December 23: O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,

desire of the nations, Savior of all people:

Come and set us free, Lord our God.

A 'mighty wind', the breath or Spirit of God swept over the waters
at the creation of the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Women are coached in their breathing as they labor to give birth.
You may be feeling out of breath from the last minute baking, housecleaning and gift-wrapping that leads up to the Christmas celebration... if so, please take a minute, and just breathe.

That breath is a gift to you from God. So is the next one. And so on... you are being re-created throughout your life by every breath that God gives you. There's a certain freedom in knowing that at each moment, we can make a choice to break old patterns, establish new ones, repair a relationship, or nurture a new one. Our past may form us, but it does not bind us.

You as parent are the most important influence in your child's faith. Children learn through stories and songs, and by example. So, what better way to celebrate Christmas than to tell your child the story of Jesus' birth (Luke 2: 1-20), sing a few Christmas carols (e.g. Silent Night and Joy to the World, not Frosty the Snowman or Santa Claus is Coming to Town), and emphasize the great gift of love over the quantity of presents?  And don't forget to bring your family to celebrate with your family of faith: here again is the link to the mass times at St. Andrew (and a reminder to arrive early for the Christmas eve services).

May you know the breathless joy of Christmas- 

the reality of Emmanuel, "God With Us"!

December 22: O Rex Gentium, O King of all the Nations

O King of all the nations, 

the only joy of every human heart;

O Keystone of the mighty arch of humanity:

Come and save the creature 

you fashioned from the dust.

We live in an area with a lot of subdivisions. Developers get to design a lifestyle for people. How much are we defined by where we choose to live (if we are fortunate enough to have the resources for such a home)? Am I the 'golf course lifestyle' person, or the 'pool and playground lifestyle' person or perhaps the 'secluded woods and large lots lifestyle' person? But think of that word subdivisions. Even in something as probably benign as planned neighborhoods, we've created boundaries, distinctions, and accentuated differences... divisions.

God created us, all of us, male and female, Christian and Jew and Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist, agnostic and even atheist, in God's image. And every time we separate ourselves from one another, emphasizing our differences in religion or economic status, race or culture, language or gender, we fundamentally ignore the deep-down truth of Who we all belong to, and for Whom we long at the very center of our being.

Our world is groaning, weighted down with discord, violence and prejudice. We pray for the ultimate unity and peace which only the One who created all can provide.

• What if you and your child played a game today, taking at least 10 minutes amongst the crowds on the highway or in the mall or wherever, and making sure to recognize in your own heart and mind every person you see as made in God's image? Every person is your sister, your brother- since we ARE all children of God? (And don't forget your own sisters and brothers, they count, too!)
• What do you learn from doing this?
• In your own words, or the words posted above, pray today's antiphon with your child, asking God to help us be governed by a desire for getting along in peace with each other.

December 21: O Oriens, O Radiant Dawn

O Radiant Dawn, 
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

Today is the shortest day of the year (as in: hours of daylight) in the northern hemisphere, the Winter Solstice, marked by ancient agrarian cultures as a time of new birth - the moment when the sun begins again to overcome the darkness.

Have you ever woken up too early, alone with your thoughts in the darkness, and unable to go back to sleep? Has your child been frightened by the shadows from the streetlight that turn tree limbs into monster's arms? When the electricity goes out, have you banged your shin on an otherwise familiar coffee table or found a simple flight of stairs to hold new and daunting challenges? Without the light that reveals reality, fear (reasonable or otherwise) holds sway.

Many people decorate their homes this time of year with lots of lights. It's fun to drive around and look at the displays! They make us happy, and create a mood of celebration. (And deep in our DNA, perhaps it's a way to keep the long nights of winter darkness from 'winning'!)

• "I am the light of the world," says Jesus. You and your child could ask Jesus to be your light when you are feeling afraid or dark inside or really very tired.
• Don't forget to pray today's Antiphon with your child- in the words here, or by making up your own!

December 20: O Clavis David, O Key of David

O Key of David, o royal Power of Israel,

controlling at your will the gate of heaven:

Come, break down the prison walls of death

for those who dwell in darkness 
and the shadow of death;

and lead your captive people into freedom.

Why are we  praying to a piece of metal? We're not, we're using symbolic language... let's think about some of the uses of a key. 

• To whom do you give or lend the keys to your car or home? Someone you trust, right? 

  • What do you look at to find the right responses to a test? The answer key.

• What do they call the middle block in a stone arch, the one that keeps all the others in place by accepting the most pressure? The keystone.

