Advent class reflections

The True Meaning of AdventAlthough many may refer to Advent simply as the season before Christmas, Advent truly is the season of waiting and preparation for Jesus Christ’s second coming to the Earth.At Mass -- Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Mary are all read or read about in the readings to help us prepare for the holiness of the Savior to come. Jesus is coming again and, during this liturgical season of Advent, we must wait and prepare.

The “O Antiphons”As learned in Religion class, an antiphon is a short, poetic refrain -- or, in other words, a long sentence of poetry to praise Christ.Usually, the “O Antiphons” are prayed during the Liturgy of the Hours before or after a psalm.There are seven different “O Antiphons” that prepare all Christians for Jesus’ second coming to Earth. They are called “O Antiphons” because each begins with the letter O. For example, “O Wisdom” and “O Root of Jesse” are both included in the “O Antiphons” and each begin with the letter O.

A World of TraditionsAll people have different traditions that they live by on Earth -- some for family dinners, others for religious celebrations. Just like these many people, Christians celebrate various traditions in honor of the season of Advent. Italians use the crèche as a representation of the birth of Jesus into the world, having two natures -- both human and Divine. It reminds all that Christ comes into the lives of ordinary people regularly.The people of Norway and England keep their animals’ breath warm by feeding them extra treats and meals -- as to keep the Savior of the World warm. They do this because it was believed that, when Jesus was born, the animals kept Him warm in the manger by their breath. These and many other traditions are used to welcome the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior always and forevermore.

Merry Christmas to All!May you all have a blessed Christmas and a fantastic New Year’s.HAPPY HOLIDAYS!Never forget:Jesus Christ’s second coming is forthcoming.Prepare and wait,For He is the Savior of the World.

First Week LearningIn Advent we listen to many songs that have hidden meanings in it. Some of these songs include O Come O Come Emmanuel, and We’re Going to See The King.During Advent we talk about three main important people in the Bible. These three people are Mary who we talked about in the fourth week of Advent, John who we talked about during the second week of Advent, and Isaiah who we talked about during the first and third week of Advent.

Week Two LearningAntiphons are short, poetic refrains used by the church to help those praying keep in mind the liturgical season or the feast of that day. Antiphons are used every day in the second half of Advent. These antiphons are known as the “O Antiphons” because every one of these Antiphons start with the letter “O”.

Week Three LearningThere are many traditions around the world during Advent. Some of these traditions have spread to us. The tradition of the nativity scene did not originate in the U.S. It was started in a small village in the mountains of Italy called Greccio. St. Francis of Assisi used the crèche or nativity scene to teach about Christmas.In many countries traditional stories about the birth of Jesus lead people to believe that animals served the baby Jesus by breathing on him and keeping him warm. For this reason many people from different countries show their appreciation to their animals. For example, in Norway farmers give their cows an extra meal.In other countries such as Bolivia, children add a piece of the nativity scene to the set each day. France does a tradition somewhat like this one. At the beginning of Advent each family places a wooden manger somewhere in their house and each time a child does a nice deed they put a piece of straw in the manger. They hope to fill the manger by the end of Advent.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

1. Advent is a Season for Waiting and Preparing Advent is a time to prepare for a special occasion. This event is the coming of Jesus, a big holiday for many Christians. By this I don’t mean shopping for presents or getting a tree, but traditions that have to do with religion. Going to Church to celebrate each week of Advent, setting up a manger scene, counting down the days till Christ’s birth are a few of examples of getting ready for Christmas. Advent is almost like the beginning of a party. Before the big party (Christmas), there is a lot of planning to do. There are decorations to be put up, invitations to send, foods to be prepared. Advent is really the time to get excited before the holiday. It’s like a time bomb set to go off that explodes with joy, laughter, and celebration. If there wasn’t this liturgical season however, there would be no time to get ready for the coming of Jesus’ birth. If it were a party, there wouldn’t be very much to celebrate.

2. We Must Stay Firm to our BeliefsWe learn this lesson for Advent from the letters of St. Paul the Apostle. Thessalonians had been having trouble trusting their beliefs of Christianity because non-believers were saying there wasn’t going to be a second coming. Paul wrote to them to tell them something of great importance. This was that they had to stand firm to their beliefs, because not everyone is always telling the truth. Since Jesus is the Messiah, Paul knew that someday he would return. We Christians in our time have to learn from these words, that Advent is a time to stay true to Jesus. Advent is absolutely nothing without faith in Jesus. In fact, you can’t call a religion a religion if there are no believers. The only way that Jesus will come again at the end of Advent is if Christians stay on the path to him, God, and the Holy Spirit. If we stay firm, hopefully others will learn from us and start believing in Jesus as well.

