus tells us in the Gospel today of the sorts of things he wants us to do for each other- feed and clothe the hungry and needy, care for the sick, welcome strangers, visit those in prison. He says that whoever did these things to the people around them, did them to Him meaning that whenever we help others, we are helping Jesus.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How is Jesus like a King?
How will Jesus separate the sheeps from the goats?
Why does Jesus want us to help those in need?
What are some simple acts of love and kindness?
FAMILY PRACTICE
This week use the particular gift/talent, you just discussed, that God has given you. Make a plan on how you can use one of your talents this week to help someone.
XXXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time
33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize” (Prov 31:10-11).
Last week in our Sabbath Guide, we saw how the wise virgins were the ones who recognized that everything is a gift from the Lord, and who set aside a portion of their material goods (symbolized by the oil in their lamps) as dedicated to Him. Over the course of this week, we have been releasing a series of short videos to teach about some of the beautiful theology and effects of tithing, that it helps us grow in faith and practice interior freedom in resisting our tendency to put our trust in the false idol of Mammon (wealth). If you haven’t seen these videos, check them out at stannparish.org/tithe. Today, we zoom out, expanding our view of stewardship to look at how we are called to make good use of all that God has given us–our abilities, strengths, natural and supernatural gifts, and time–in whatever situation we find ourselves in.
Our first reading can seem a curious choice by the Church when you understand that during the weeks of Ordinary Time, the first reading and psalm are always paired together intentionally with the Gospel. What does the praise of the worthy wife in Prov 31 have to do with the parable of the talents in Mt 25? It becomes more clear when we read Prov 31 allegorically as descriptive of Christ the bridegroom, and his bride, the Church, along the lines of Eph 6:21-30. There, St. Paul describes the sacrificial love of Christ for his body and bride, the Church, and how he “handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her with by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Eph 6:25-27). In this light, we see the words of Proverbs 31 as descriptive of Christ’s great love for us, and how through His sacrifice on the Cross, He has irrevocably proven that love to us, that our value to Him is “far beyond pearls… an unfailing prize” (Prov 31:10-11).
What, then, is our response to such tremendous love from our divine bridegroom? It is to bring Him “good, and not evil, all the days of [our] life” (Prov 31:12), working diligently “with loving hands” (Prov 31:13), reaching out our “hands to the poor,” and extending our “arms to the needy” (Prov 31:20). By meditating on the virtues of the worthy wife in Prov 31, we can see an example of the many practical ways we can serve the Lord in small things done with great love. This is the same message as in our Gospel, where we see that our response to God’s great love is to make wise and faithful use of the talents with which He has entrusted us, in the hope to one day hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy” (Mt 25:21).
PRACTICE
If you haven’t been able to yet, please consider making a financial pledge to St. Ann to support the work and mission of our parish in this upcoming year. You can view a series of short videos here that can help you in your discernment and to make a commitment.
The rest of the practice for this week is to continue exploring what it means to be good stewards of all that God has given us, fulfilling our responsibilities for the service of others and the glory of God. Considering the different roles you have in your life (i.e. single, married, parent, child, friend, roommate, student, employee) we invite you to reflect on qualities from the section of Proverbs used in the first reading. You can use some of the questions below as a guide. Take your Bible and read the full passage from Prov 31:10-31, and as you go through the reflection, ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areas He might be asking you to grow in, to greater fulfill what the Lord is asking of you. Try to make a concrete commitment to do at least one thing differently this week.
Qualities found in Proverbs 31:10-31:
Good judgment - do I make good decisions, taking time to seek the Lord’s will and be prudent in all of my affairs?
Brings profit not loss - do I live within my means?
Works with skillful hands - am I faithful to my calling as a student, or employee, not wasting time and doing my very best?
Secures provisions - do I see mundane tasks like laundry and grocery shopping as responsibilities that the Lord has entrusted me with?
Rises early - do I start my day with prayer, giving the Lord the “first fruits” of my time?
Looks to the future - do I live in the balance between trust in the Lord for all I need, but also wisely planning for the future?
Exerts her arm with vigor - am I willing to work hard for others, even if I am tired or not recognized or appreciated?
Helps the poor and needy - am I generous in service of others, particularly the poor?
Filled with joy not anxiety about the future - do I worry inordinately about what is to come, or do I find joy in the moment the Lord has given me?
Opens mouth in wisdom - is my conversation wise and uplifting?
Gives kind instruction - am I willing to speak truth charitably to others?