Thinking about those examples, what might we mean when we call Jesus  "Key of David"? What power does he hold, what answers can he give us, and is he someone in whom we could safely entrust our lives?

Most of us are not in prison. Some of us HAVE been in time-out (or the proverbial dog house). What kind of freedom do we pine for: escape from the consequences of our actions, or making better choices in the first place, which then lead to better results? How can Jesus help us make better choices?

In your own words or using the words of the antiphon at the top of this post, pray with your child for God to lead you to make good choices and break bad habits.

December 19: O Radix Jesse, O Flower of Jesse's Stem

O Flower of Jesse's stem,

you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;

kings stand silent in your presence;

the nations bow down in worship before you.

Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Jesse was the father of King David, by whom Jesus is connected (through Joseph) in the genealogy offered by Matthew at the very beginning of his Gospel. Here in the South, an important question upon meeting a stranger had traditionally been 'who are your people'?  Looking back at Jesus' family tree, we find good and bad kings, men and women of strong or weak faith, and others whose story is unknown beyond their names.

 

In Jesus' time, you really were defined by your family and its place in society. Remember when people thought Jesus was getting 'above his raising' (Matthew 13: 54-58) they said, 'isn't he the carpenter's son?' He couldn't be effective in his hometown, because people had their narrow definition of what he should be about. Have you ever felt pressured to choose a major or a job or make some other major decision just to live up to family expectations? Did that energize you or make you feel powerless, or something in between?

 

What expectations do you have for your children, reasonable or otherwise?

 

The antiphon today speaks of our longing for life in all its fullness, for the power of our heritage of faith from countless generations of our ancestors... whether related by blood or the waters of baptism. The life promised by God in Jesus is eternal and effective, empowering us to proudly carry on our true family name, "Christian".

 

• As you talk with your child today, you might use the example of the winter bulbs (paperwhites, amaryllis, etc) that almost magically provide color in the midst of the grayness of winter.... from an ordinary looking bulb comes great beauty, with the help of water and God's creative power! Jesus' birth is kind of like that, in a way: something beautiful and extraordinary came, through God's power, from regular people.
• What stories of your ancestors could you tell your child today? What can you tell them of their grandparents that will make them proud and happy to be related? Do you know relatives who immigrated to America, or made it through the Great Depression, or otherwise persevered under difficult circumstances, whose strength, patience or other virtue could be a good example?
• And what good qualities do you see in your child? Tell them a good story about themselves!
• And- you've got the time, ask them if they have a story about when you did something they really appreciated. "Accentuate the positive" goes the old song- we long for that, and there's deep and authentic power in such a simple action.
• Don't forget to pray today's Antiphon with your child- in the words here, or by making up your own!

December 18: O Adonai, O Lord

O Sacred Lord of Ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free. 

Moses Before the Burning Bush, bas relief plaque by Scott Sullivan, 2004.

 Look at just a part of the story of Moses in the Old Testament, Exodus 3: 1-17. What can you tell your children about what is going on there? While we know that God is so much stronger and wiser and better (and any other good superlative we can think of!) than us, isn't it amazing that God loves us so much to always want to help us?

God helped our ancestors and helps us in many ways: inspiring people to take on leadership when times were tough, providing that wisdom and guidance and vision to figure out how to make things better, and giving us laws to set us free. 

Giving us laws? That's not freedom!!! Oh, but if you look at the Ten Commandments (Exodus Chapter 20), they really are basic laws that help people get along with each other. It's hard to trust people who steal and lie and covet what doesn't belong to them, isn't it?

You could list with your child some of the laws in your family, and why they exist. (E.g., Not touching hot stoves, being home or in bed by a certain time both are matters of safety or good health, picking up after yourself is a sign of respect for everybody else who lives there, etc.)  Good rules help us feel more secure and free us from constantly trying to figure out what's right. (Bad or silly rules are just annoying, aren't they?!)

In what ways can your child name that Jesus 'stretched out his mighty hand to set us free', by his actions or words? What laws did he give us? (for ideas, see: Matthew 25: 31-40; Luke 6: 27-38; John 13: 34-35)

In your own words or using the words of the antiphon at the top of this post, pray with your child for God to lead you along the paths of safety and goodness.

December 17: O Sapientia, O Wisdom

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation.

Figure of Wisdom by John LaFarge, 1901

Questions to ponder with your child...

• What's the difference between being smart and being wise? (one simple thought: A smart person knows the correct answers, a wise person looks for the best outcome)
• Go to the Old Testament and read Wisdom 7:22-8:1. Maybe you can pick out a few verses to share with your child, and talk about wisdom.
• If we were to be 'wise', what would that look like, how would we act, how would we make choices?

