Hail Mary

I received a tiny booklet called Advent with Mary, Reflections on Mary as our Model by Pope Francis. He discusses her “yes” and three essential aspects of her attitude, “which is for us the model of how to prepare for Christmas.” He talks about her faith and how she entrusted herself to God, not knowing the road nor the risks she must take. “She said yes!” Second, Pope Francis said, “We must imitate her capacity to recognize God’s time, to seize the right moment when God comes into our lives. And Jesus is coming!” Third, the Pope advises, we must imitate her awareness that being comes before doing. Like Mary, let us allow our lives to be transformed by God’s Grace and then pass that light onto others, to become “instruments of acceptance, reconciliation, forgiveness” and generosity.

We have had a very prayerful first week of Advent, with the daily lighting of the Advent candle and Reconciliation services for students in grades 2 – 8.  Join us for Mass tomorrow at 9am when we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and for the Monday morning short prayer service in the church for the second week of Advent.  It begins at 8:20am.  Thank you for having your children here in time.

On Thursday, December 14, the preschool, kindergarten, first and second graders will present their Christmas programs and charm us with their Christmas spirit!  The following week, on December 19, the intermediate grades will perform – more reminders that Jesus is coming!

Christmas shopping made easy!   Join me in supporting and thanking the Scrip volunteers who are putting in loads of extra hours for St. John these weeks!

God bless you everyone!

Berandette