Posted on Wed, Nov 30, 2011
Our family first celebrated Saint Nicholas Day about twenty-five years ago. We gathered with a cherished circle of friends for a post-Thanksgiving meal that didn’t have anything to do – or so we thought – with Saint Nicholas. Our hostesses – two Franciscan sisters – gave each child a stocking filled with goodies. We sang carols, told stories, and laughed heartily. After repeating the celebration the following year, complete with stockings, it soon evolved into an annual tradition that began to fall around December 6th, feast of Saint Nicholas. Over the years we added new traditions and dropped others as the children all grew up and ventured out onto their own. A couple of the rituals endured, however. We always share a meal, and we join together in prayer that includes a Saint Nicholas Day blessing.
Legends of Saint Nicholas abound. One of the most famous involves the kindly saint leaving bags of gold on the doorstep of a poor family, thus providing the daughters with dowries so that they could marry. This was more than a matchmaking venture, but rather one that spared the impoverished girls from being sold into slavery.
The candy cane is a treat often associated with Saint Nicholas Day. Its distinctive shape is attributed to a 17th century German choirmaster, who bent the candy into the form of a shepherd’s staff and gave it to children attending church services. The crook symbolizes the gentle image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. As shepherd of his people, a bishop carries a hook-shaped staff called a crosier. Since Saint Nicholas was also a bishop, the candy cane serves as a perfect symbol for this patron and protector of children.
This Sunday, my husband, Ron, and I will gather once again with our friends for “St. Nick’s Day” – a celebration of friendship and love, joy and generosity. It’s a tradition we wouldn’t think of missing.
Bright Ideas
-
In the spirit of Saint Nicholas, involve your family or class in a Christmas project that provides gifts for children who live in impoverished circumstances. Remember the children each time you gather together to light the Advent wreath.
-
Engage your family or class in a discussion about favorite seasonal traditions. Which ones have endured over the years? What makes them special?
-
Celebrate Saint Nicholas Day with a blessing and sharing of candy canes. Download my complimentary Saint Nicholas Day Blessing of Candy Canes! Comes in both Spanish and English translations.
Posted on Mon, Nov 28, 2011
Sunday, December 4th, is the Second Sunday of Advent! Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week" - a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Question of the Week:
John the Baptist pointed to Jesus. Who has pointed to Jesus for you?
Reading 1 Reflection: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11
Reading 2 Reflection: 2 Peter 3:8-14
Theme: God's messenger
Gospel: Mark 1:1-8
Looking for discussion Questions for the above Reading Reflections? Click here!
Posted on Wed, Nov 23, 2011
My bags are packed and I am ready to return home. It’s been a lovely weekend, spent in Santa Clara, California, at the annual Faith Formation Conference sponsored by the (Arch)dioceses of San Francisco, Oakland, Monterey, San Jose, and Stockton. One of the other hats I wear for Sadlier is that of a national consultant. This gives me the chance to travel to various parts of the country and offer presentations to catechists, Catholic school teachers, youth ministers, and pastoral leaders. It’s a fabulous job!
As I reflect on the people I encountered over the weekend, several images come to mind: The concern expressed in one of my workshops about ways to support parents in strengthening faith in the family. The instant conversation that ensued in another workshop when I invited participants to name a favorite family ritual. The thoughtful responses that I received when asking yet another group what throws them off kilter and how we might seek and find spiritual balance. Once again, I leave a gathering of generous, faith-filled people with a feeling that I have been given a lot more than I gave.
Perhaps what is most striking about such conferences is the commitment that participants make to furthering their own education and understanding of the faith. They enter into the talks with eagerness and openness. I heard several people comment on how much they enjoyed the keynote presentations, the music and prayer, and, of course, the opportunity to be with other catechists, teachers, and parish ministers. Each break-out session began with a prayer, part of which summarizes this open-hearted attitude:
“Day by day…
When convenient and inconvenient…
In everyplace we go…
Guide us to walk in your ways,
Animate us to glorify the Lord by our lives.”
It’s a lovely prayer with which to travel home.
Bright Ideas
-
If you attended the Faith Formation in Santa Clara, post a comment with your own “parting thoughts”. What insight or new piece of information did you gain?
-
Consider how you want to enhance your understanding and appreciation of your faith through participating in a conference, course, workshop, or event. What kind of commitment can you make to grow more knowledgeable through some kind of study, reflection, or spiritual practice?
Download the handouts from my session!
