11/1/15 Come to the water all you who are thirsty!

The Baptism of the Lord (Year B)

Welcome to a little liturgy.  I have been blogging now for a few months and am certainly finding that the process is changing the way I relate to the Liturgy of the Word!  I hope you are finding some useful resources.  Please do leave comments and suggestions, so that I can find out which resources have worked for you.  My New Year's resolution is to post some pictures and artwork and to try to make the activities a little more visual and printable.  However, computer code is not my forte, so I may need to seek help from the younger generation!  If this is your first visit, do click on "Introducing a little liturgy" under "popular posts" to find out a little more.  Thank you for logging on!

Summary of Liturgy of the Word

(N.B. The Missal also allows for the First and Second readings and Psalm of Year A to be used along with the Gospel of Year B but I have chosen Year B.)

First Reading
Isaiah 55:1-11
In the reading from Isaiah, we are told that we should pay attention to the life of our souls.  God will make an everlasting covenant with us.  We should look for the Lord by giving up wicked ways and evil thoughts and turning back to him.  God's word is like the rain and the snow - it falls on earth to make things grow.

Psalm
Is 12:2-6 R.v.3
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Second Reading
1 John 5:1-9
John tells us simply to love God by keeping the commandments.  He says we can overcome the world by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Gospel
Mark 1:7-11
John the Baptist had said that someone was coming after him and that he was a much greater man.  He said that he baptised with water but that this other person would baptise with the Holy Spirit.
Soon Jesus came to John to be baptised in the Jordan.  As he came out of the water he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him.  A voice from heaven said, "You are my son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you".

Discussion

In all three readings we see the theme of renewal and turning back to God.  This theme is developed by references to water and in the psalm we are told of the "wells of salvation".  We need to be washed from sin to become spiritually clean.  
Ritual washing was a big part of Jewish life at the time of Christ.  Jewish men would immerse themselves in water before entering the sacred part of the temple.  Even today, those wishing to convert to Judaism may be immersed to show that they are spiritually clean.  Many women also do this before they are married.  Jewish men will also do ablutions with prayers before eating.
John's baptism with water could be seen as an extension of this ritual immersion.  We might wonder why it was necessary for Christ to receive this baptism because he was already free from sin.  When John is uncertain about this, Jesus insists that he should continue.  Symbolically, we could see this as Jesus highlighting the importance of baptism and turning from sin.  He also participated in many Jewish traditions, showing that his way was a continuation of the Jewish way.
One of the important things about this scripture passage is that it shows God the Father speaking, God the Son being baptised and God the Holy Spirit being present.  Many scholars use this passage to illustrate the belief in the Trinity.

Activities for Mass

Most of us cannot remember our own baptisms but we know that our parents and God parents made promises for us.  They replied "I do" to these questions:

1) Do you reject Satan?  And all his works?   And all his empty promises?  

2) Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth? 

3) Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? 

4) Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?

In the creed at Mass we repeat these  beliefs.  Look at the words of the creed below and see if you can underline those that express the baptismal promises.  

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, 

maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. 

God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, 

begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; 

Through him all things were made. 

For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, 

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, 

and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,

he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day 

in accordance with the Scriptures. 

    

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead 

and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, 

the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, 

who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, 

who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. 

I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins 

and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. 

Amen.

Now put a cross by any phrases you don't understand.  Check their meanings at home.  

Other activities and useful resources

When we are baptised we are not baptised "Catholic" but as Christians.  We are baptised "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".  This is called the Trinitarian formula and reflects our belief in God as three persons.  

In the Gospel today, the Holy spirit is referred to as being "like a dove" and God's voice comes from heaven.  
Try to gather some other images that we associate with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.
Below are some pictures to help.  Try and link these to passages in the Bible.  

picture A

picture B

Think about how you might choose to represent Go the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  

I hope you have enjoyed a little liturgy this week.

All the best!