Is not idle - Do I waste a lot of time on entertainment or “escapism” habits instead of finding a balance of work and true life-giving leisure?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
The first reading gives a beautiful description of a wife who works diligently for her family, but it can be applied to all of us in regards to being responsible to what we are called to do. Are there any responsibilities you have (this could be in the home, in your work, at school, etc.) that you particularly dislike? Have you ever considered doing that responsibility faithfully as a way of living out your friendship with Jesus?
The parable in the Gospel is about a man entrusting his servants with his possessions. What are examples of things you feel the Lord has entrusted to you?
Reflecting on what the Lord has entrusted to you and how you are responding, do you feel more like the first, second, or third servant? Why might that be?
In this parable our Lord does not include an example of a servant who worked hard to gain a return on what had been entrusted to him but then fails (only servants who are successful, or a servant who doesn’t try). Why do you think that might be?
As you reflect on the different roles you have in your life (ie. parent or child, spouse or single, employee or student) what are some things the Lord asks of you to be responsible and faithful to that role?
What is one way this week you could be a more faithful steward of what the Lord has entrusted to you in the roles He has called you to?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Give everyone a piece of paper and tell them to draw a picture and/or write a talent that they may have. Then have everyone fold their paper and hide it somewhere in the house to be found by another . When the "talent papers" are all found, sit down and discuss the talents that everyone can use for God.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel, God is the Master and we are his servants. The talents that the master gave to his servants in this story was a form of money but God has given us talents too. He created each of us with special gifts and he expects us to use those gifts to follow Him and bring others to know Him.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Do you have a special gift or talent? What is it?
Does everyone have the same gifts and talents? Why not?
What would happen if we had talents that we “buried” or didn’t use?
How can we use the gifts that we have?
FAMILY PRACTICE
This week use the particular gift/talent, you just discussed, that God has given you. Make a plan on how you can use one of your talents this week to help someone.
XXXII Sunday in Ordinary Time
32nd Sunday of ordinary time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
“At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps” (Mt 25:6-7). With this parable of the wise and foolish virgins, we begin our annual stewardship drive, which will continue over the course of this week through next weekend. The example of the wise virgins in the parable teaches us a lesson of paramount importance, namely, how to use our resources wisely to prepare for the coming of the divine bridegroom. Taking the oil in their lamps as a symbol of our resources, we see that they can be spent wisely or foolishly. The foolish virgins dissipate their oil without realizing what it was for, and run out before the bridegroom comes. Perhaps they were distracted, or forgetful, or careless, but in any case we see that they did not act as good stewards, using well what had been given to them. The wise virgins, on the other hand, use their oil well, making sure to have enough to light the way when the bridegroom arrives. In the face of so many needs and wants that we face, so many ways to potentially use our resources, how do we ensure that we use them wisely?
Wisdom is, according to our first reading, “the perfection of prudence” (Wis 6:15). St. Thomas Aquinas explains that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit which helps us to see all things in the light of divine truth (Summa Theologiae, II-II. q.45). It helps us understand clearly how God has made us for Himself, how His desire for us is to enjoy eternal beatitude with Him, and in light of these things, how we are to use our resources well. Returning to our parable, the wise virgins knew that the oil had been set aside for a certain purpose. It was reserved for the bridegroom, whose coming they eagerly desired (even though they fell asleep for a while!). The reason they could not give to the foolish virgins was not because they were hoarding their oil, but rather because it was not theirs to give – it had already been promised to God.
We are also invited not to burn all of our oil, so to speak, on only the wants and needs of this world, but to be wise in setting some aside for the Lord. This is the invitation given to us as we consider a financial commitment to St. Ann. To set aside a portion of our finances, to give back to the Lord, for use by our church. To use what we have been given to support the mission of the church, being watchful and vigilant in this work, since “we know neither the day nor the hour” (Mt 25:13).
PRACTICE
Our practice this week is to take some time to prayerfully discern what sort of financial commitment you can make to St. Ann in the coming year.
First, we invite you to watch our series of videos that can help you as you make your decision. These videos will be released each day over the coming week and will go deeper into the theology of tithing as well as some practical help for how much and how consistently we should give.
Then, we would be so grateful for any financial commitment you can make to support the extraordinary work and mission of St. Ann. You can access online giving here.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below. What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything this past week that was inspired by last Sunday’s practice? Maybe try something new to grow in devotion to a saint?
The importance of wisdom is a strong theme in the readings this week. How would you explain what it means to have wisdom? Are there ways to grow in wisdom?
Can you think of a time in your life when you acted “foolishly”? What was it that impacted your decision at the time?
Is there a situation you are facing in your life right now where you really need wisdom?
