November 29
Adopt a form of grace before breakfast, lunch, or dinner to use throughout the Advent and Christmas season. Suggestions can be found in Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers.
November 30
Write your Christmas cards. Include a copy of the Prayer for Peace (link: ) or A Prayer for Families and invite your friends and loved ones to pray the prayer with your throughout the holiday season.
December 1
Pray the rosary using A Rosary for Peace.
December 2
Make your Christmas gift list. Set a limit on Christmas gift buying. Donate a percentage of the total amount spent on gifts to a local charity.
December 3
Today is the feast of St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary to Asia and the Pacific. Learn three facts about Catholics today from Asia and the Pacific Islands. How has the Asian and Pacific presence influenced your local community?
December 4
Reread Sunday’s readings. What is the Gospel’s sense of time? How is the Gospel’s sense of time a challenge to our cultural sense of time during these weeks?
December 5
Reflect on the readings for this Sunday. The response of psalmist today is one of great joy in the justice of God. As you prepare for the coming of Christ, how would you characterize your response?
December 6
The virtue of St. Nicholas was his love and charity for the poor. Read short excerpts from Principles, Prophecy, and a Pastoral Response and reflect on your response to poor in the world.
December 7
Reread The Harvest of Justice Is Sown in Peace. What one action can you take as an individual, a family, a parish, and a taxpayer to sow the seeds of justice this Advent?
December 8
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, identify in what ways Mary is a model of holiness for you. Examine some of the traditional prayers to Mary in the Book of Mary.
December 9
Adopt one of the spiritual works of mercy from Penitential Practices for Today’s Catholics as part of your Advent journey.
December 10
Put up and decorate your Christmas tree. Bless it using the “Blessing of a Christmas Tree”.
December 11
Celebrate Eucharist at a Spanish-language or bilingual Mass on the eve of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
December 12
Reflect on today’s Gospel. How do you respond to the question, “What should I do?”
December 13
Light a candle in your home or at a Church and pray for the blind on this memorial to St. Lucy.
December 14
Today is the feast of St. John of the Cross. What are the calls and “costs” of discipleship today?
December 15
Pray the rosary using the A Scriptural Rosary for Justice and Peace.
December 16
Today is the first day of the nine-day celebration of the posadas, when the difficult journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem is reenacted. As you hear the figurative “knock on the door,” how do you respond to the question, “Is there room at the inn?” and welcome the strangers at your door?
December 17
Sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel, the sung version of the O Antiphons, as part of your prayer. Each antiphon addresses Christ using a Scriptural title. One of the seven antiphons is prayed each day from December 17 to December 24.
December 18
Reread the second reading from last Sunday. In what ways in your ability to patient weighed down by anxieties, fears, or other burdens?
December 19
In Sunday’s Gospel, we hear of Joseph’s trust in the Lord. How do you demonstrate to others your trust in the Lord and your willingness to do God’s will?
December 20
Make a list of the ways in which, like Mary, you have said “yes” to God’s presence in your life.
December 21
Collect old, usable clothes, non-perishable food items, and unused toys and donate them to a local shelter or charitable organization.
December 22
Pray the rosary using Unity in Diversity: A Scriptural Rosary. Identify the migrants in your community and how you can be a more welcoming community during this Advent.
December 23
Finish wrapping your Christmas gifts.
December 24 Begin the Novena for Peace (to end on January 1.)
December 25
Celebrate the birth of Christ by attending Eucharist. Spend time with family and friends.
December 26
Write a card or letter to each member of your family. Thank them for all that they have shared with you. Send them a copy of the A Prayer for Families.
December 27
Start writing thank you notes for the gifts that you received on Christmas.
December 28
Pray for the children who have died and inscribe their names in the Book of the Innocents.
December 29
Read what you wrote on the slips of paper in your clay pot. Reflect on the experience of “epiphany” in the Gospel for Sunday.
December 30
Memorize the Canticle of Simeon and begin the practice of Night Prayer individually, as a couple, or as a family.
December 31
Review fundraising requests from charitable groups and decide which ones you will support. Send out the checks to make the December 31 deadline for charitable deductions.
January 1
Pray the Prayer for Peace with your family, friends, or colleagues before watching the parades or football games on this holy day dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Peace.
January 2
Today begins National Migration Week. Write a letter to your senator or representative on one of the current issues related to migrants.
| Music during advent Question from B.J. on 12-19-2003: |
| Our priest says that we cannot sing Christmas carols etc during advent. only on Christmas. That doesn't leave much time to the wonderful old hymns. Is there a ruling on this? thanks |
| Answer by Colin B. Donovan, STL on 01-07-2004: |
| Since Advent is the liturgical season of preparation for Christmas, not celebration of, it would indeed NOT be appropriate to sing Christmas carols during Advent. Most hymnals have an Advent section with carols/hymns that match the liturgical season. These should be used instead of the Christmas-specific ones.
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