3. Open Your Heart to Jesus Advent is one of the most important liturgical seasons of Christianity to open our hearts to Jesus. Some perfect examples of this are the shepherds and the three wise men. They were all visited by angels proclaiming the good news that Jesus, King of the Jews, had been born. As soon as they had opened their hearts to believe, they went immediately to the manger to see him. This is almost exactly what Advent is all about. It’s overall a time to open your heart, beliefs, and feelings to Jesus so as to be one with him. If one can find the trust, warmth, and kindness of Jesus on Christmas Day inside of themselves, then the waiting of Advent was worth it. The one who believes is the one who finds eternal happiness in life. Not with money, clothes, or presents, but with the happiness of God inside us. I personally think that this is God’s true wish for all humanity. That they can live life to the fullest through faith, kindness, joy, and all the wonderful gifts the Holy Spirit gave us.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Entry 1[Insight 1]During the season of Advent there are two important prophets that we hear from on a weekly basis. These two prophets are John the Baptist and Isaiah.

Entry 4[Insight 2]An antiphon is a short, simple, poetic refrain, sung.The antiphon is prayed before/after a psalm or song in the Liturgy of the Hours.The most important O, Antiphons are sung on December 17 and December 23.

Entry 5[Insight 3]The crèche is the Nativity scene in Italy, created piece by piece each day of Advent.The pieces added to the crèche are wooden figures doing everyday tasks.The crèche represents Christ's coming into our lives of everyone during the Advent season.

ConclusionThis Advent season I learned that throughout the season we all work toward making Christ at the center of our lives. Especially when the pink candle is lit and Christ has come and we all rejoice in glory.

Jesus’ Second ComingDuring Advent as I prepared more and more for the Second coming of Jesus, I learned new ways of preparation. I had noticed that the church will be more busy and there will be readings mainly on Mary, John the Baptizer and Isaiah. The church will have certain themes such as penitence. As I kept listening to the readings during church they were preparing us more and more for Jesus so we can fully be ready. We learn that Jesus is both human and divine.O’ AntiphonsI learned that we say the O’ Antiphons during Advent. I wasn’t even sure what they were, but I found out that they are short poetic refrains. There are specific antiphons that we say during the second coming of Jesus. These are important because we are praising Jesus in songs for the preparation of his second coming.More About O’ AntiphonsThere are certain Latin names that translate. I didn’t know that there were that many names and this was something exciting to learn I think:

Clavis David  “Key of David”

Oriens  “Rising Sun”(This one is my favorite because I think its symbolic.)

Rex Gentium  “King of Nations”

Emmanuel  “God with Us”

There are many more names but those are just a few that I enjoyed learning about. Thank You Ms. Heyrman for teaching us more about Advent and for having great patience with us. Merry Christmas!&Happy New Years!

Jesus’ ComingDuring Advent, we wait and prepare for Jesus to come. For advent, we have a wreath, there are 4 candles for each week (starting with Sunday); there are 3 purple and one pink candle.The first candle (purple) symbolizes the promises the prophets delivered. The second candle (purple) symbolizes that Christ is the way. The third candle (pink) indicates that the only lasting joy comes from Christ.The last/forth candle (purple) reminds us that Jesus comes to bring peace to the world and to all of us.

O AntiphonsThe O Antiphons help us with those who pray keep in mind the liturgical season or the day. My favorite O Antiphon is “O Emmanuel” because it means “God is with us,” and even though we can’t see God, we still know that he is with us, and always will be. When we say “O come o come Emmanuel” we are saying that we want God to come and be with us.

Advent Around the WorldIn many different countries around the world they celebrate Advent like us.Although we all celebrate Advent, we all celebrate it in different ways.Children in Bolivia put out a piece of the nativity scene every day, so that by the time Christmas is here they have the whole scene. In countries such as Norway, they believe that the animals in the stable are there to keep the people warm, so they give their cattle and donkey extra treats. In the Alpine regions of Germany, Switzerland, and Australia, the families celebrate 9 days before Christmas; one family starts on the 16th with a picture of the blessed Virgin Mary, and sing a pray around it, then they bring it to a neighbor who the next night performs the same ceremony. This continues until nine families have shown their reverence for Mary.

