The Holy Father’s Intentions
for the Month
of December 2007
General: That human society may be solicitous in the care of all those stricken with AIDS, especially children and women, and that the Church may make them feel the Lord’s love.
Missionary: That the incarnation of the Son of God, which the Church celebrates solemnly at Christmas, may help the peoples of the Asiatic Continent to recognize God’s Envoy, the only Saviour of the world, in Jesus.
Highlights of the Month
The liturgy of
Advent focuses on remembering Christ’s first coming at Bethlehem which then directs our mind to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. The readings focus on the people of the Old Testament awaiting the Messiah, John the Baptist, heralding the way for Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary and her maternal preparations.
Focus of the Liturgy
The Gospels for the Sundays in December are taken from St. Matthew and are from Cycle A of the readings.
**December 2nd **- 1st Sunday in AdventThe Gospel is about Jesus revealing what would happen at the end of the world. **December 9th **- 2nd Sunday in AdventThe Gospel is about John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness.
**December 16th **- 3rd Sunday in AdventJesus talks to the followers of John the Baptist telling them to “Go back and tell John what you hear and see”.
**December 23rd **- 4th Sunday in AdventThe Gospel is about the revelation to St. Joseph of Mary’s virginal conception.
The Reason for the Season
The month of December is filled with expectation and celebration. Preparation is the key word for the first 24 days of December. Everyone is getting ready for Christmas — shopping and decorating, baking and cleaning. Too often, however, we are so busy with the material preparations that we lose sight of the real reason for our activity.
Christmas is a Christian feast — and we must reclaim it as such!
In the same way that a family eagerly prepares for a baby, so in
Advent should we prepare for the coming of the Christ Child. We should keep Advent as a season of waiting and longing, of conversion and of hope and keep our thoughts on the incredible love and humility of our God in taking on the flesh of the Virgin Mary. Let us not forget to prepare a peaceful place in our hearts wherein our Savior may come to dwell.
The best person we can turn to for help during Advent is Mary, Christ’s and our Mother. She awaited the day of His birth with more eagerness than any other human being. Her preparation was complete in every respect. Let’s crown our preparation and borrow something of Mary’s prayerfulness, her purity and whole-hearted submission to God’s will.