Maria

4/1/15 Arise, shine out Jerusalem, for your light has come

The Epiphany (Year A,B,C)

Welcome back to a little liturgy and thank you for logging in throughout 2014!  I would like to wish you all a very happy New Year and also a happy "Little Christmas" (an old Irish traditional name for 6th January).  The three kings that have been journeying across our living room have now arrived at their destination - rather surprisingly, as the camel is in a persistent grazing position!  I have provided answers to the Christmas quiz at the end of today's blog - I hope you enjoyed it.

Summary of the Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Isaiah 60:1-6
Isaiah tells how Jerusalem will become a great city as "the glory of the Lord" will rise there.  Many nations and people will will come, bring gold and incense and sing praise to the Lord.

Psalm
Ps 71:2,7-8,10-13. R. Cf.v.11
All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
The psalmist asks God to give judgement and justice to the king and his son.  He shows confidence in God and says that "all nations shall serve him" and he will help the poor and helpless.

Second Reading
Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
St Paul tells how he received God's grace through revelation.  He says that people before did not know the Good News but that now everyone has the chance to hear about Jesus and God's promises.

Gospel
Matt 2:1-12
St Matthew tells the story of the three kings.  He notes that Herod's advisors refer to the prophet who predicted that a leader would come from Bethlehem.  The kings, guided by a star, go to pay homage to Jesus.  They have a dream that warns them against returning to Herod, so they go home by a different route.

Discussion

The First Reading, Psalm and Gospel focus on the great leader that was to be King of the Jews.  Again we hear of light, brightness and stars.  This is central to the Incarnation.  The world was in darkness but now a light has come.
If we look at Paul's words we see that he says that the light has come for everybody: "it means that pagans now share the same inheritance".  This is also referred to in the Gospel, where traditionally the three wise men are representatives of the nations from afar and the gentiles (non Jewish people).
The key message from today's scripture readings is that Christmas changes everything.  The world that was full of darkness is now full of light (look back to last week and the words of Simeon). This light is for everyone and it makes new things possible.  We should try to look beyond physical time and geography to recognise that this light is here for all, in all times and in all situations.

Activities for Mass

Think of the three wise men:

1)  They were guided by a star.
2)  They followed what they had been told in a dream.
3)  They journeyed a long way.
4)  They chose to ignore harmful advice.
5)  They were filled with delight at the sight of the star.
6)  They fell to their knees when they saw Jesus.
7)  They offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Here are some things that we do in our lives as Christians:

1)  We are guided by scriptures.
2)  We follow our conscience.
3)  We journey closer to God.
4)  We ignore harmful things.  
5)  We rejoice at being able to recognise God in our lives.
6)  We worship God.
7)  We offer gifts of bread and wine and also offer ourselves to serve God.  

Choose three of the actions of the wise men and the three corresponding actions in your own life.  Draw them out in pairs below:















The wise men offer gifts for a king: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  It is quite likely that you will sing a hymn about this today.  Here are three of its verses.  

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain
GOLD I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign

FRANKINCENSE to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high

MYRRH is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb

Gold, frankincense and myrrh are traditionally associated with KINGSHIP, PRESENCE OF GOD and DEATH.  Work out which goes with which from the words of the hymn and write it nearby.
Look out for these objects and ideas in the liturgy today.    

Other activities and resources

T.S.Eliot wrote a poem about the journey of the wise men.  It is quite tricky to read all of it but you might try to look at the first stanza and consider the sort of journey they experienced.  Of course, this is all imagined - we get very little information about the magi in the Gospel.  Why do you think this is?

Click link below for poem:

The Journey of the Magi


Answers to Christmas Quiz

1)  Gold - Kingship,  frankincense - deity,  myrrh - death

2)  The Annunciation (Luke Chp.1)
     Joseph's dream (Matt Chp.1)
     Zechariah (Luke Chp.1)
     The Resurrection  (Matt Chp. 28)
     Shepherds (Luke Chp.2)
     The Temptation in the desert (Matt Chp.4)
     Peter escapes prison  (Acts Chp.12)

3)  Matt Chp.1 Jacob,  Luke Chp.3  Heli

4)  "God is with us"

5)  The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father,  The Prince of Peace

6)  Quirinius

7)  venite adoremus

8)  In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God.  