Thank-youThank you Ms. Heyrman for all that you have taught us about Advent. Thank you for being patient with us and being a great teacher that you are.Have a Merry Christmas!

Jesus’ Second ComingGod sent his only son Jesus to Earth because he loved us so muchHe sent him because of his love for all of usWe are all Gods children and he created all of us in his own image

AdventIs a time to reflect and be happy for what God has given us in our everyday livesReflect on Jesus’ second comingA miracle that Jesus was born into this world conceived by the Holy Spirit

“O Antiphons”Are prayed as a psalm before and after massFr. George’s favorite “O Antiphon” is “O Wisdom”

Decorating Christmas TreeHoly and religious things reflecting on Jesus’ birth and his second comingTime to give thanks to God and spend time with family celebration Jesus’ second comeing

3rd Week of AdventTime to light the pink candleWeek that Jesus was bornVery special

Final WeekPreparing for the coming of JesusCelebration TimeFamily gets together and celebrates when Jesus was bornTime to rejoice and be glad

What I Learned:A. The Advent Wreath Symbolizes the waiting and preparing that we all associate with the coming of Jesus.B. The Wreath originated in Germany during the Middle Ages.C. The Three purple candles symbolize PenanceD. The Wreath itself symbolizes God’s eternal nature.The Advent Wreath

What I learned:A. An antiphons is a short, poetic refrain.B. They are sung during the last 7 days of AdventC. They use 7 different names for JesusD. They have been popular in the Catolic church since the eighth century. O Antiphons

What I learned:A. the days leading up to Christmas are celebrated differently in different parts of the worldB. St Francis came created the first nativity sceneC. Children in Bolivia add a figure to the nativity scene during each day of AdventD. In France, a child places a piece of straw in the manger for each good deed they do.E. In the Alpine regions of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, families celebrate by having “Golden Nights”Advent Traditions Around the World

Too Active in AdventDuring Advent, we rush so much. To buy gifts, to wrap them, to bake cookies, to get our tree. Advent is really a time of waiting, of preparing - not for Christmas morning and presents - but for the birth of Jesus. Advent seems to go faster and faster each year as we consume the four weeks more and more with material things. This Advent I have been trying to prepare myself for Jesus to come. I have worked on keeping a small portion of my day open for Jesus. This quote really inspired me this Advent:“If, as Herod, we fill our lives with things, and again with things; WHEN WILL WE HAVE THE TIME to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi, Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds, or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary? FOR EACH ONE OF US there is a desert to travel, a star to discover, and a being within ourselves to bring to life.” ~ author unknown

Mary, a ModelMary experienced the same feelings of waiting that we have during Advent when she was pregnant with Jesus. During the time before Jesus’ birth, Mary waited in anticipation and excitement for the birth of her son.We go through Advent with the same feelings of anticipation and excitement for the 2nd coming of God’s son, Jesus. Mary trusted fully in God and his plans for her. Mary lived a holy life without sin, and saw the good in everyone. Her life, and the way she lived it is an excellent model for people all over.

Traditions in AdventDuring Advent, Christians all over the world celebrate Christ’s coming in many different ways. In places like Italy and Bolivia, each family celebrates with a crèche, or a Nativity scene.This tradition was started in Italy by St. Francis of Assisi. In different places, the families do different scenes with their crèches or add a new figure each day.In Central and South America, the children celebrate the nine nights before Christmas with masses, flowers, and ceremonies.In America, some of the churches prepare for Jesus in the last week of Advent with the “O Antiphons”. These are chants are said each day and begin with a different name of Jesus each day. In the Alpine regions, one family in each village gathers around a picture of the Blessed Virgin adorned with flowers and lit with candles. This tradition also begins on the nine nights before Christmas.The next night, the family passes on the picture to another family.

Merry Christmas!Thank you Ms. Heyrman for teaching us so much about Advent, and providing us with these important insights.Thank you God, for guiding me this Advent, to learn how to make more time for Jesus.

The O’AntiphonsThe O’Antiphons are old short poetic prayers prayed by monks in abbeys (O Wisdom, O Emanuel, etc).We sing them on the last 7 days of Advent before Christ’s coming. These poetic songs are a reminisce of the old Catholic church.