Posted on Mon, Nov 21, 2011
Advent begins Sunday, November 27, 2011. Have you pondered how you want to make use of your time during this sacred season? The late Henri Nouwen, one of the great spiritual writers of the twentieth century, described the liturgical year as an opportunity to grow closer to Christ, and to deepen our participation in our life together as Church. Gather In My Name offers two event options that will help set holidays within the framework of sacred time!
Each Advent-A Time for Watching and Waiting event focuses on a particular seasonal theme, one developed through prayer, presentation, discussion, interaction, and print and Internet resources. The length of each event is approximately two hours, which can be shortened to suit the particular needs and interests of the parishioners. A Leader's Guide contains a step-by-step outline of the session. A handy preparation chart serves as a checklist for assembling materials and resources. Handouts and templates are provided for use before, during, and after the event.
Two options are provided to gather groups in varying configurations. Pick the one that best suits the size, needs, and interests of your parish or school:
For a fully multigenerational event, choose Option 1. It gathers together children, youth, and adults for prayer, sharing, and learning about an aspect of our faith. Use this option as a way to build upon the corresponding seasonal chapter about Advent in We Believe.
For a multigenerational event with age level breakouts, choose Option 2. Children, youth, and adults gather for an opening icebreaker and prayer service and then break into grade level or cluster groups. The entire assembly reconvenes for a closing prayer. Use this option with the grade level groups as a way to draw upon the corresponding seasonal chapters about Advent in the We Believe program within the context of the whole community. Use this option with cluster groups when there are not enough children registered for Gather In My Name to form grade level groups.
Don't miss the activities, prayer, and readings that go with this week's liturgy, First Sunday of Advent!
Posted on Wed, Nov 16, 2011
“Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks…” (1Thessalonians 5:17). Was Paul for real? Is it even possible to pray without ceasing? To give thanks for everything? I believe he was deeply sincere in writing these words. What’s more, I think he was right on target, especially when it comes to giving thanks for everything in our lives.
I learned this the hard way, by keeping a gratitude journal for a year. What seemed at first blush to be a sweet little exercise soon turned into a monumental task as the year unfolded in deeply painful ways. I lost my job. We had to sell a home we had only owned for ten months, thereby losing a great deal of money. I had to let go of our son as he headed off to college in New York, and yank our daughter out of yet another school in order to move once again. On top of it all, I was still grieving a loss in our family. Finding something for which to be grateful each day became a huge challenge.
Looking back, I now consider that year as one of the most grace-filled of my life. It was difficult, to be sure, but the loss of my job put me on a path back into ministry and eventually into my current role with Sadlier as a writer and consultant. I saw our son and daughter graduate in due time, knowing that we had given them our full support despite the difficulties we faced as a family. And grief eventually gave way to peace as I recognized the many gifts that emerged from our loss.
In one of my journal reflections, I wrote about the way gratitude can spring from the most difficult circumstances. “Essentially I don’t believe gratitude that is sincere, that is heartfelt, can come on its own. It really must find its deepest roots in the pain and suffering of life. Only the drowning person can truly be grateful for the gift of air.”
This Thanksgiving, I have so much for which to be grateful. Life continues to present challenges, which I tackle in uneven ways. I take Paul at his word. Giving thanks for everything is a grace-full way to live.
Bright Ideas
Here are three ways to “give thanks for everything:”
-
Engage your children or students in a game of gratitude. Give them one minute to come up with five things they have seen or experienced that day for which they are grateful. Talk about the diversity of responses, and how they trigger more ways to give thanks.
-
Start a gratitude journal as a family or class. Before saying grace or beginning your class prayer, compile the entries for the day. At the end of a week or a month, read the entries aloud. Give thanks for the many reasons to give thanks!
-
Download and share my A Prayer For Thanksgiving prayer cards
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Mon, Nov 14, 2011
Tis' the season! It's time to start preparing your Christmas lesson plans. Gather In My Name offers two event options that will ensure you have a Christ-centered Christmas. Each Gather In My Name event focuses on a particular seasonal theme, one developed through prayer, presentation, discussion, interaction, and print and Internet resources. The length of each event is approximately two hours, which can be shortened to suit the particular needs and interests of the parishioners.
Two options are provided to gather groups in varying configurations. Pick the one that best suits the size, needs, and interests of your parish or school:
For a fully multigenerational event, choose Option 1. It gathers together children, youth, and adults for prayer, sharing, and learning about an aspect of our faith. Use this option as a way to build upon the corresponding chapters about Pentecost in We Believe.