Using the words of today's antiphon or your own words,

pray with your child and ask God for the gift of wisdom.

(You are always welcome to post comments: yours or your child's thoughts on the topic!)

Holiday Mass Schedule

You can find the mass schedule for the next couple of weekends posted here.

Please remember that the Christmas Eve services get very crowded, and will begin as soon as the Church is full. Since these services tend to draw in our brothers and sisters who may not pray with us regularly, please take it upon yourself to be extra welcoming to unfamiliar faces. YOU may be reason they might decide to come back another week!!

O Antiphons

As we reach the latter part of Advent, we encounter seven traditional and ancient antiphons (responses) in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. You may recall that in Jewish practice the day begins at sundown, so praying these antiphons during the vespers of December 17-23 takes us to the beginning of Christmas Eve. Each of these prayers is a plea for Jesus' coming, addressing him by an ancient Scriptural name, and petitioning for a particular act of salvation from him.

Here's an interesting bit of information, found at catholic-resources.org:

In the traditional arrangement, when viewed from Christmas Eve backward, the first letters of the Latin texts (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) spell out the phrase ero cras ("I come tomorrow").

Please come back each day this week, as we bring our Advent preparation to its joyful conclusion!

A Holy Day

Wednesday, December 8 is an important day for us as Catholics. We call it a 'Solemnity'- that means it's a really big feast day, in fact, it is one of our "Holy Days of Obligation". Holy Days are those special times- in addition to every Sunday -when we as Catholics are called to come together in Mass and celebrate or commemorate something significant.

December 8 is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. I invite you to look at the readings for this day. The Gospel talks about the Annunciation to Mary about Jesus, not about HER conception... no wonder some Catholics get confused about who this feast is about! (If it helps to remember, we celebrate the Annunciation by the Angel Gabriel to Mary of God's special plan for her on March 25- exactly 9 months before Christmas!)

I can think of three good reasons to use this Gospel:
1) Mary's role as the mother of Jesus, which she embraced at the Annunciation, was an acceptance that required all the strength and grace a human could muster ... a gift God gave Mary at her own conception to keep her from sin ('full of grace') throughout her life. Of course, since she had free will like every human being, she still could have said 'no' to God's invitation to bear Jesus, but because of this special gift from first instant of her life, she had enough love, courage and strength to say 'yes'!
2) From the 'it is fitting' school of thought - if God was to become human, God would deserve nothing but the best (e.g., would you really want to drink fine wine from paper cups?!), and to use old terminology, the 'stainless vessel' of Mary, sinless from the first instant of her life, was the most fitting means of the Incarnation.
3) Compare the Gospel with the first reading - a Genesis version of sin entering the world through Eve (AND Adam) succumbing to the temptation of the serpent. Through previously sinless Eve sin entered the world, and through the miraculously sinless Mary, the 'new Eve', the means of salvation from sin was born into our world.
oh, and
4) not so good a reason, but a practical one: there really is no Scriptural evidence for the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception beyond the angel's brief reference to Mary as "full of grace", and her cousin Elizabeth's later greeting her as "blessed among women".

But let's put this a bit more simply: every time we honor Mary, what we say about her is both a reflection of what we believe about Jesus, and what we hope for or anticipate for ourselves. So in this case, we celebrate the redemptive power of God through Jesus Christ to save us from the power of sin, enabling Mary physically and us spiritually to freely say 'yes' to God's invitation to carry Jesus in our lives.

So, please come and celebrate how much God loves us! Mass times at St. Andrew the Apostle are 6:30am, 9:00 am and 7:30pm.

Check out the new link!

Look over to the right side of the page, under the link for St. Andrew parish website. If you click on that link "Lectionary Readings for Children" , it will take you to a page which links to the upcoming Sunday readings, but using wording that is easier for children to understand. To tell you the truth, sometimes it makes it much easier for adults to understand the message, too!

Enjoy!

Feast of St. Nicholas

December 6 is the feast of St. Nicholas.
Click to read a little information about this 4th Century Bishop from the area that is now Turkey.

A tradition in my family, and for many families, is for children to leave their shoes out overnight when going to bed December 5, and finding them filled with small gifts and/or candy upon awakening (we put our shoes in the hall, rather than outside - St. Nicholas always found them okay!). As adaptations happen over time and across cultures, that's not a far stretch to hanging one's sock (stocking) by the fireplace for Santa Claus, eh?!

