A long journey

Christmas Adventure

Joy is the theme for the third week of Advent. This is a word widely used by Pope Francis. Joy is not the happiness we feel when something good happens, it is instead a state of being that we are in, even when things do not go as we would like them to. This joy comes from Jesus when we allow him to lead us completely. This is why it is an everlasting joy; it is not transient. The joy, that Jesus wishes to give us, is like the one mentioned in the book of Genesis, before Adam and Eve fell to temptation. Sin robbed them of the joy they felt. Sin separated them from God. However, this was not acceptable to God; this is why God became man, to save us, to conquer death and we have joy in our hearts. This is the reason, why on announcing the birth of Jesus, the angels said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2, 10-11). Read/pray Salm 126, about the contemplation of someone who allows himself to be led by God

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 2, 1-5

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

With the help of the puppets, the children retell Joseph’s and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem.

If you have an Advent Wreath, the pink candle is lit. This represents joy, joy that soon it will be Christmas, Jesus is born. Ask the children about what makes them happy. Ask them how they can make others happy…their parents, their siblings, their grandparents, their friends. Encourage them, so that during this week, they bring joy to others, as much as possible.

  1. Everyone enjoys receiving gifts. During this week help the children make Christmas Crackers (you can look up sites on the internet, on how they are made). You will need empty toilet paper rolls, or kitchen rolls (these can be cut in half), glue, wrapping paper, ribbon, small objects and/or sweets to put inside the crackers. Whilst doing the crackers, listen to, I’ve got the joy
  2. Find the hidden message (see below)
find the hidden messageDownload

How much you love us Jesus, to want us to always have joy in our hearts! We read about the journey Joseph and Mary made to go to Bethlehem. We hear about many people who are not happy, because they must make long journeys and leave their homes. We pray for these people, so that are welcomed and they make new friends.

Amen.
The innkeeper colouring pageDownload

We will need

  • Our lapbook
  • Glue stick/scissors
  • Pencil/colours
  • Yellow craft card
  • Activity templates (candle, pocket, stars, hexagon accordian)
CandlesDownload
PocketDownload
star template Download
Small Hexagon Download

Activity Week 3

  • Print out the templates for this week and carefully cut them out
  • Colour the candle pink and write on it in large letters JOY, then stick it on the third page of your lapbook
  • Fold the pocket as instructed and the hexagon accordion
  • Cut out three stars from the yellow card to fit inside the pocket (using the star template)

This week we are halfway through Advent, and we light the third candle which is rose coloured. This candle is also called the Shepherds candle and we remember the joy that the world experienced at the birth of Jesus and of our own joy as we get closer to the feast of Christmas. It is also called Gaudete Sunday, today the Priest’s vestments are rose coloured and not purple like the other Sunday’s in Advent. 

We shout with joy that Jesus is coming just like the first shepherds who joyfully shared the good news of the Saviour’s birth. During the first week we focused on the prophets who waited for someone they would never see. Last week we focused on Mary and Joseph who were waiting for the birth of their new baby. This week the focus is on the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem looking after their sheep when suddenly everything changed. An angel appeared to them, and God’s glory shone all around. It must have been a wonderful sight and experience even though they were afraid. But the angel told them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign, you will find a baby lying in a manger.” Suddenly more angels appeared and praised God saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace for all those he favours.” Do those words sound familiar to you? Do you know that we say these very words during Mass when we say a special prayer called the Gloria. It starts with the words “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.”  

When the angels had left the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem and look for the Saviour. They found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in a manger. When they left the stable, they told everyone what they had seen and experienced, everyone was astonished. Mary treasured all these things in her heart. The shepherds returned to their fields praising and glorifying God for all the things that they had seen.

Imagine how the shepherds felt when the angels appeared to them in the night sky, it must have been slightly terrifying but at the same time very spectacular and a very special experience. They understood the importance of the event. They were simply doing their job, guarding their sheep during the night waiting for morning to come. Sometimes we too will be doing ordinary things, like going to school and the day seems very long, and you will be eager to get home waiting for the bell to ring. Sometimes amazing things can happen, God sometimes breaks into our lives, and we are amazed. Maybe God answers our prayers, or someone is unexpectedly kind to you and makes your day so much better. It is good to be waiting for the unexpected to happen. So, we wait in Advent joyfully for baby Jesus to be born. Remember God is always at work in our lives even though we do not always notice. So it is with joy that we wait for the amazing birth of Jesus our Lord and Saviour.  

Light three candles,

See them glow brightly, so that all may know.

How three candles show the way

Making our darkness bright as God’s Day.

Dear God, we worry about many things which upset us. Help us to be like the shepherds who responded to your Glory. Help us to hear your promise of peace and goodwill in this Advent season and in doing so receive the gift of joy as we wait patiently for Jesus’ birth. Amen.

  • We can now write this prayer or one of your own prayers on the third page of our lapbook.
  • Stick the pocket under your prayer, on it write Gory to God in the highest
  • On the three yellow stars write the ways in which you are preparing your heart for Jesus’ birth. Some ideas are saying an extra prayer for someone, reading the nativity story in the Bible or going to Mass. 
  • Stick the folded hexagon accordion above the candle, on each hexagon write ways in which you can bring joy to someone this week. Try to be creative. 
  • Listen to the song; God came down on this glorious night