Making Advent Personal - St. Thomas Catholic Church

Making Advent Personal - St. Thomas Catholic Church

Making Advent Personal
Keeping a balance between the spiritual and the secular will require a little planning on your part. Start by
making a list of everything that needs to be done. Then block into your calendar specific times every day for
personal prayer, spiritual reading and reflection.
As you move through Advent you will begin to relish those quiet moments in your day. They will become
like a spiritual port in a secular storm. The prayer time will restore your spirit. The spiritual insights will help to
keep you focused. You may like it so much that you'll decide to carry over into the New Year the practice of
setting aside daily quiet time with God. Here are some simple ways to incorporate traditional Advent practices
into your busy schedule:
Reflect on Advent as a time of waiting. The idea of waiting is not popular in our culture of instant gratification,
but it creates in us a new kind of self-discipline that helps us to appreciate the present moment and look to the
future with peaceful anticipation.
Turn your breathing into a prayer. Take a few deep breaths throughout the day and imagine that God's love is
flowing through you to every part of your body. As you exhale, let go of tension, worry and anything else that is
not of God.
Attend weekday Mass & Spend time with our Lord in Adoration. It is opportunities to pray together, listing to
His Word and receiving His special spiritual gifts: Jesus Himself in the Eucharist.
Do something nice for someone every day. It might be an encouraging word, a phone call, a note of
appreciation or a little act of kindness.
Invite your friends or family members, especially those who have been away from the Church, to Christmas
Mass with you. Hand to them this brochure. Extra copies are in the back of the church.
Get rid of grudges. Use Advent as an opportunity to let go of any anger or resentment that you might be
holding onto.
Receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Come to Church on Saturdays and take advantage of the opportunity
to cleanse your soul in preparation for the coming of Jesus.
Think about the special gifts and talents God has given you. How have you been using these gifts to serve the
Church and others?
HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains Holy Days of Obligation this way:
No. 2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of
obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass." [CIC, can. 1247] "The precept of participating in the
Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on
the evening of the preceding day." [CIC, can. 1248 § 1]
LA OBLIGACIÓN DE LOS DÍAS FESTIVOS
El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica explica La Obligación los Días Festivos:
No. 2180 El mandamiento de la Iglesia determina y precisa la ley del Señor: “El domingo y las demás fiestas de
precepto los fieles tienen obligación de participar en la misa” (CIC can. 1247). “Cumple el precepto de participar en la
misa quien asiste a ella, dondequiera que se celebre en un rito católico, tanto el día de la fiesta como el día anterior
por la tarde” (CIC can. 1248, §1).