Family
Guide
December14
3rd Sunday
ofAdvent
The Gospel atHome
This Weeks Gospel: John 1:68,1928
In Advent we prepare for Christmas by
listening to the people who prepared the way
for Jesus coming. In this weeks Gospel people
ask John the Baptist who he isthe messiah or
a prophet. John answers by identifying himself
as a voice in the desert, crying out, Make
straight the way of the Lord. He insists that
someone more important than he is coming.
The Gospel asks us all to recognize Jesus
among us by answering his call to be our best
Christianselves.
Exploring the GospelMessage
Seeds (Preschool): This week the class
learned to tell the Christmas story. Ask your
child to share the pictures with the family and
to tell you the story the way they learned it
in class. Remember to keep the real meaning
of ChristmasGods coming to live with
usa most important part of your familys
preparation for the feast. Dont let a day go by
without some reminder that you are preparing
for the celebration of Jesusbirth.
Promise (Grades K1): This week your
child learned why it is important to make
preparations for Christmas. Talk about the
preparations that your family makes for
the feast. Talk about how Mary and Joseph
prepared for the birth of Jesus. Ask your
child to share the story of the Just-Right Plate
with the family. Make sure that everyone in
the family has a part to play in getting ready
forChristmas.
Good News (Grades 23): This week your
child recognized the preparations for Christmas
that are happening in the parish. Ask your
child to share what some of those preparations
are. Talk, too, about how John the Baptist
introduced Jesus to people and told them that he
was coming to be with all the people. Ask your
child to share with the family the story Waiting
for aSurprise.
Venture (Grades 46): This week your child
learned about the Messiah from the words
of the prophet Isaiah and from the Blessed
Virgin Mary. They learned that the Messiah
brings good news to the poor and comforts the
sorrowful. They learned, too, that God fills the
hungry with good things. Talk about ways your
family can bring good news to others, how you
can feed the hungry and comfort the sorrowful
during this Advent season. Why is this a good
preparation for the coming of the Messiah
onChristmas?
Visions (Grades 78): In class this week,
your teen explored how to spread the Good
News. The class learned that it was the mission
of John the Baptist to prepare people for the
coming of Jesus. Johns life and preaching
pointed not to himself, but to the one who is
to come. How is spreading the Good News to
others part of your familys Advent activities?
How does the way your family lives and acts
point to Jesus? The class also compared the
two narratives of Jesus birth in the Gospels of
Matthew and Luke. Share both stories. Talk
about the similarities and thedifferences.
PrayTogether
As you say your Advent Wreath Prayer
this week, include prayers for all the people
who need the message that John the Baptist
proclaimed. As each member mentions someone
who needs the message, the whole family
can respond: Lord, help us be Good News
forothers.
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Copyright 2014 Pflaum
Publishing Group, Dayton, OH
