LET US PRAY
PRAYER TO CHRIST THE KING
Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. You sent Jesus to show us the truth: that you alone are the Lord of life. Help us to listen always to his voice so that we may proclaim his realm of justice, peace, and endless love. May we praise Jesus Christ our king for the wonderful things he has done. He sends out his word to heal us. He satisfies the thirsty with the water of life. He fills the hungry with the abundance of his kingdom. Let us praise Jesus, redeemer and renewer of all things. May we always trust in his goodness and love and have faith in his grace and mercy. May we always believe he cares about justice and draw our life from his eternal purposes. May we be filled with the hope and promise of his coming and give our lives to follow him. May we be surrounded by his kingdom ways and walk with assurance and trust into his grace and peace. Lord God, you make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth proclaim your glory. Amen
ABOUT CHRIST THE KING
The above prayer leads us to this Sunday when the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Christ the King in honor of Jesus Christ as Lord over all creation. This feast falls on the last Sunday of each liturgical year. Christ the King is one of the names of Jesus found in various forms in Scripture. He is referred to as King Eternal, King of Israel, King of the Jews, King of kings and King of the Ages. The Church calls us to acknowledge Christ’s kingship with our whole lives. When we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, we declare to the world and remind ourselves that Jesus is the Lord of the Church and of the entire universe. It is also the start to entering the season of Advent which begins the following Sunday.
WHY DO WE CELEBRATE CHRIST THE KING?
Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in 1925 with his encyclical Quas primas (“In the first”) to respond to growing secularism and atheism. As a response to the rise of secularism and unrest between nations, Pope Pius stated, “Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.” He recognized that attempting to “thrust Jesus Christ and his holy law” out of public life would result in continuing discord among people and nations. This solemnity reminds us that while governments come and go, Christ reigns as King forever.
ADVENT
The season of Advent begins on Sunday 3rd December. it is a season of waiting and expectation for Christmas – the birth of Christ, the Nativity of Our Lord. We prepare our homes and hearts for four weeks before Christmas. Advent is also the beginning of a new liturgical season – it concludes a long period of Ordinary Time and leads us into the new church year with hope and patience in preparation for Christmas. It’s a liturgical season highlighted by unique traditions. Perhaps the most popular Advent tradition is the advent wreath, often containing Advent candles During Sundays in Advent, a candle is lit on a wreath to symbolize our journey through Advent as we await Jesus. We pray during Advent that we may open our hearts in love and hope as we await the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It is a special time of the year; a time for hope, love, joy and peace!
“Advent is a journey towards Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.“
Pope Francis
During Advent, we prepare for His coming – He who brought Light into the darkness – for four weeks, represented by the four candles around the Advent wreath. The four candles of Advent represent the four Sundays of Advent, and they respectively symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love. In some homes and parishes, people will also light a fifth candle on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to represent the birth of Jesus; this candle, when added to the Advent wreath, is typically white and larger than the other candles and is placed in the center of the wreath.
First Advent Candle/Sunday: Hope
“Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.” – C.S. Lewis
The first candle on the Advent wreath represents Hope – the first Sunday of Advent leads us to anticipate the birth of Christ The candle is purple, the primary color of Advent. Sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle,” it harkens us back to Isaiah’s foretelling of the birth of Christ and all of the promises God gave us in the Old Testament that would be fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. The first candle is lit on Sunday, December 3, 2023.
Second Advent Candle/Sunday: Peace
“May we be in this world a ray of that light which shone forth from Bethlehem, bringing joy and peace to the hearts of all men and women.” Pope Francis
The second candle on the Advent wreath represents Peace. It is also purple. Often called the “Bethlehem Candle,” it reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before Mary gave birth to Jesus. Building on the meaning of the Prophecy Candle, this second candle recalls that after all of the division, destruction, and dispersion of the kingdom in the Old Testament, there might finally be peace on Earth – Jesus is coming, and so is his Kingdom of Peace. As we read in the quote from Pope Francis, this light of peace shone forth from Bethlehem for all the world. The second candle is lit on Sunday, December 10, 2023.
Third Advent Candle/Sunday: Joy – “Gaudete Sunday”
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”(Luke 2:10-12)
The third candle of Advent symbolizes Joy. As we continue to approach Christmas Day, our joy grows more and more. It takes us back to the joyful anticipation of the shepherds who journeyed to see Jesus in Bethlehem, even before the wise men. On this third Sunday of Advent, which the Church calls “Gaudete Sunday,” meaning rejoice or praise, we light the third candle and rejoice like the shepherds. For this reason, the third candle of Advent is called the “Shepherd’s Candle,” and its color is pink, the liturgical color for joy. The third candle is lit on Sunday, December 17, 2023.
Fourth Advent Candle/Sunday: Love
“And in the end, everything else will turn out to be unimportant and inessential, except for this: Father, Child, and Love.” St (Pope) John Paul II
The fourth candle of Advent represents Love, the ultimate love of God that He sent His only Son for us. Called the “Angel’s Candle,” it is lit the Sunday before Christmas, and it is the color purple, leading us to eagerly await the new Kingdom of God on earth. The fourth candle is lit on Sunday, December 24, 2023.
ADVENT PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Master of both light and darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparation for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day. We who long for many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your Kingdom. We whose hearts are glad seek the joy of Your presence. We are Your people, seeking the light. To You, we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
ST VINCENT DE PAUL CHRISTMAS APPEAL
Dear Families, Christmas is the perfect time to think of others within our community who long to feel loved. St. Vinnies would like to put out a call to families to donate a gold coin to those who need help with buying gifts, food etc. Your support is paramount in making this season a joyous one.
We will be collecting your gold coin donation at the carols on Thursday 7th December. Our Social Justice students will collect your donation during the night.
On behalf of the Social Justice Team and myself thank you in advance, for showing the true meaning of compassion and unconditional love during this festive season, while allowing Christ to be born in your hearts and homes.
Mrs Barone