Maybe a few gold candy coins in a sneaker this year could open an opportunity to talk about how St. Nicholas was concerned about caring for those in need, and how fun it can be to do good deeds in secret, just to be nice, not to be recognized!

The Advent Wreath

Okay, so Advent begins this coming Sunday, November 28.

Here's a video to give you a bit of background:
American Catholic Video about the Advent Wreath

You can have one in your home this year without much expense at all:

• If you don't have 3 purple and one rose (Pink) candles, white ones will do. You don't need to use tapers. Pillar candles or tea lights are fine. IF you've got purple and rose-colored ribbon to wrap around the white candles or the candle holder, so much the better, but NOT NECESSARY!
• Go out and cut some greenery from around your yard: fir, boxwood... whatever is still green these days.
• Fashion a wreath (either a true circle or lay the branches in a circle-like shape), perhaps on a round tray (use foil or plastic wrap on the bottom if you have tapers that'll drip). IMPORTANT: make sure that the greenery will NOT be near the flame!!!  
• Arrange the candles in the wreath and, voila! Ready to go.

Now what?

• On the first Sunday of Advent, and the rest of that week, you light one purple candle. Maybe during dinner. Maybe during a daily prayer (Our bulletin this past Sunday had a great insert with daily Advent prayers). Maybe during breakfast: whatever works for your family. IMPORTANT: never leave burning candles unattended.
• On the Second Sunday of Advent and the rest of that week, light two purple candles.
• On the Third Sunday of Advent and the rest of that week, light the rose candle and those two purple ones. Do you need to refresh the greenery? Go ahead- no one said you have to keep the same branches for the whole month!
• On the Fourth Sunday of Advent (Dec 19) through Dec 24, light all four candles. That first one might be getting low-- watch out for flames too close to the greenery.

Enjoy this simple and beautiful way to mark our time in preparation for the coming of Jesus.

It's almost the new year!

This Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, the final Sunday of our liturgical (church) year. That makes the following Sunday (Thanksgiving weekend), the FIRST Sunday of our new year (get out the noisemakers, pop the champagne corks!!)... also known as the first Sunday of Advent.

Does your family have any Advent traditions? Do you light an advent wreath at meal or prayer time? Do you have an Advent calendar?  Please send a comment-- how do you prepare, in a spiritual way, for Christmas?

Sharp listeners will notice a change during mass at the time for the Gospel. The Scripture readings we proclaim on Sunday follow a three year cycle. Each year focuses on one of the three 'synoptic' (means 'similar') Gospels, with John thrown in for good measure at particular times, like Easter season and some of Lent. During Year A, which we are about to begin, we read mainly from the Gospel of Matthew, Year B is Mark and Year C is, you guessed it, Luke. (An easy way to remember, should you EVER need to, is that the lectionary cycle goes in the same order of appearance in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke.)

And a 'lectionary' is the book that has all the Bible readings for those three years in order, so we don't have to keep flipping through the Bible to find our place!

A free activity

Today is the feast of All Saints!  If you go to this link, you can click to download a free and simple crossword puzzle for your child to do (and you can get the answer key too, if you need it!)

Up a Tree!

The Gospel this Sunday is the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus from Luke. (chapter 19, verses 1-10)

Children love the story of Zacchaeus: a grown man, sitting in a tree! They can identify with his struggle to see over a crowd, and are delighted that Jesus would pick him to spend time with. As adults, we often read this as an example of conversion, as evidenced by the closing words of Jesus in the passage. And as a conversion story, it is a good and powerful one: our encounter with Jesus evokes a self-assessment that hopefully leads to a change for the better in how we live our lives.

You could take some time this week to read and talk about the story together. From the book 70 Sacrament Starters for Children by Patricia Mathson, here are some great questions to encourage a conversation about this Gospel story:

• What job did Zacchaeus have?
• Why did he climb a tree?
• What did Jesus say to him?
• Why did the people in the crowd grumble?
• What did Zacchaeus say to Jesus?
• How can we make up for the harm we cause?
• Why should our lives change because of Jesus?

Patron Saints

In just a couple of weeks, on November 1, we'll celebrate All Saints' Day. (Did you know that this is where Halloween gets its name from? "Hallowed" = holy ... so the night before All Saints (holy) day is all-hallow's eve... which became 'halloween').

