The third Candle on the Advent wreath is called the “Shepherd’s Candle.” Its light is a symbol of the Joy that filled the world in the past at the birth of Jesus- the joy that first came upon the shepherds at night watch in the fields when the Angel of the Lord appeared to them and said,
“Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Luke 2:10

This Candle is rose in color to remind everyone that the very joyful occasion of the Lord’s birth is truly at the heart of our Advent preparation of prayer and penitence, represented by the liturgical color purple.

https://www.thebestcatholic.com/2017/12/18/third-sunday-advent-joy

“Rejoice: the Lord is nigh.” As Christmas draws near, the Church emphasizes the joy which should be in our hearts over all that the birth of our Savior means for us. The great joy of Christians is to see the day drawing nigh when the Lord will come again in His glory to lead them into His kingdom. The oft-repeated Veni (“Come”) of Advent is an echo not only of the prophets but also of the conclusion of the Apocalypse of St. John: “Come, Lord Jesus,” the last words of the New Testament.

Yesterday is known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, “Rejoice”. Rose vestments are worn to emphasize our joy that Christmas is near, and we also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath this week.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2020-12-13

St. Lucy is a virgin and martyr of Syracuse in Sicily, whose feast is celebrated on December 13th. According to tradition, Saint Lucy was born to rich and noble parents in the year 283. Her father was of Roman origin, but his early death left her dependent upon her mother, whose name, Eutychia, seems to indicate that she was of Greek heritage.

Like so many of the early martyrs, Lucy had consecrated her virginity to God, and she hoped to devote all her worldly goods to the service of the poor.

Her mother, Eutychia, arranged a marriage for her, but for three years she managed to postpone the marriage. Lucy prayed at the tomb of Saint Agatha to change her mother’s mind about her faith. As a result, her mother’s long haemorrhagic illness was cured, and she consented to Lucy’s desire to live for God.

Saint Lucy’s rejected bridegroom, Paschasius, denounced Lucy as a Christian. The governor planned to force her into prostitution, but when guards went to fetch her, they could not move her even when they hitched her to a team of oxen. The governor ordered her to be killed instead.

After a gruesome torture which included having her eyes torn out, she was surrounded by bundles of wood which were set afire, but the fire quickly died out. She prophesied against her persecutors, and was then executed by being stabbed to death with a dagger.

According to later accounts, Lucy warned Paschasius he would be punished. When the governor heard this he ordered the guards to gouge out her eyes; however, in another telling, it was Lucy who removed her eyes in an attempt to discourage a persistent suitor who greatly admired them. When her body was being prepared for burial, they discovered her eyes had been restored. This and the meaning of her name (“light” or “lucid”) led to her patronage with eyes; the blind, eye trouble, and other eye ailments.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-lucy-83

Prayer to St. Lucy

Feast Day: December 13
Relying on Your goodness, O God, we humbly ask you, by the intercession of your servant, Saint Lucy, to give perfect vision to our eyes, that we may serve for your greater honor and glory. And we pray for the salvation of our souls in this world, that we may come to the enjoyment of the unfailing light of the Lamb of God in heaven.
St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, hear our prayers and answer our petitions. Amen.
http://www.catholicsupply.com/existing/lucy.html

Memorare of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Remember, O most gracious Virgin of Guadalupe, that in your heavenly apparitions on the mount of Tepeyac, you promised to show your compassion and pity towards all who, loving and trusting you, seek your help and call upon you in their necessities and afflictions. You promised to hear our supplications, to dry our tears, and to give us consolation and relief.

Never has it been known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly to you, O Mary, ever-Virgin Mother of the true God! Though grieving under the weight of our sins, we come to prostrate ourselves before you. We fully trust that, standing beneath your shadow and protection, nothing will trouble or afflict us, nor do we need to fear illness or misfortune, or any other sorrow.

O Virgin of Guadalupe, you want to remain with us through your admirable Image, you who are our Mother, our health, and our life. Placing ourselves beneath your maternal gaze, and having recourse to you in all our necessities, we need do nothing more.

O Holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer us. Amen

Let There Be Peace On Earth

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father

Brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brother

In perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me,

Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take

Let this be my solemn vow;

To take each moment and live

Each moment in peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth

And let it begin with me.

Written by Jill Jackson-Miller & Sy Miller 1955

Listen:

https://youtu.be/uGoEJyV7Snw

Peace

What is the Sign of Peace?

After the Our Father is concluded, the priest prays a prayer directed to Jesus asking him for peace for His Church.  This petition for peace is made for the Church as a whole that we may more effectively spread the Gospel, but it is also made for the individual members of the Church so we might experience the peace of Christ in our own lives.  It is important to link this understanding of peace with the Mass itself.  This was huge for me!  We petition our Lord for peace after he becomes miraculously present in the Blessed Sacrament, which means that we must find our inner peace from Christ himself.  In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the world and the temptation of evil all around us, we find the source of our tranquility, hope and faith in the Body of Christ, and we nourish this inner peace.  We then are to share this with others by our actions and continue to seek peace through daily prayer.

Why do we offer the Sign of Peace

 It is easy for us to lose sight of the meaning of this exchange and to allow it to devolve into a mere greeting and casual conversation. However, the true meaning lies in the words of the priest prior to the exchange in which he speaks the words of our Lord, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you.” We are acknowledging Christ’s presence in each other and sharing the peace that we have received from Christ with each other. It is a deep spiritual reality that is outwardly expressed in our exchange of peace.

This is the type of peace we want and should be praying for every day.  The peace that you have in your soul that keeps us “sane” even when our life around us seems to be falling apart.