This week at St. Ann we will be focusing on stewardship. We recognize that all we have has been given to us by the Lord and He asks us to be faithful stewards (or managers) of what He has given us. Do you feel you usually look upon what you have as “yours” or more see everything as God’s? What makes that easy or hard to do?
What are some of the factors that make it challenging to commit to financial support of the parish and other charitable organizations?
Have you ever experienced a time when you made a choice to give sacrificially and had a positive experience because of it?
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Tell your kids that you are going on a pretend trip. What would be the things we would need to take with us so that we are prepared? Name as many things that you would need to go on your trip.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to tell us that we need to always be prepared for His second coming. Jesus tells us in Scripture “that He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead” (Nicene Creed). In this parable, the wedding banquet is like God’s kingdom and the coming bridegroom represents Christ. We need to be alert and ready for the Lord’s coming because we do not “know either the day nor the hour.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Have you ever had to be ready for something very important, and then found that you didn’t have something that you really needed?
Why were some of the girls foolish and some wise?
How can we keep ourselves ready for when Jesus returns?
FAMILY PRACTICE
Take a piece of paper and fold it into fours. In one box write “Every Day,” “Every week,” “Every month”, and in the last box “Every Year”. Then write 4 things you can do in each box to help you be prepared for Jesus’ coming. Some examples are praying every day, going to mass every week, going to confession every month, doing a service project every year.
XXX Sunday in Ordinary Time
Find our past Sabbath Guide Practices in our archived Sabbath Guides at the button below
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves” (Mt 11:28-29). The Lord invites us to find peace and joy in Him this Sabbath as we set aside time to worship and rest.
PREPARE
“Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy. Six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God.”
Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word “Shabbat”, which literally means “to stop.” Keeping holy the Sabbath is not just a commandment, but an invitation. An invitation from the Lord to stop our work, stop our worrying, stop our striving. An opportunity to fid rest and to be renewed. A chance to refocus on the things that truly matter - the Lord, family, community. In our culture, Sunday has become a day to “catch up” on everything that didn’t get done during the week, and any time left over is often seen as an opportunity just to “get ahead” for next week. But we Christians have a chance now to remember what it means to keep the Sabbath. During this pandemic the Lord is calling us back to Himself, offering us a chance to reclaim the gift of the Sabbath, reminding us again what it means to “keep it holy.”
A basic principle for observing the Sabbath is only to do things that can be considered “rest” or “worship”. Here are a few ideas to consider to begin more to enter into the Sabbath. Maybe pick just one thing to focus on this Sunday, then next Sunday keep that practice in addition to a second one. And then the next Sunday add a third, to slowly over time begin to enter into this great gift of the Sabbath more and more.
Keep the Lord at the center - read the Mass readings ahead of time, participate in Mass, make more time for prayer, spend some extra time in silence focusing on the Lord
Try not to work - resist the urge to check your email, or catch up on a few things, and leave it for Monday
Plan ahead - take care of what needs to be done before Sunday, so plan the rest of your week to make sure you get the laundry done, have gone grocery shopping, etc.so you don’t have to do any of it on Sunday
Spend the day “screen free” - try to stay off social media, internet news, and your phone as much as possible. If you can’t make it the whole day try to go for at least a few hours
Be intentional with others - if you live with others (ie. family, roommates), is there something you can do together like play a game or go on a hike? If you live alone, can you reach out to a good friend and catch up?
Leisure, not entertainment - try to do things that are life giving; binge-watching a favorite show or playing video games for hours rarely leaves anyone with a new zeal for life. Read a good book, go on a long walk, develop a hobby.
PARTICIPATE
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Each Sunday we are called to “keep holy the Sabbath” and although that may look different for right now we will still come together as a St. Ann community through the gift of technology.
MASS READINGS
GIVING
Take a few minutes to give to St. Ann Parish. Please give generously and sacrificially as an act of faith during these difficult times. You can give online:
After giving, offer ways to be generous of your whole self during this trying time for our world.