Christmas Traditions Around the WorldMany different traditions are celebrated around the world. Though there are many different traditions that take place around the world, we are all still united in our preparation for Christ’s coming.We all have separate traditions that are unique to each of our families, but ultimately they all focus on Christ’s coming.

Important People in AdventIn Advent, there are three main people that we as Catholics focus on – John the Baptist, Isaiah and Mary Mother of God. We recognize each of them for different reasons – none of them more important than the other. Isaiah spread the word of Jesus’ coming, Mary said “yes” to everything God said, even giving birth to Jesus and John the Baptist baptized many people in preparation for Jesus’ coming.We should follow their examples as preachers and bearers of Christ’s good news by acting as Christ would in our lives today.

Final ThoughtsAdvent is a time of preparation for Jesus' birth. We must strive to remember that Christmas is not all about presents – it is about Jesus and how we prepare for him in our lives. We can prepare for him in many ways, celebrating Christmas traditions, lighting an Advent wreath, or singing the O’Antiphons.

Advent WreathShape- the shape of the advent wreath is a circle this represent the endless love that God has for us

Candle 1- the first candle symbolizes hope

Candle 2- the second candle represent that Christ is the light of our lives

Candle 3- the third candle represents the joy that Christ brings to us

Candle 4- the fourth candle is pink and it represents the peace in the world Mary’s ImportanceThe last week of Advent focuses on Mary.Mary is so important because she had so much faith in God and Knew that he was with her all the time.She went to go and visit her older sister Elizabeth and found out that she was going to have a child and then knew that nothing was impossible for God.Mary plays an important part in Gods plan of salvation

“O Antiphons” Antiphon- short refrains of poetry that are sungThey change every day so that we can relate to what the Church is teachingThey call Christ, but in many different languagesThey are sung on the last seven days of Christmas

DecoratingDecorating for Christmas is us preparing for Jesus’ coming.Some decorations may include a tree a wreath for Advent, and a nativity scene.Tree- is decorated with lights and ornament with a star on top symbolizing the northern starWreath- the four weeks of advent leading up to Jesus’ second comingNativity scene- show the scene of Jesus’ birth

Traditions Around the WorldBolivia- every day a new figure is added to their Crèche(nativity Scene) so that on Christmas day the baby Jesus can be added and the Crèche will be completeFrance- each family member is given a manger and adds a piece of straw every time they do a good deedNorway- they give a extra meal to their cowsEngland- make a toast to their cows with wassailCentral and South America –They go to mass and after the children show their excitement by running and playing in the streetsGermany- last nine nights of Advent are called the Golden days. Nine families participate. The first family decorates a picture of Mary and prays and gives thanks to her and caries it to the next family who repeats the celebration.

Advent Journal: Waiting for JesusAdvent is a time to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. We also wait for the birth of Jesus. We light the Advent Wreath each week during this season. There are four candles for the four weeks of Advent. The first, second, and fourth candles are purple, but the fourth is pink.To prepare for Jesus’ birth my family and I get out our Christmas decorations, and buy a tree to celebrate the season.

Advent Journal: “O Antiphons”The “O Antiphons” are sung during the Golden Nights, or the nights before Christmas Eve, starting on December 17th. The “O Antiphons” in order read the the phrase EROCRAS backwards which means “Tomorrow I Come”, telling us to always be ready for the coming of Jesus.During these nights awaiting Christmas my family prepares for family coming over, by baking cookies and other foods.

Advent Journal: Nativity SceneThe Nativity Scene is a well known depiction of the Holy Family’s travel to Bethlehem, and the manger scene. Each culture has its own way to celebrate the week before Christmas. In the countries of South America they celebrate with novenas.This week my family set up our Nativity Scene, and celebrated Christmas early with my sister and brother’s Godparents.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Greatest Gift- My FamilySometimes it takes a Christmas miracle to realize how important your family is, or to realize how much you would miss them if they were gone. During the season of Advent, I spent a lot of time with my family and realized that I would be nothing without them. I have so much fun with my sister and it’s going to be really hard to have her leave for college in a year. I learned that each day counts. Sometimes you get frustrated with them, but that frustration is love just hidden. I pray that God keeps my family safe and healthy and I continue to spend every day I can with them because I never know when its their last.