Peace be with each of you.

https://www.columbuscatholicwomen.com/peace-what-is-its-true-meaning/

We bring peace to the world when we bring peace to our world.

Advent focuses on repentance each year. During the second Sunday of Advent, we hear John the Baptist proclaim loudly, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”

Jesus brings the kingdom to Earth when he becomes human. He’s completely divine and yet completely human–fully God and fully flesh-and-blood. He’s just like me and yet very much not like me at all.

Jesus came to bring peace. He tells people, over and over, not to be afraid. But peace begins at home, within our walls and within ourselves.

Repentance brings peace.

Ridding ourselves of the burden guilt places on us and making things right with the people around us will open us more to the experience of the manger, the glory of Christmas, and the King who awaits us as a little baby.

In a word, I need Confession during Advent. It’s a penitential season, and there’s a promise of peace in the penance that awaits me.

Sin blocks my embrace of Jesus.

What’s getting in the way of my embrace of the baby Savior? Is it a grudge I can’t seem to forget or hard feelings I can’t seem to forgive?

Is it an age-old hurt or a brand-new wound? Do I need to apologize or even change my approach?

Jesus offers us peace, but we have to be willing to take the step to rid ourselves of all that gets in the way of that peace.

https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2013/12/08/the-second-week-of-advent-the-peace-candle

Copyright 2013 Sarah Reinhard

A Prayer of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1. ‘Hail Mary, full of grace! ‘
Immaculate Virgin, here I am at your feet once again,
full of devotion and gratitude.
I return to this historic Piazza di Spagna
on the solemn day of your feast
to pray for the beloved city of Rome,
for the Church, for the whole world.
In you, ‘humble and highest of creatures’,
divine grace had the full victory over evil.
You are for us, pilgrims on the paths of the world,
the bright model of evangelical fidelity
and the ever-living pledge of sure hope.

2. Virgin Mother, ‘Salvation of the Roman People! ‘
Watch over, I pray you, the beloved Diocese of Rome:
over pastors and faithful, parishes and religious communities.
Watch over families especially:
may love sealed by the Sacrament ever reign between spouses,
may children walk on the paths of goodness and true freedom,
may the elderly feel surrounded by attention and affection.
Inspire, Mary, in so many young hearts,
generous replies to the ‘call for the mission’,
a subject on which the diocese has
been reflecting over the years.
Thanks to an intense pastoral program for vocations,
may Rome be enriched by new young forces,
dedicated with enthusiasm to proclaiming the Gospel
in the city and in the world.

3. Blessed Virgin, Queen of Apostles!
Assist those who through study
and prayer are preparing to labor
on the many frontiers of the new evangelization.
Today I entrust to you, in a special way,
the community of the Pontifical Urban College,
whose historic headquarters are located in front of this pillar.
May this wonderful institution founded 375 years ago
by Pope Urban VIII for the formation of missionaries,
be able to continue effectively its ecclesial service.
May those it gathers, seminarians and priests,
men and women religious and laity,
be ready to put their energies at the disposition
of Christ in service of the Gospel to the far corners of the globe.

4. ‘Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! ‘
Pray, O Mother, for all of us.
Pray for humanity for those who suffers poverty and injustice,
violence and hatred, terror and war.
Help us to contemplate with the rosary
the mysteries of Him who ‘is our peace’,
so that we will all feel involved
in a persevering dedication of service to peace.
Look with special attention
upon the land in which you gave birth to Jesus,
a land that you loved together with Him,
and that is still so sorely tried today.
Pray for us, Mother of hope!
‘Give us days of peace, watch over our way.
Let us see your Son as we rejoice in heaven’. Amen.

Prayer by Pope John Paul II on the Second Sunday of Advent, 8 December 2002 . Given at Piazza di Spagna

THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT: PEACE

The second candle of Advent is the Candle of Peace. It is sometimes called the Bethlehem Candle to remind us of the place in which preparations were made to receive the Christ child. Peace is a gift that we must be prepared for. God gives us the gift of peace when we turn to him in faith.

The prophet Isaiah calls Christ “the Prince of Peace.” Through John the Baptist and all the other prophets, God asks us to prepare our hearts so that he may come in. Our hope is in God, and in his son Jesus Christ. Our peace is found in him. We light this candle to remind us that he brings peace to all who trust in him.

(Light Advent Candle Two all week – Purple)

Let us pray – Loving God, we thank you for the peace you give us through Jesus Christ. Help us prepare our hearts to receive Him. Guide us in all that we say and do.

We make this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

http://www.greystonesparish.ie

The Feast of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas Prayer

O good holy Nicholas,
you who brought joy to children,
put in my heart the spirit of childhood
about which the Gospel speaks.
Teach me how to sow
happiness around me. Amen.

A Prayer for Children

God, we pray that through the
intercessions of St. Nicholas
you will guide and protect our children.
Keep them safe from all harm
and help them grow to become
loving disciples of Jesus in your sight.
Give them strength to always mature
into deeper faith in you,
and to keep alive joy in your creation.
Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

by Father David R. Engbarth, St. Nicholas Church, Aurora, Illinois
http://www.catholicgreetings.org/

Knowing about St. Nicholas will help your children better understand Santa Claus and the Christmas Eve traditions we have today. As they grow and learn that Christmas isn’t really about the gifts they receive from Santa, they won’t be disappointed to learn that Santa isn’t real. Instead, they will know that he is real in the sense that he is a saint in heaven and we use his example of generosity to bestow gifts onto others in celebration of Christ. The true meaning of Christmas comes to life when we understand that St. Nicholas was a man devoted to living like Christ.