“Each must do as already determined without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”
PROCESS
"You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mt 22:37-39
When we began this CommUNITY series, Jesus told the parable of the father with two sons, one of whom promises to go work in the vineyard but does not, and the other who says no but ends up going. The next week, wicked tenants fail to give the landowner the fruits of the harvest and kill the landowner’s son. In the third week, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding guests who refuse to come to the feast and of the guest who refuses to put on the wedding garment. And last week, the Pharisees attempted to entrap Jesus by asking Him about paying taxes to Cesar, but He responds that we must “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Mt 22:21). These parables have had some darkness to them. Jesus is trying to make clear to the Pharisees and us today that through the darkness of sin, we often turn away from God as well as harm our community. Instead, we have seen throughout this series the beautiful invitations God gives us to be engaged with our community, to use our gifts in service of others, to live the values of Boundless Mission and Abundant Hospitality, and to be active participants in our country as well as living for our Eternal Home.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus sums up the call to all of these things in two simple commandments: love God and love neighbor. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (Mt 22:40). It is important to note that these are not recommendations, suggestions, teachings, nor best practices. These are commandments. Often our culture thinks of love as a feeling, but often feelings can not be controlled. We can not will ourselves to feel a certain way. If Jesus is giving us a command to love, then it shows that it involves a choice. And if they are commandments, then God also gives us the grace to be able to live it out. Love is a choice, love is an action. Jesus strengthens us to make this choice, to love our families, our neighbors, our fellow parishioners in concrete ways. As we work towards loving in concrete ways, it becomes possible to live a good life with “ease, self-mastery, and joy” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1804). As we look back at last week’s Gospel reading, we see the rationale for loving God. In loving God, we are returning to him what is properly His: love. We offer love back to Him who is Love.
PRACTICE
For the practice this week take some time to consider concrete ways to love God and neighbor. You could pick just one to focus on, or a few. You could even continue this practice over the next few weeks, striving to always find ways to show love to others. Use the graphic provided to write down what you hope to do, and then place it somewhere to be a reminder.
Below are a few suggestions to get you thinking as you strive to put love into action.
God
spend some extra time in prayer just praising and thanking God for His goodness and telling Him you love Him
Make a visit to Jesus in the Eucharist, just to be with Him. You can go to the small chapel where the Eucharist is in the tabernacle or visit during the times of Eucharistic Adoration: Every Monday and Friday from 9 AM – 12 PM, and every Wednesday from 5 PM – 8 PM, in the Assembly Room.
Family
Write a note to a family member, telling them how much you love them, how important they are to you, and how much you appreciate them
Set aside some time to do something special with your family, just being together and enjoying each other’s company
Neighbors
Help a neighbor with something they need like mowing their lawn or seeing if they need anything at the grocery store
Deliver cookies or other treats to your neighbors just as something special to help them have a great day
Church community
Ask another person or family at St. Ann’s if they have any prayer intentions, then pray with them right at that moment.
Call someone you know in the community who is not able to be physically present at Church and ask how they are doing. Keep in touch with people who might be isolated through zoom, text, etc.
Invite friends to Fridays by the Fountain or other St. Ann community events personally and enjoy it together. https://www.facebook.com/events/337569770835216
Extended community
Consider supporting initiatives here at St. Ann like the the Magi Tree and the AIDS Hospice Supper Club, to help those in our community who are in need
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Think about how you can continue to reflect on God’s word to you this week, and how you can invite others into the conversation. You can use the questions below for personal reflection, or to grow with others. Be creative! You could consider gathering with friends and family, or starting a group text, or a group FaceTime, to discuss the questions below.
What stands out to you from the readings this week? What might God be speaking to you at this time?
Did you do anything this past week that was inspired by last Sunday’s practice?
The first reading speaks of God’s great compassion and protection for the most vulnerable. Who do you feel are vulnerable in our community today? Are there ways you can show them compassion and help?
In the second reading St. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica about how from them “the word of the Lord has sounded forth.” Do you think the same thing could be said about St. Ann? If so, how do you see that? If not, are there things we could do differently so that it does?
How would our culture define what it means to “love”? How is this similar or different from what Jesus is commanding in the Gospel?
Can you share a recent example when you chose to love, or maybe a recent example when someone chose to love you?
What does it mean concretely to choose to love:
God
Your family
Your neighbors
Your parish family
Your extended community
KIDS
ACTIVITY
Memorize this Bible Verse as a family: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.- Matthew 22:37.” You can make up hand motions, make a banner, or play a game where you remove one word at a time to see who has it memorized first.
CONNECTION
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the two most important commandments are to love God and to love others as much as we love ourselves. These aren’t just nice ideas, but are given as commandments, or rules, we need to follow. When we love others through our words and deeds, we show our love for God. These acts we do, however small or big, are living out these two commandments Jesus gave us- to love God and others.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why do you think these two commandments are so important to remember?
What do you think it means to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul?
What do you think Jesus means when he says love your neighbor as yourself?
Can you think of ways that we can put these words into action?
FAMILY PRACTICE
This week think about how you could love others as much as you love yourself and make an effort to put others before you. Maybe that means going to the back of the line at school so others get to go first, letting your siblings pick what they want to do instead of what you want to do, helping your parents without having to be asked twice. When we put other people’s needs in front of our own we show them God’s love and we show God that we love Him by following His commandment.