Video: God Is With Us

Happy Advent! Enjoy.

Marian Grace: O Come O Come Emmanuel

At the beginning of this beautiful season of Advent, St. Michael Parish hosted Marian Grace, a Catholic recording duo who have travel all over the country and have made numerous appearances on Catholic television stations.  It was a beautiful concert and their music truly began the Advent season off the right way!

Check out one of their songs from their Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Album!  I have been using this song as part of my prayer to help me focus on the coming of our Savior this Christmas; I hope it helps you as well!

 

And so we prepare…

 

Hi everyone! This past Sunday marks the start of a nostalgic season.  Advent!  Many people in the world simply know this time of year as the Christmas season.  But that is not really accurate.  The Christmas season STARTS on Christmas and lasts until the Feast of the baptism of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  That is sometime in January.  So then, what is this time? The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Well, this is Advent.

Advent is the season, so to speak, of preparation for the birth of Christ.  Just as Mary and Joseph needed to prepare for a new baby we, in a sense, need to clear out some clutter and make room for Jesus to enter into our hearts. One of the many traditions that we as faith filled people can do this is through the

Advent Wreath

The other way is through the Jesse Tree. (It starts today, Dec. 1)

“What is the Jesse Tree?”

The Jesse Tree is a daily recounting of Jesus’s family.  It shows in a biblical and physical way our salvation through Jesus Christ.

“That sounds complicated and overwhelming.”

Okay, okay, yeah Salvation can be a bit overwhelming.  It’s amazing that someone, Jesus Christ, loved us so much that he literally traded heaven to be here on earth with us and help us out.  And not just come here to help us out but to come as a baby.  Mind. Blown.

Anyway, here are two links on how to incorporate the Jesse Tree into your daily (or as daily as an family can make it) Advent preparation.

Catholic Icing gives a great list of easy to super crafty Jesse Tree ideas.

also

Catholic Culture gives a concise and easy ‘run down’ of the Jesse Tree so as to not overwhelm too much.

Enjoy the Season.