Giving is Better Than ReceivingWhen someone smiles, I can’t help but smile too. As much as I love getting presents I have to say that seeing someone open your gift wins. The joy they express is worth the sacrifice. I learned that maybe that is why Jesus made that sacrifice and gave a gift to us- eternal life. His sacrifice of his life was so that we would be happier. Giving a gift to someone who is less fortunate makes me feel really good inside to know that I’m making someone’s Christmas brighter.

Christmas SpiritI realized that Jesus’ birth is what gives me “Christmas Spirit.” Getting off of school, getting presents, and just relaxing isn’t what makes Christmas so special for me. It is definitely the preparing for Jesus’ birth. The preparation gets me ready for when Jesus will come again to save us. No one knows when He will come again but I will be all set and ready for when the moment comes.

Entry 1All of the middle school and I participated in a special mass during sacred time to celebrate Advent. We sat in the hallway and listened to different people talk about all of the different qualities of Advent. We then each proceeded to place green hands on a tape circle to create a large Advent wreath in the middle of the hallway. I enjoyed taking part in this event because I always was fascinated by the prospect of Advent and was glad that I was able to learn more about it during this special mass. I think that everyone who participated in got a better understanding of how he can express our faith in reverent yet creative ways. I also learned about the different qualities of Advent during Religion class. We use an Advent wreath and light 4 different candles, one rose, and three violet as a symbol of glory. I am glad to know that our faith still uses these ancient traditions today. The wreath can also symbolize God’s eternal nature. I think that that this is also another reverent and creative way that our church teaches these lessons to us. I participate and go to masses especially during the week of Advent to hear the readings for the liturgy which are a little different in the season of Advent. They are about prophecies of Isiah, John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ fulfilling all of these prophecies. The last week of Advent focuses on the sacrafice that Mary made. If it werent for we would have never had the savior, our lord Jesus Christ be born. I respect Mary and the decision that she made. It would have taken a lot of courage and honor to do what she did.

Entry 2 In class we read about O Antiphons. O Antiphons are short, poetic refrains that are prayed before and after a psalm or song in the Liturgy of the Hours. They are sung in the season of Advent on the last seven days. They are sung as prayers that Christ will come soon. They express the longing of God’s people for the coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming of Christ in the fullness of time. They are called “O Antiphons” because they all start by calling out “O”. They are very beautiful in how they sound and much resemble the sound of a Gregorian chant. In the O Antiphons they refer to Jesus by many different names but my favorite is Wisdom, “Sapientia”. It is because Jesus had so much wisdom to share with everyone. Every year my family and I set up a miniature nativity scene in our dining room. It consists of the barn, baby Jesus, the wise men, etc. I was made by one of my parent’s friends who is an artist. I always look forward to this special Advent tradition that me and my family can share each year. Some families celebrate the tradition of the Advent wreath while I am able to look at a beautiful nativity scene every time I pass by my dining room. I like having this special tradition to share with my family. Traditions are always important but praying, singing, and respecting God and Jesus is an important part of Advent as well.

Entry 3 There are a lot of different traditions that are celebrated during Christmas around the world. However the one that I like the most is the tradition in Central and South America where they carry a picture of Mary around to nine other families. Most of the time at Christmas we think about the birth of Jesus Christ our savior. Along with the birth of baby Jesus we need to think about the huge sacrafice that Mary made. She did what God wanted and gave birth to Jesus. I can prepare for Christmas by keeping the “Christ” in Christmas. I can say special prayers to Mary and work to keep the traditions that I celebrate special. I always have to remember we are all united in Christ no matter how different out tradition are.All around the world there are many families that celebrate the tradition of the Advent wreath. It is a wreath that consists of 4 candles, 3 purple, and one pink. It is a part of a long-standing tradition that we all share as Catholics. As a whole all of the candles represent the coming of Christ into our world. Sometimes a white candle is put into the middle to represent purity, the purity and sinfulness of Jesus Christ. I am able to witness this tradition every Sunday at mass. I enjoy having many different things to look forward to in the season of Advent and Christmas.

Advent as a WholeIn this season of advent I have come to realize that there are so many traditions that all of these people all over the world come to share. Some of them are much similar and some of them are very unique in how they are celebrated. Learning about the history of Advent and how it has kept up until today is amazing. I love to hear that we share in traditions that people way back when also participated in. There are many prayers, songs, hymns, etc. that come with this joyous season. All of the stuff that I have learned and have been able to share in, I will keep with me and think about each time it comes to the season of advent once again. Now sharing in special traditions is important, but when we come to realize that we are all “one”, that is something special that we should think about next time Advent comes around.