If your child/teen was named for a particular saint, do they know the story of their patron? Here is a webpage with a listing of many saints' names, most with links to a summary of their life. Talk with them about why you chose their name- for a relative or friend, for that saint?
If your son or daughter was not named for a saint, they can still choose one to serve as their model of faith, and to ask for their prayers. Maybe they would like someone who shares their interests- the patron saint of athletes or music or animals or painters or bakers... this link will get you to an extensive list of patron saints!

What then? Well it depends on your son or daughter's interest. With your help (some saints stories get a bit intense, or hard to understand, so you may want to do some prior research), maybe they could look up information about their patron saint on the internet. There are several Catholic companies that have catalogs full of medals or holy cards or icons representing a variety of saints, something small that could go in their room as a daily reminder.

The following links are not intended as an endorsement for or advertisement of these particular companies which encompasses a variety of artistic styles; I've simply included them here in case you have an interest in looking for a birthday or Christmas or saints-day gift for your son or daughter:

Monastery Icons

Bridge Building Images

Leaflet Missal

Autom

Note: the images on this post are from tapestries in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, CA.

A Prayer

A Jesuit priest just posted this on his Facebook page today, a thoughtful prayer addressing the deep sadness of so many teens committing suicide lately, related to incidents of bullying or harassment.



A Prayer When I Feel Hated

Loving God, you made me who I am.
I praise you and I love you,
for I am wonderfully made, in your own image.

But when people make fun of me,
I feel hurt and embarrassed and even ashamed.
So please God, help me remember my own goodness,
which lies in you.
Help me remember my dignity,
which you gave me when I was conceived.
Help me remember that I can live a life of love,
because you created my heart.

Be with me, loving God, when people hate me,
and help me to respond how you would want me to:
with a love that respects others, but also respects me.
Help me find friends who love me for who I am.
Help me, most of all, to be a loving person.

And God, help me remember that Jesus loves me.
For he was seen as an outcast, too.
He was misunderstood, too.
He was beaten and spat upon.
Jesus understands me,
and loves me with a special love,
because of the way you made me.

And when I am feeling lonely,
help me to remember that Jesus welcomed everyone as a friend.
Jesus reminded everyone that God loved them.
Jesus encouraged everyone to embrace their dignity,
even when others were blind to seeing that dignity.
Jesus loved everyone with the boundless love that you gave him.
And he loves me, too.

One more thing, God:
Help me remember
that nothing is impossible with you,
that you have a way of making things better,
and that you can find a way of love for me,
even if I can’t see it right now.

Help me remember all these things
in the heart you created, loving God.
Amen.

James Martin, SJ

Church Tour Tonight!

There were/are no faith formation sessions this weekend, but there IS an opportunity for you and your children to learn a bit more about the places and things we use to help us worship. Tonight, from 6:30-7:30pm, is a Church Tour... we'll meet in the Gathering Space (just inside the main doors).

AND, it counts as a GRACE event!

A link for you

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops produces a series of different videos and makes them available free, online.  These USCCB Videos include daily scripture-based reflections, or series devoted to particular topics, e.g. the seven sacraments.

Maybe you'll find them helpful?

Compassion

This weekend's Scripture readings present a good opportunity for you to talk with your child(ren) about compassion. (The root words of compassion mean 'to feel with' or 'to suffer with') In the Gospel, Jesus tells us a parable about the poor man Lazarus (his name means 'he whom God helps') and how his needs were entirely ignored by the rich man. Not only his material needs, but his need to be recognized as a person.

We all know that there are a lot of hurting people in our world today: people suffering from natural disasters, the recession, cruel governments, domestic violence, homelessness, bigotry, etc., etc., etc. All of that can seem way out of the sphere of our own control.

But what about the loneliness of the new kid in school, or the one who is seen as being clumsy, or slow, or in whatever way 'different'? Does your son or daughter know someone like that? Maybe you could ask him/her, "I wonder what life is like for that child right now?"... and get a conversation started that helps them begin to think about life from another person's perspective. "How do you think they are feeling? How would you feel? What do you think Jesus would do for/with/to this child?" Can they make any connections between the Gospel story and the circumstances they have described?

We can't solve all the world's problems. We can be people of compassion, doing what we can in our everyday lives to extend the love of Jesus by being boys and girls, men and women who live and love like Jesus.

Here's a prayer that fits both the concept of compassion and is timely (the feast of St. Francis of Assisi is coming up on October 4):

The Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

For your calendar

Here's a quick reminder for your calendar that we'll be doing a Church Tour for you and your child(ren) on Monday, October 4. 6:30-7:30pm, meet in the Gathering Space of the Church.

There are no Faith Formation classes that night, and this will count as a Grace Event.

Light a Candle

Maybe you've noticed a small room to the left just before you enter our worship space (sanctuary) at St. Andrew's? It's dimly lit and has a couple of kneelers facing an icon of Mary (as Our Lady of the Atonement) and Jesus, with a bank of votive/vigil candles off to the side.

Or possibly you've found the Chapel (off the main courtyard, behind the statue of St. Francis). Inside this quiet room for prayer is another set of votive/vigil candles. Do you remember lighting a candle when you'd go to church as a child? What I remember in my home parish was a section off to the side, just before the altar area, with several rows containing many blue or red votive/vigil light holders, with sand in the tray in which to extinguish the long matches or wicks. When I was little, I loved being allowed to light a candle, and then making that flame go away by sticking the long match into the sand! I must confess: the main point of lighting a candle for me WAS literally lighting a candle.

Okay, enough with memory lane: what about this tradition of lighting candles? What I learned while looking up an answer is that the words 'votive'(vow) and 'vigil'(wait/watch) come from Latin words that describe two purposes of prayer .. and because he does it so clearly, I'm simply going to quote directly from the book:

The former [votive] is associated with seeking some favor from the Lord, Mary, or a saint in return, usually, for some promise or vow. The candle is burned as were sacrifices in ancient times. The latter, as its name "vigil" indicates, accompanies prayer of attention or waiting. (Greg Dues, Catholic Customs and Traditions, p. 183, 2000 rev. ed)

I like to think of the burning candle representing that our prayer lives in the heart of God long after we have finished offering it.

You may hear people say "I'll light a candle for you" - that's another way of saying that you will be in their prayers.

On a practical aspect, you might notice the "Offering" slot on the candle stand. Let's be VERY CLEAR about this- the donation is not meant as a 'spiritual bribe' to be sure that your prayer gets heard! It's simply that candles, as any other materiel object, DO cost money to purchase and restock, so a quarter, fifty cents, or whatever contributed is appreciated. One more little point, especially for younger children- the goal is not to light every candle (like pushing every elevator button), but to light one that represents your prayer intention (and to save candles for the prayers of others!).

What to do at Communion time?

Stuck in their seat? If your son or daughter has not yet received their first communion, here at St. Andrew's we welcome them to come up during the communion procession and receive a blessing. The symbol for this that our priests and extraordinary ministers of holy communion recognize is for the person desiring a blessing to approach with their arms crossed over his or her chest.

this is actually baby sign language for 'teddy bear'
but unclench those fingers and all is well!

(Some parishes do not have this custom, so if you are traveling and the priest or extraordinary minister does not offer them a blessing, the simplest thing is for you to bless your child after you have received the Eucharist.)

Something new at St. Andrew's!

When your family comes to Mass this weekend, look for a new statue of Mary near our Church building! If you come from the main parking lot, look right, just as you are passing the back exterior wall of the Cry Room. If you parked up in the smaller lot, go past the entry doors and look left.

Surrounded by flowers and with a small bench for quiet prayer, is a new statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus. What do your children notice about the statue? That she looks happy/peaceful? That she's holding out her hands to us? That she's stepping on a snake?!

About that snake... go to Genesis 3:15 (Genesis is the very first book in the Bible), and as God is communicating the consequences for sin in the Adam and Eve story, God describes the snake who tempted them to sin as their enemy. Toward the other end of the Bible, in Romans chapter 5, Paul compares Jesus to Adam... as sin entered the world through one human (Adam), through the "new Adam", Jesus, sin is overcome. And through succumbing to temptation by one woman (Eve) we explain our tendency to selfishness, through the generous faithfulness of the "new Eve" (Mary), we can know that we are able to overcome temptation and say 'yes' to God.

We don't worship Mary, that's not the point of a statue. Rather, it's a visual reminder of someone who can be a role model, a hero for us in faith. A statue can remind us that we can ask Mary to pray for us, that we be good and faithful and loving like she was. We can think about what qualities she had that made her the first disciple of Jesus, and work on being like that in our own lives.

Maybe showing them the statue would be a good opportunity to pray the Hail Mary together, or to teach them the words, if they aren't familiar with the prayer:

Hail Mary, full of grace, 
the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

It is good to have places set apart to remind us to pray. Places where we can focus without distraction. Where in your home do you like to pray? Where is your child used to praying? If there's not a place right now, maybe you can figure out one together!