For a multigenerational event with age level breakouts, choose Option 2. Children, youth, and adults gather for an opening icebreaker and prayer service and then break into grade level or cluster groups. The entire assembly reconvenes for a closing prayer. Use this option with the grade level groups as a way to draw upon the corresponding chapters about Pentecost in the We Believe program within the context of the whole community. Use this option with cluster groups when there are not enough children registered for Gather In My Name to form grade level groups.
Do you need help planning for Advent? Gather In My Name offers two event options that will assist in focusing on celebrating and preparing for the coming of Christ. Don't miss Advent- A Time for Watching and Waiting.
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Wed, Nov 09, 2011
Halloween has come and gone, much to my relief. I always loved this holiday but it’s lately started to wear on me. It isn’t the holiday itself, but its build-up. Halloween-themed television programming and articles, along with store displays that went up before Labor Day, beat the celebration to death. Now the countdown to Christmas has begun, and the same kind of overdrive is kicking into gear.
I recently directed a parish day of retreat on the press for time, particularly during the holidays. The theme centered on moving from the frenetic pace of holiday activities to the quiet rhythm of the liturgical year. Rather than pitting one against the other, however, we examined how the cherished symbols, rituals, and stories that frame holidays in the home can offer an appreciation for holy days and sacred seasons. The challenge is keeping them all in context in the midst of a culture that throws our sense of time and place completely out of whack.
The First Sunday of Advent is just three weeks away. Thus, it is not too soon to ponder how we want to make use of our time during this sacred season. Which holiday traditions, for example, hold meaning for us and our families? Which ones have run their course and only seem to create more stress? And how do we draw together Advent’s quiet, reflective tone with the cacophony of noise and activity that swirl around us during the holiday season? The late Henri Nouwen, one of the great spiritual writers of the twentieth century, described the liturgical year as an opportunity to grow closer to Christ, and to deepen our participation in our life together as Church. By setting the holidays within the framework of sacred time, we can seize this great opportunity to deepen our spiritual lives and to expand our love for Christ and one another.
Bright Ideas
Make a list of the materials you need for celebrating Advent with your family or students. Shop for candles for an Advent wreath, for example, or search out print and online resources for activities and prayer. For reflections on the liturgies during Advent, visit www.webelieveweb.com.
Download a complimentary Gather In My Name Advent printable that includes a blessing prayer and week-by-week cards for celebrating Advent!
photo © iStockphoto
Posted on Mon, Nov 07, 2011
Sunday, November 13th, is the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Plan to spend time this week reflecting on the readings and preparing to celebrate the Eucharist. Gather in My Name offers "Question of the Week" - a free resource to incorporate the Sunday Eucharist into your religion classes, family discussions, or community activities.
Question of the Week:
Who has affirmed your talents? Who needs your affirmation of their talents?
Reading 1 Reflection: Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20, 30-31
Reading 2 Reflection: 1 Thessalonians 5,1-6
Theme: Talents and Gifts
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 or 25:14-15, 19-21
Looking for discussion Questions for the above Reading Reflections? Click here!
Posted on Wed, Nov 02, 2011
Three years ago my husband, Ron, and I were in the middle of a trip around the country. We traveled for close to a year, visiting all forty-eight of the contiguous United States. A major part of our itinerary was visits to national parks and monuments. Without question, one of the most moving of these was Arlington National Cemetery. We happened to arrive in time for the changing of the guard. The solemnity of the ritual, one that takes place every hour (every half hour in the summer), is both emotional and thought-provoking. Surrounded by the graves of veterans from as far back as the Civil War, we were caught up with a sense of history. The occasional sound of “Taps” indicating a burial somewhere within the cemetery, brought to mind the continual process of honoring those who served and are serving the nation in a branch of the Armed Services.
Over the past several years, I have had several opportunities to speak at military bases in the U.S. and overseas. Each time I come away with a feeling of deep gratitude and respect for those who have chosen to serve, as well as for the families that support them. As this Veteran’s Day approaches, I hope to give deeper consideration to the sacrifices given so generously and to pray for all veterans – living and dead, known and unknown. Each one is cause for a solemn day of remembrance.
Bright Ideas
Visit the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops web site for prayers to use in your family or with your class this Veteran’s Day: click here.
To learn more about the work of the Catholic Church with the military visit the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA: click here.
Download and share my Prayer For Those Who Have Died prayer cards!
photo © iStockphoto