The Advent Wreath One way the Church prepares for Christ’s coming is a wreath with four candles. Three purple candles and one pink or white candle.Every week of advent a candle is lit to remind us that there are only so much time left to prepare for or Christ’s arrival. This timed reminder helps us be more like Mary and Jesus as we strive to be selfless and helpful.

The “O antiphons”The “O Antiphons” are short poetic refrains sung during the last week or so of the Advent season. They are sung before and after the Magnificat that Christ will come soon. There are seven of these refrains: O Wisdom, O Lord, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, O Rising Sun, O King of Nations, and O God With Us.

Global Advent TraditionsItaly: in Greccio the crèche is a popular tradition, made popular by St. Francis of Accici. In Italy a crèche or nativity scene is set up in preparation of Christ. France: the crèche is set up with an empty manger. The children have to strive to do good in order to earn a piece of hay or straw to fill the saviors bed with. By Christmas eve the manger is to be filled, so that on Christmas day an infant Jesus figurine can be placed in the manger. Bolivia: The children set up the nativity scene piece by piece over the four weeks of advent.Norway: The locals of this nation believe that the live stock kept Jesus warm on his first night in the stable. They now give their animals extra food during advent.England: give a toast to their cattle for similar reasons as Norway’s tradition. South America: for the 9 nights leading up to Christmas the locals hold a novena-they celebrate with song, dance, and fire crackers.Alpine Nations: songs and prayers for Our Mother Mary are held.

All throughout the world and even through the ages there have been different ways to prepare our Minds, bodies, and souls for our savior’s coming.The End

Week 1This week I realized how fast the year actually went by. I began to think about everything I did and how my life change going from 7th to 8th grade and now being the leaders of the school. While I was setting up the Christmas tree, I realized how in the past my family would do everything together and now it is so different. I began to think about how I could make others lives better. That was when I realized Jesus was truly coming.

Week 2This week I realized that other people around me were doing good things too. I saw people being kind at school and people being kind outside of school. I also went to A Christmas Carol , a play written by Charles Dickens. That made me think about all the people that are less fortune than I am and how Christmas time might mean nothing to them because they don’t see the light of Christ shinning in their lives. That instantly made me thank God for what I have and what I will have.

Week 3This is the time when I realized Jesus was near and that I needed to finish my preparation. I feel like I am somewhat behind because Advent has gone by so quickly and almost without notice. I just hope that I have done enough to make the coming of Jesus Christ special. As little kids do around the globe I hope I have produced enough hay for Jesus to be comfterable.

Merry ChristmasMerry Christmas to everyone and remember it not about the toys or gifts it is about Jesus Christ and preparing for his coming.

Week OneDuring this week I learned facts about the Advent Wreath I hadn’t known before. The Advent Wreath has special readings that goes along with the lighting every week. I just thought that they picked a reading. My choice for a journal entry was telling about my Marian group. This is an important time of year because Mary becomes Jesus’ mother. I talked about how she inspires all of us to be like her and be a strong women at an early age.

Week TwoI talked about the names for Jesus. I chose the “Root of Jesse” because I have memories in my younger grades when we used to watch Christmas movies and make a Jesse tree. I learned that Jesus had many names to go by and not just a few.I chose to talk about the Immaculate conception of Mary. She was born free of sin and said yes to God and what he asked of her.She was always a quiet and shy girl. She stayed out of trouble and was a good daughter. She was fit to be the mother of Jesus.

Week ThreeThere is one tradition that people across the world share. That is the manger scene. Across the world people have these scenes. In some countries they put a piece up everyday of the last week before Christmas. When they travel to Bethlehem Mary and Joseph aren’t able to get a room to stay in. Maybe it was their dirtiness or how pregnant Mary was. Finally a man lends them the stable. In other countries they have traditions to walk around as Mary and Joseph and ask for a place to stay.

Entry 1: Advent Everyday In class, we learned that when the advent season begins, we begin waiting. Not only for Jesus’ birth, but also his second coming. Most people think Advent is just the time before Christmas, but its not. It’s the final days of the journey Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem.

Choice entry2: Traditions My family doesn’t have any traditions that I know of. So during Advent we usually chop down our Christmas tree and decorate it as a family. I'm the one who usually sets up our big manger. I always have Mary and Joseph start out far away, and each day move them a little closer to the stable.