9)  Herod Archelaus  (Matt Chp.2)

10)  He came down to earth from heaven
       Who is God and Lord of all


Wishing you all a good start to 2015!

Maria

28.12.14 He, the Lord, is our God.

The Feast of the Holy Family (Year B)

Welcome to a little liturgy.  I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas.  This week we look at the importance of family.  Both Sarah and Mary were sent children in unusual circumstances.  I hope that this week's a little liturgy gives you some food for thought.

I have posted this early - so if you are looking for Christmas Day or 4th Sunday of Advent, please scroll down!

Summary of the Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Genesis15:1-6, 21:1-3
The Lord comforts Abraham.  Abraham is unhappy as he has no children and says "some man of my household will be my heir".  However, God tells him to look up and count the stars.  He says he will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky.  Because Abraham trusted the Lord, his wife gave birth to a son who was called Isaac.

Psalm
Ps 104:1-6,8-9. R.vv.7-8
He, the Lord, is our God.
He remembers his covenant forever.

Second Reading
Hebrews 11:8,11-12,17-19
This letter tells us of the faith that Abraham and Sarah had in God.  Abraham set out for a new country and was even willing to sacrifice his son Isaac to please God.  Sarah was able to have a child in old age because she believed in God's power.

Gospel

Luke 2:22-40

Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to consecrate him to God, according to the Jewish custom.  They met a holy man called Simeon who had been told by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.  Simeon took Jesus in his arms and blessed God.  He told them that Jesus would be "a sign that is rejected".  He said that he was now ready to die as he had seen the "salvation".  There was also a prophetess called Anna who recognised the greatness of Jesus.  

Discussion

Abraham, who we often refer to at Mass as "our father in faith", is mentioned in both the first and second readings this week.  This reminds us that the notion of trusting God goes back to times before Christ.  The faith of the people in the Old Testament often had a direct impact on their lives; just as today our faith affects our lives.   

Mary and Joseph practiced the Jewish religion.  They both trusted in God and went to the temple to consecrate their son to God.  They made a sacrifice of two birds in keeping with the Jewish custom.  Simeon and Anna are both devoted to God and recognise that the baby they see is sent from God.  Mary and Joseph are surprised about the things that are said.  Simeon proclaims the prayer that we now know as the "Nunc dimittis".  It is a wonderfully assured profession of his faith in God.  However, he also warns of rejection and says to Mary "a sword will pierce your own soul too".  

Activity at Mass

Activity A
Look at the prayer that Simeon addresses to God.  It is now known as the "Nunc Dimittis"or the "Song of Simeon".  A popular version is written below:

"Now, Lord, you have kept your word:
let your servant go in peace.

With my own eyes I have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel."

Read this carefully and write out your own version.  You might start with:

Now that you have kept your promise to me........

If you have time, try to learn the words by heart.  It is a good prayer to help you reflect after communion - a time when we are as close to the Lord as Simeon was.

Activity B
Simeon talks of Christ being a "light".  Think of other times that we talk of Christ being a light in the scriptures.  Often we use candles to represent the light of Christ.  Pay careful attention in church today and see how the candles are used.

Other Activities and Resources

As this is the feast of the Holy Family, you might like to make a family tree to explore where you came from.  You could make it in 3D and hang pictures of your relatives on the branches.  You could then compose a prayer for the members of your family.

Simeon speaks of Jesus as the light.  He is often depicted as this in Christian art.  Look at the picture below and think about what the artist, Holman Hunt, is saying about Christ.

The Light of the World


Have a good week!

Maria

25/12/14 God is with us.

The Nativity of the Lord  (Year A, B, C)

Welcome again to a little liturgy and a happy Christmas to everyone!  Today is a day of rejoicing so we are again able to say "Glory to God in the highest!"  As there are different readings at different Masses according to the time of day, I shall not attempt to cover all of them!  Instead, I offer you some activities for Mass and a short quiz for Christmas afternoon!  I hope everyone has a happy and holy Christmas and look forward to you joining me again on Sunday for the Feast of the Holy Family.

