What do you think of when you picture an adventure? Do visions of high-energy activities, excitement and adrenaline rushes come to mind?
We are in the Advent season, the beginning of a new liturgical year in Church. So how do we prepare for remembering Jesus' birth 2000+ years ago, His continually coming into our lives, His final coming in glory, and still make it an enlivening experience for each family member?
One way might be to use an Advent calendar or an Advent chain that helps us connect with God and each other. The Advent calendar could be on a sheet of paper or a card with windows that have great Advent-urous ideas for each of the days from the beginning of Advent through Christmas. The Advent chain would have similar ideas, but on pieces of paper that are looped to form links of a chain; Then each day your family could remove one link and do what is written on the piece of paper. Each family member can share ideas to put on the chain links.
Jesus gave us so much, as we remember in the Advent and Christmas seasons and at Mass each week through the year. His examples help us to be more giving. When my focus has been more on receiving, then I'm only fulfilled for a very short time, but being more giving makes it last so much longer.
I hope you have a wonderful Advent-ure and may your Christmas be blessed and holy. Remember Christmas Eve begins the season that continues through the Baptism of the Lord Sunday. Keep the celebration going. Our big build-up of preparations shouldn't end suddenly with Christmas Day, our focus just shifts -- not to the presents we receive, but to the Presence of Jesus.
Jesus' Presence is the central part of our faith, His loving sacrifice we celebrate at Mass, and what gives us hope for eternal life. So keep Jesus in your preparations and your celebrations for a well connected Advent-ure and Christmas. Be Advent-urous for a Joy-filled experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment