Office of Marriage & Family Life

Take time to read and reflect on the Scriptures for this Sunday.

Don’t have access to a Bible?

Visit www.usccb.org/bible/readings or download an app such as Laudate or iBreviary to access the Mass readings.
 

Isaiah 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7

Lord, return for the sake of your servants!

Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19

Lord, make us turn to you and we shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

God will keep you firm to the end.

Mark 13:33-37

Be watchful! Be alert!

Follow these steps to make the most of a disrupted Advent:

• Acknowledge with your family that the pandemic is going to disrupt how we would prefer to celebrate the holidays. We can’t gather as we would prefer with our extended families. Many of our favorite traditions will be disrupted, and we may be facing more financial pressures. It is natural and healthy to recognize this loss. It’s also helpful to remember that Advent is a time of waiting for Jesus, who promises to restore creation to what God intends it to be. Embrace this time as a powerful reminder of whom we are waiting for. 

• Adapt to this new environment. Revise some old traditions and explore some new ones. Take advantage of some of the suggestions on our At Home with Faith website for ways to enjoy Advent as a more reflective time. Make an Advent wreath. Go for walks as a family. Take the initiative to set the tone for the season.

• Appreciate this time. Once we accept that this season is not going to be like previous years, we can start to appreciate unexpected blessings this year offers. Odds are good that we will remember this time of the pandemic for many years afterwards. Let’s encourage our families to let our faith shine a light on our experience and be open to the Holy Spirit among us.

For many years, the Church has encouraged families to use Advent wreaths as a way to focus our prayer. Families can quite easily make an advent wreath. Click on this link for a step by step guide. When constructing yours, feel free to improvise materials and involve your children. What’s most important is to provide a reminder that we really are waiting for Jesus’ return. Also important is to be careful whenever we are using the wreath as greenery is very flammable.

In using the wreath, it’s helpful to follow the pattern of lighting the candles done at Mass. Start by lighting the first purple candle in week one, the second purple candle in week two, the pink candle on Gaudete Sunday, and the last purple candle on week four. 

As your family uses the Advent wreath, invite your children to see symbols in the wreath that can serve as reminders of Jesus. For example, its circular shape suggests eternity, purple suggests royalty, and pink symbolizes joy. Also, the four candles can remind us of stages of salvation prior to the birth of Jesus: forgiveness to Adam and Eve, the promise to Abraham, the Covenant with Israel, and king David.