N.B. I have posted early for Christmas - so if you are looking for the 4th Sunday of Advent, please scroll down!

Activity during Mass

Activity A
The shape of the liturgy at Mass can be said to echo the shape of Christ's time on earth:

1)  We are asked to repent of our sins.   CONFITEOR  (I confess...)

2)  We listen to Jesus' teaching.   LITURGY OF THE WORD   (The word of the Lord...)

3)  We confirm that we believe in Jesus.   CREDO  (I believe...)

4)  We gather at the sacrifice at which Jesus is present.  OFFERTORY, CONSECRATION  (This is my body which will be given up for you...)

5)  We go, accompanied by the spirit to live a Christian life.   DISMISSAL   (Go forth...)


Match the letters below to the numbers above to show which part of the liturgy corresponds to the actions of Jesus and his Apostles. 

A)  Jesus celebrated Passover and then offered himself as a sacrifice to save the world.

B)  The Apostles taught the Good News after the Ascension.

C)  Jesus entered the world and taught and explained the scriptures and showed us how to live to be part of the kingdom of God.

D)  The Apostles showed that they believed Jesus was the Messiah by following him.

E)  John the Baptist and the Old Testament prophets told us to repent and turn towards God.

Activity B 
Every week in a little liturgy we focus on the readings and, in particular the Gospels.  This week I thought I would look a little more closely at the writers of the Gospels.

There are four Gospel writers - we call them Evangelists. The word  "Gospel" comes from the old English word for good news and "evangelist" comes from the Greek for good news.  So these writers are the tellers of good news.  This is particularly appropriate for us on Christmas Day!

We know the evangelists today as: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The four books that they wrote make up the first part of the New Testament.  We call the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke the "synoptic Gospels" because they are quite similar in content and style. (Synoptic means with the same eye.) Biblical scholars suggest that Matthew and Luke had sight of Mark's Gospel when they wrote their narratives.  It is likely that they added material from another text that is sometimes known as Q.  John's Gospel stands alone.

Each evangelist has a traditional symbol.

St Matthew - a man
St Mark - winged lion
St Luke - winged ox
St John - an eagle

Draw these animals and label them with the correct evangelist's name.    

Just as these animals have different personalities, the four evangelists have different characteristics.  As we mentioned last week, the story of Christmas that we are most familiar with is drawn from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.   

There are some interesting facts about the Gospels here:

When were the Gospels written?

Christmas Quiz

1)  What does each gift from the wise men symbolise?

2)  Name five occasions where angels are mentioned in the New Testament.  

3)  What was the name of Joseph's father? a) according to Matthew  b) according to Luke

4)  What does the name "Emmanuel" mean?

5)  Complete this phrase from Isaiah and well known from Handel's "Messiah" by adding the next three titles for God.
 "Wonderful Counselor, 
................ .............  ,  ................ .................,
.............  ..  ............."

6)  Who was Governor of Syria when Caesar August issued the decree for the census?

7)  How do you say "O come let us adore him" in Latin?

8)  Complete the opening of John's Gospel:  "In the beginning was ................... and ................ and ................"

9)  What was the name of Herod's son who succeeded him as Governor of Judea?

10)  What are the first two lines of the second verse of "Once in Royal David's City" ?

Answers to follow in the New Year!
Wishing you a very peaceful and joyful Christmas!

Maria

21/12/14 Do not be afraid!

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Welcome back to a little liturgy.  This week we hear the beautiful story of the Annunciation.  The traditional Catholic prayer known as "the Angelus" starts off with this scene.  It is a particularly lovely prayer to use in the last week of Advent.  You can find it here: Angelus prayer . You may notice that the Collect for today is the same as the words at the end of this prayer.  I hope you find something useful in this week's a little liturgy and a little freedom from the hustle and bustle of the season.  