Preparing for the Gospel

When we get to the Gospel reading in Mass, what happens? As the Alleluia (or during Lent, a different Gospel Acclamation) is sung, we all stand and sing. The priest or deacon takes the Book of the Gospels, holds it high so we all can focus on it, and processes to the ambo. Then, as he traces a sign of the cross on the scripture passage and announces to us which Gospel is about to be proclaimed, we respond with the words, "Glory to you, Lord", while we make a small sign of the cross with our right thumb on our forehead, lips and over our heart.

Why do we do that? Through this gesture of blessing, we are asking that Jesus Christ, through his own words in this Gospel, remain in our thoughts, on our lips through the words we speak, and in our heart. And then we get ready to listen.

Why do we stand for the Gospel and not the other readings? Out of respect, and as a way to show that we are paying special attention, because while all of Scripture is inspired by God, in a very special way, the Gospels are telling us the words and actions of Jesus himself!

At the end of reading the Gospel, the priest or deacon will say, "The Gospel of the Lord", and we reply, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ", and sit down, ready to listen to the homily and try to make connections between what we have just heard and what goes on in our own lives day to day.

Standing, sitting, singing, responding, blessing ourselves - all simple ways that help us to focus in on what's happening, getting our bodies and brains working together to receive the Word of God as fully as possible.

St. Francis of Assisi

When you come to St. Andrew's for mass, there's a statue of a man in the middle of our courtyard.

Some people think it represents St. Andrew, since he's the patron saint of our parish, others have guessed it to be Jesus. By the title of this post, you already know that it is a statue of St. Francis of Assisi! If one were to have a top-ten list of generally popular saints, he'd be on it for certain. We know this Italian man as the patron saint of animals and ecology, and you'll find many churches (not just Catholic) will have a "Blessing of the Animals" service on or near his feast day (October 4). At St. Andrew's we'll have a Blessing of Animals service at 10AM on Saturday, October 2.

I encourage you to read this brief description of the life of this man. Raised in a wealthy family, he gradually realized that his lifestyle was not bringing him real joy, and he accepted poverty as a dramatic witness to his (and our) fundamental dependence on God. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was rightly recognized for her care for the sick and poor. Centuries before, St. Francis also embraced a man with leprosy as his 'brother', breaking cultural taboos in the process of recognizing that as sons and daughter of God we are all related and deserve respect and love. St. Francis further recognized that in some real sense we as created beings are related to all of creation. See here for the beautiful Canticle of Creation.

But still, you may wonder: why a statue of St. Francis in our courtyard?
Our parish is served by three priests. Two of them (Fr. David and Fr. Tom) belong to the religious order called the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, the order that has been with our parish since its founding over 25 years ago. Our third priest (Fr. Joseph) is a Conventual Franciscan. There are many, many religious orders, male and female, founded under the guiding principles of St. Francis, who called his followers the "Friars Minor".

As you point out the statue of St. Francis to your children, see if they can find both birds (and let me know if there are more than two!), share with them what you know about him, and if you have pets, please be sure to put October 2 on your calendar!

Blessing the Meal

It's difficult these days to sit down together as a household for meals. What a blessing to be able to share food and the events of the day with each other!

If you don't already make this part of your routine, how about taking 15 seconds (really, I just timed it!) to remember that God is present with you, and is the source of these and so many other blessings.

You could start with the sign of the cross and either hold hands with each other or fold your hands in front of you. Here's a traditional Catholic version of "Grace Before Meals":

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your goodness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(I was raised saying 'thy gifts' and 'from thy bounty' ... same difference.)

Or each of your family members (including grown-ups) could take turns leading a brief prayer. As a child, my niece would often pray, "Thank you God for our food. Amen."  Short, sweet, gets the job done! Others might relish the opportunity to list the blessings of the day... which might well take longer than 15 seconds.

What do you do in your household to recall the blessings of your life?

Sign of the Cross

Does your child know how to make the Sign of the Cross?
It is a simple and familiar gesture and prayer for Catholics, and we do it to remind ourselves:

• of our baptism, which was done in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• that in our baptism, we have been claimed entirely by Christ 
• that Jesus Christ saved us through his death on a cross, and his resurrection
• in whom and for whom we live

With the right hand, touch your forehead
     while saying "In the name of the Father"
then touch your chest while saying "and of the Son"
and then left shoulder "and of the Holy..."
and right shoulder "...Spirit. Amen"

The hardest part for smaller children seems to be getting the left and right in the correct order... maybe if you face the same direction they do, it'll be easier for them to catch on?

