For some today December 8th is when the real countdown to Christmas begins. Today was traditionally a day when the Christmas shopping officially began. It may seem just like any other day but it is still a special day during the month of December. Spiritually it marks Mary out as someone special as the mother of Jesus. Like us she experienced the challenges of life too. Today’s feast day is not saying she had an easy life. It is saying she had a very normal life but it became very special because of Jesus.
She would have grown up in a devout Jewish home. She would have learned the psalms and the other prayers said in Jewish family life.
As a child she would have helped with household tasks, drawing water from the well, learning weaving and simple crafts.
Today most traditions describe Mary as gentle, reflective and always attentive to God’s presence in her life.
Very simply she put her trust in God, even when she didn’t fully understand the bigger picture. Her feast day today invites us to put our trust in God. When we don’t fully understand the bigger picture, the best place to go is today. We live today as best we can. This is what Mary did all the way through her life.
(All of the above is updated daily)
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Thought For The Week
We began our journey through Advent on Sunday. Many call it the run into Christmas. It is certainly that but it is also much more.
Advent has been described as a spiritual treasure. This treasure is not hidden or meant just for a select few. It is ours to explore and to know that there is a beautiful message waiting to be discovered.
At the heart of this message is that we are loved, unique, precious and special. The God of Christmas is a God of love. In a world where darkness and negativity seem to have lots of momentum, Christmas reminds us that this momentum can be slowed down. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day it comes to a gentle halt.
We have our Advent Wreath here. We have seen it many times before and for me it is always a sign of hope. It is circular to remind us of God’s eternal and constant love of us. Nothing will ever change this.
The late Pope Francis said in one of his Christmas letters: “Those who open their hearts to God’s love and are open to receiving the light of Jesus, cannot keep this gift to themselves.”
Advent is often pushed to the sidelines because there isn’t time to become reflective or there isn’t time to be quiet in the run up to Christmas. Does this make Advent less important? Not at all. It is our treasure waiting to be discovered. I hope you have a lovely journey through Advent.
And now I’m going to light the first candle here on the wreath. The flame is a sign of hope. A sign of the difference God’s light can make in our lives.
And I will finish with a prayer to bless this Advent wreath
Loving God, bless this wreath and the light it will give. This candle flame reminds us that Jesus is with us. Bless us with hope, peace, joy and love. There are many shapes, but the circle of light and love that are part of this Advent wreath are ours to hold and to share. Bless us with light and love today. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