Summary of Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12,14,16
David feels uncomfortable that he is living in a nice house and that the ark of God is only in a tent.
God tells him (via Nathan) not to worry about this.  Instead, God will build David a strong house for the people of Israel.  He will look after them and "give them rest from all their enemies".  David's descendants will also be looked after.

Psalm
Ps 88:2-5, 27, 29. R. Cf. v.2
I will sing forever of your love, O Lord.
The psalmists tells us of his belief that God's love lasts forever.

Second Reading
Romans 16:25-27
Paul talks about Jesus being the revelation of a mystery that has been secret for a long time.  He says that we should give glory to God and understand that Jesus is the Christ that scripture predicted.

Gospel
Luke 1:26-38
Luke tells us the story of the Annunciation.  The angel Gabriel told Mary that she would have a son and that she was to call him "Jesus".  The Angel says that Jesus will be a great man and "his reign will have no end".  Mary is confused as she is not yet married but the angel reassures her and tells her that her cousin, Elizabeth will also have a baby.  Mary then accepts this and the angel leaves.

Discussion

In the last week before Christmas Samuel tells us about king David and how God chose to protect him and make him a great king.  Jesus is "the offspring" of David and both Luke and Matthew trace Jesus' ancestors back to him.  It reminds us of Jesus' kingship and his Jewish heritage.  The psalmist continues to sing of David and how God promises to preserve his dynasty.   Paul's letter reinforces this link between the Old and New Testaments and he reminds us that Jesus' coming is a fulfilment of the predictions of scripture.
The Gospel today is very familiar to us.  It builds on the theme from last week about people accepting their roles with joy.  Mary was uncertain because her role as wife to Joseph was not yet established but she trusted God and agreed to his will.

Activity during Mass

Activity A
David was a young shepherd lad who defeated the huge warrior, Goliath with only his sling and the power of God.  He is an example of how goodness can triumph over evil.  He is also well known for composing psalms and is often drawn singing with a harp.  After a while, David became a powerful king.

In a similar way, Jesus was a carpenter from Nazareth and then surprised everyone by being a powerful king.  However, he did not become a king in the traditional way like David.  He taught us how to be part of the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus showed us how good can triumph over evil by the sacrifice on the cross.  Instead of a gold crown he had a crown of thorns.

Draw some of the events in the lives of Jesus and David and think how you can make some connections between them.  

             David                                                                           Jesus





              as a young shepherd                                                as a young carpenter






           singing psalms to praise God                                      teaching us about God






                killing Goliath                                                        dying on the cross




               


               becoming king                                                        rising from the dead






Activity B
At Christmas God became human.  We call this "the Incarnation".  Look out for the phrase in the Creed that describes this:

"for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man"

Every week, when we say these words, we bow our heads to show that we are talking about a very special moment.  On Christmas Day we will all kneel down when we say these words to show that this is the celebration of an amazing moment in history.

Other activities and resources

A)  Often we associate the book of psalms with David.  Find out a bit more about this book and what it contains.  Some of the most beautiful medieval books are books of psalms.  Look for the Ramsey Psalter and the Utrecht Psalter.

Many people pray the psalms everyday.  They use a book called a breviary and go through a cycle of psalms once every four weeks.  Choose one psalm that you like and try to learn part of it.

B)  Today we hear about the Annunciation.  Over the centuries many artists have portrayed this scene in their work.  You may find it on some of your Christmas cards this year.

Look at some of the pictures below:

paintings of the Annunciation

Often in these pictures there is an object or a change in surroundings to separate Mary from the angel.  Make a list of the different ways Mary and the angel are separated in some of these paintings.  Why do you think the painter does this?

Last week's question

Where can I find the story of Christmas in the Bible?

The story of Jesus being born that we are most familiar with is the account given by Luke  (Chp 2).  It includes the manger, swaddling clothes and the shepherds.  Matthew tells the story in less detail (Chp 1) but does go on to talk about the visit of the wise men (Chp 2).  The other two Gospels (Mark and John) start their stories later in Jesus' life.              