When you come into the gathering space at Church, you'll notice our holy water font, placed in front of a statue of St. Andrew. You can help your child to dip their right hand in the font and make the sign of the cross before you go in for Mass each week. They might need to learn the difference between a pool that's for splashing, and this font that is for making a prayerful, unhurried gesture, one that is both a reminder of our baptism, and in some sense a symbol of cleansing in order to prepare us for our prayer time together.

"Ordinary" Time

If you look on the front of the bulletin this Sunday, you'll notice that we call it the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In 'church-talk' ordinary does not mean same-ol', ho-hum, plain and boring. It means 'counted', like in grade school math ordinal numbers indicate the order in which something occurs (forgive my imprecision in that definition: I'm not a math major!). So right now, when we are not in a specific season of the Church year like Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter, or celebrating some special feast, we keep track of the rest of the Sundays in counted order.

And yet in a sense, 'ordinary time' does refer to the everyday, the regular, the routine - but a regular living that is far from boring!

Did you know that every season of the Church year has a color that is associated with it? Purple or deep blue for Advent, white or gold for Christmas and Easter, purple for Lent, and red for feasts of the Holy Spirit or of Martyrs.

Green is the color of Ordinary Time -- when you go to Mass this weekend, look around - notice how the cloth on the altar and the ambo (lectern) and the vestments that the priest and deacon wears are green. You could talk with your children about the color green - what do you and they associate with that color? (hint: look at the plants and grass ... they are all about life and growth! And after this recent rain, they are growing quickly!)

The Gospel readings during Ordinary Time mostly focus on the topic of living and growing, and we often get to hear Jesus teach us through parables (stories). For instance, a few weeks ago, he told the story of the "Good Samaritan" to help us think about how to treat others, and who to consider as our neighbor. A couple weeks ago, he was counseling Martha not to get so caught up in the details of impressing people that she missed out in being with people. The Gospel this weekend has a sobering warning not to confuse your life with your possessions.  Maybe each week in Ordinary Time, you and your child could figure out the point or moral to the Gospel together, and then see what it means for you in your life, right now!

Baptisms this Sunday!

At many of our parish masses this weekend, we will be celebrating baptisms. This presents a wonderful opportunity for you to talk with your child about baptism!

What's your story? If your child has been baptized, would they remember anything about the day? Most probably not, if they were infants or small children. What can you tell them about it? Who was there? What church? How was it done (a little water sprinkled, a good amount poured, were they immersed in the font itself?)  Did they put up a fuss or sleep through it? What was the weather like? Who are their godparents? You can help them learn the story of how they came to be a Christian.

And you can also help them learn a little about what happens at baptism. Think about the four main symbols: water, oil, light, white garment.
Water: If you talk with your child about each of these in turn, we might discover that water refreshes, cleanses, and helps things grow. Baptism gives us new life and washes away our sin. (As adults we also speak of the 'water of new birth' that make us a new creation in Christ).
Oil: If you think about oil as lotion, suntan lotion protects us from the sun, body lotion soothes rough skin, but even cooking oil protects the pan, keeps things from sticking and burning! The oil we use at baptism (and confirmation, and ordinations) is a special one, called Chrism. It smells really nice- when the Bishop blesses it during Holy Week, he adds a perfume called balsam to the olive oil. This Chrism sinks into our skin, leaving a mark that you really can't wash off: for your whole life, you are a Christian! And while God loves and protects every person, baptized or not, in a special way, we are given strength to resist sin through this anointing.
Light: When the power goes out, it can be hard to walk around your house without stubbing your toe! Light can guide us, helps us to see. A flame has energy and power. A candle is lit from the big Paschal (Easter) Candle (which represents Christ, the Light of the World. A new one is blessed every year at the Easter Vigil.) as a reminder that the child is enlightened by Christ, and is to keep the flame or faith alive in their hearts.
White garment: When they go out to play, are their clothes typically white (or do they stay that way for long?!)? White shows us that something is clean and spotless, and sometimes reserved for special occasions. Listen to the prayer at baptism: See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.  What does it mean to have dignity? How does a person with dignity (not uppity, not snooty, but dignified!) act?

Talking about those symbols, and watching for them together during the service, is a good way to start understanding a bit about what baptism means. But symbols by their nature have so many meanings- they take a lifetime (or more) to understand!

What's your 'ritual'?

Many families have a night-time routine, a familiar pattern the child expects as they go to sleep. Is prayer a part of your ritual?  Even before a child is old enough to pray, you can send them off to sleep with a blessing. Simply trace the sign of the cross on your child's forehead or over their heart and pray one of these blessings (or make up your own):

• May God bless you.

• May God be with you.

• God be in your heart.

• May God bless and protect you.