Entry3: advent in americaMost people don’t think much about advent, but I’m one of those people who do. I like advent. It gives me a chance to get to know Jesus a little better in church. And I like seeing all the manger scenes also! In class, we learned more about the four weeks of advent mean. That was really nice to go over.

Choice4: Christmas shoes I think we all know the song Christmas shoes. The refrain to the song is: Please sir, I wanna buy these shoes! Its Christmas eve, and these are just her size (e.c.t). It’s a very sad and moving song. It always makes me think about how lucky I am to be healthy and have a healthy family.

Entry5: nativityIn our religion book, they talk about the nativity scene. The nativity is the manger replica of what Jesus was born in. My manger has a light, and a crank so you can play ‘Away in a manger’. Its wooden with little wooden figurines and its my favorite. We also have a clay one. Its smaller and more durable to a fall and isn't that fancy. I love both of them probably because I love all nativity scenes. They fascinate me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!!I KNOW I WILL!

Insight #1: O AntiphonsThere are seven O Antiphons and they are, Sapieta (wisdom), Adonai (Lord), Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), Clavis David (Key of David), Oriens (Rising Sun), Rex Gentium (King of Nations), and Emmanuel. These are the names of Jesus. Seven in biblical terms means complete or whole. These are also unique from the fact that if you spell the first letter of them backwards, it creates ERO CRAS. Which means “I will be there tomorrow.” I like this idea and I think this is excellent especially for Advent. This is the time for waiting and preparing for the coming of Christ.

Lesson #2: The Immaculate Conception Mary accepted God into her womb, even though she didn’t know the result of how everything was going to turn out. She had a great life ahead of herself. A guy that was going to stay true to her, a mother (St. Anne) that would do anything for her and a great plan to live a successful life, but she denied it because God asked her to help fulfill his plan for human salvation. That had to take a lot of courage and commitment to God. She knew that she will be ridiculed and mocked and have to go through a lot of pain. Yet she stuck to God and was a “servant to Him.” To accepted such a major role and be still so humble takes many efforts to get to, and from start to end she was modest and kind. Advent helps show the importance of her mission to God.

Lesson #3: Advent Traditions One of the most popular traditions in Advent is setting up a crèche, or a manger scene. It is what my family does to symbolize that Jesus came down from Heaven and became a man to save us from our sins. Many families put a new figurine on everyday of Advent. At the end of the season, there will be all the figures in the manger. The people also might have their children add a new stalk for every good deed done, in order for them to learn to prepare for Jesus’ next coming by doing good deeds. Which I believe is an excellent tradition because that is what Advent is all about, helping and being kind to everyone for the coming of Jesus.

Summary The advent wreath has four candles on it. 3 being purple and one being rose. The pink candle represents the hope and joy we have of the coming of Jesus.The O’ Antiphons are some of the names that we call Jesus.There are seven names.If you spell the names backwards they spell ERO CRAS.

summaryThe Nicene Creed is a very holy prayer.It consist of the holiest beliefs we Catholics believe in. It also has the four marks of the church.One, Catholic, holy, apostolic.It also includes the Paschal Mystery.

SummaryWe had our Thanksgiving dinner.We set up our Christmas tree which is a sign that Jesus is coming.We put up a small version of the nativity seen which shows Jesus’ birth.The lights outside the house light the way for Jesus’ coming.

summaryWe hung up a wreath which represent the four weeks of Advent. The star that we have on top of the Christmas tree represents the star that the three wise men followed.When we went to church, they lit the final purple candle.It is the last week of Advent.

Advent TraditionsFrom learning about the variety of Advent traditions I have realized that there are many different ways to prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming.

Preparing for ChristmasFrom preparing for Christmas I have realized that the true meaning of Christmas is not gifts. The true meaning is to prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming.

Antiphons/Christmas ConcertFrom learning about the Antiphons and participating in the Christmas Concert I have realized that there are many ways to honor the Lord.

SummaryFor my choice reflections I talked about preparing for Christmas, lighting the Advent wreath in Church, and participation in the Christmas Concert. I related all of them to Advent and I talked about their importance. For the class reflections I talked about Advent in general, the Antiphons, and the Advent traditions. During each of these I described them a little more and I talked about what I learned during the class.

Merry ChristmasHave a nice holiday and break from school. Enjoy Christmas but remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Advent class reflections

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Advent class reflections