All the best!

Maria

14/12/14 Rejoice in the Lord always!

3rd Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Welcome back to a little liturgy.  This week we still wait but emerge from violet into rose.  The Entrance Antiphon urges us to "Rejoice!" for "the Lord is near".  The readings and psalm concern the people surrounding Christ on earth.  I have tried to focus on the roles they had and how they accepted their responsibilities with joy.

Summary of Liturgy of the Word

First Reading
Isaiah 61:1-2,10-11
Isaiah tells us that the Lord has anointed him and sent him "to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken" and to "proclaim liberty to captives".  He rejoices in the Lord and is glad that he has been given integrity.

Psalm
Luke 1:46-50, 53-54. R. Is 61:10
My soul rejoices in my God

Second Reading
Thessalonians 5:16-24
St Paul tells us to be happy, pray and give thanks to God.  He urges us to think before we act and avoid evil.  He ends with encouragement and the words "God has called you and he will not fail you".

Gospel
John 1:6-8, 19-28
St John describes John the Baptist as a witness to speak for the light.  He says that John told the priests and Levites he was the voice in the wilderness sent to prepare a way for the Lord.  John says that he baptises with water.  However, he says that there is someone coming after him and that he is not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.

Discussion

Isaiah exults and rejoices in his role as a bringer of good news to the poor.  The imagery used this week is positive; it concerns garments, jewels and the growth of seeds.  Much of this imagery is familiar to us from the New Testament and shows the link between the prophet's role and that of Jesus.  Isaiah has been anointed, just as we are in Baptism.  Which other sacraments involve anointing - how does this relate to our mission as Christians?  

Mary echoes Isaiah's joy and also mentions God's concern for the poor.  St Paul commands us to "be happy at all times" and to give thanks to God.  All these characters have accepted their jobs with enthusiasm and are happy to be part of God's plan.  

Activity for Mass

Activity A

Some parts of the Mass are the same every week and some parts change.  We know that the readings (The Liturgy of the Word) changes every week but other parts also change according to the season or the choice of the local church.

One of these sections is the COLLECT.  It is early on in the Mass just after the Gloria (today after the Kyrie).  Read it carefully and see how it relates to Advent.

COLLECT
O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Activity B

The characters involved in today's Liturgy of the Word - Isaiah, Mary, St Paul, John the Evangelist and John the Baptist - have all been called by God to fulfil special roles associated with Jesus.  See if you can identify what  God asked them to do and how  he asked them.  You may have to fill in any gaps in your knowledge when you get home.  (I have left space at the bottom of the list for you to fill in your own name!)


CHARACTER               JOB                 HOW THEY WERE TOLD


Isaiah


Mary


St Paul


John the Evangelist



John the Baptist



Your name:                  

Other resources and activities

The psalm today is the prayer that Mary made when God asked her to be the mother of Jesus and she went to her cousin Elizabeth with the news.  It is traditionally called the "Magnificat" because this is the first word if it is said in Latin.  Listen to a version of it on the link below.  Think about how Mary accepts her role with joy and compare this with  Isaiah's words in the first reading.

Tell Out My Soul!

Find this passage in the New Testament - Luke 1: 26-56 and read the story of the Annunciation and the Visitation.  Which other prayers do you know that recall these events?

Use the link below to look at some artistic representations of the Baptism of Christ:

Artistic representations of the Baptism of Christ

Questions

Last week's question

Why is there a pink candle on the Advent wreath?

Answer

There are four weeks in Advent and we use the colour violet (purple) to suggest a sombre mood as we wait for Christmas.  On the third Sunday, the our Entrance Antiphon begins with the word "Rejoice" or in Latin "Gaudete".  This Sunday is therefore known as "Gaudete Sunday" and is a little less sombre - the readings mention joy and happiness - so we lighten the shade to rose (pink).  The priest's vestments may also be rose.  Find out on which other Sunday the priest wears rose vestments.  

This week's question


Where can I find the story of Christmas in the Bible?

All the best for the week ahead!

Maria