Christmas is a journey to the "Manger". The purpose of this jour-ney is to see Baby Jesus and to make Him our own. Our only

aim is to grow closer to Jesus. Angels' Army intends to introduce to us the Saints who will reflect light on our path, as we make this pilgrimage. Just as the Angels who led the shepherds, and the star that guided the Magi, these Saints will steer us along the right track, towards Jesus. May the Baby in the Manger bless all families. My prayerful wishes for the Angels' Army families....

Lets, as a family, prepare for Christmas. Meditating on the lives of Saints and on the Word of God, lets prepare our hearts into a manger for baby Jesus to be born.

Bishop Mar Raphael ThattilChairman, KCBC Charismatic Commission)

December

Friday16

This Saint protracted Cancer when she was pregnant. Being a doctor she was well aware that the drugs that she needed to have as part of treatment for cancer would

endanger the life of the babe inside her womb. Despite knowing that her own life was in peril she resisted from taking medicines until delivery. By valuing the life of the baby more than her own, this mother enlightened the world about the value of life.

Word of God:- "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us"(1John 3/16a)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O my Jesus, teach me how to love life. (Keep repeating as many times as you can.)

Activity:- Today lets pray for all pregnant women. And if we happen to see an expect-ant mother today, lets say to the baby in the womb, "Hello baby! Jesus loves you! I love you too!"

St. Gianna Beretta Molla

December

Saturday 17

This little holy girl lived only up to the age of 6 years. She converted all her sufferings into love-letters for Jesus. Her love for Jesus remained unaffected despite the excru-

ciating pains of her illness. Every time she writhed in pain, her love for Jesus increased. Without wasting even a bit of those, she transformed them into affectionate letters for God the Father and for Jesus. One letter read thus, "Jesus, its very painful. But doesn't matter. You love me isn't it? I too love you."

Word of God:- "I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord God, and you became mine."(Ezekial 16/8c)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, help me to love you more than anything else. (Say this again and again several times today.)

Activity:- Today lets write a letter to Jesus sharing our joys and miseries, especially our confidential sorrows. (Please do remember to tear off the letter, once its written.)

Venerable Nennolina

December

Sunday 18

This Baby Saint was martyred for the faith when he was only 3 years old. It was a time when Christians were being persecuted. Emulating his mother who was so

proud of being a Catholic, from the time he starting lisping, he started proclaiming, "I am a Christian." Because of this very reason, along with his mother he was also tortured. But shouting, "I am a Christian. I will not worship any other God but Jesus." he breathed his last. Like little Quriaqos. lets also be proud to be Catholic. Lets not miss out on any chance we get to share our faith in the Lord.

Word of God:- "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in Heaven."(Matthew 10/32)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O my Jesus, my life! (Say this several times today)

Activity:- From today on lets make it a point to go for Holy Mass daily. Lets especially pray for our Priests and Religious. Lets greet our Parish Priest with a "Praise to you O Lord Jesus Christ." Don't forget to pray the Angelus at 6 am, 12 noon and 6 pm.

St. Quriaqos

December

Monday19

He was the beloved Apostle of Jesus. He was exiled to an island called Patmos. It was here that he wrote the Book of Revelation. This book describes about the crown of

victory that the Church will wear at the 2nd coming of Jesus. Lets also get ready for the 2nd coming. May the Word of God fill our hearts.

Word of God:- "Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life."(Revelation 2/10b)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! (Say this several times today.)

Activity:- Lets decide to read the Bible daily. Today read Chapter 12 of the Book of Rev-elation. Pray the St.Michael prayer.

St. John the Apostle

December

Tuesday20

Of noble birth, he was tremendously rich when he experienced Jesus. He gave up all his worldly comforts to lead a simple, spiritually converted life. He was very fond of

creatures and nature. He was the one to make the Christmas Crib for the first time. His crib was novel in that it was a living crib with living animals and human beings. Like him lets also try to live simple and humble lives free of luxury and extravagance.

Word of God:- "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?"(Matthew 16/26)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Lord help me realize that whatever I have in excess, in fact, belongs to others.

Activity:- Today lets start making a crib with our own hands, using only natural materi-als, avoiding things that are bought from the shops. Even while working at the crib lets pray to Baby Jesus to be born in our hearts.

St. Francis of Assissi

December

Wednesday21

He is the one who was chosen by God as a forerunner to Jesus. Among those born of women there is no one greater than John, is what Jesus said about him. He lived a

lowly life in the desert eating only locusts and wild honey. Like him, lets also live hum-ble and selfless lives, living for others - for our parents, our siblings, our neighbors, for anybody and everybody who needs our help...

Word of God:- "I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you." (Isaiah 44/22)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, bless me with true repentance of heart. (Lets pray this over and over again today)

Activity:- Preparing for Christmas, from today lets give up any one eat or activity that we are very fond of. Lets be truly repentant of our sins and make a sincere Confession. Lets also pray for our brethren who keep away from the Sacrament of Confession.

St. John the Baptist

December

Thursday22 He was a Pope who would secretly help the needy. During Christmas, he would

disguise himself and visit the hungry and the poor with gifts and food. Most of his charity would be unseen. The present day imaginative Santa Claus is an inspira-tion from the works of this St. Nicholas. When our good works go unrecognized, or when the credit of our deeds is accorded to another, don't we feel bad? Instead, like St. Nicholas, lets help others without being seen and without expecting any recognition or returns

Word of God:- "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."(Matthew 6/3)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Jesus, take away my desire of being appreciated by others.

Activity:- Today lets help others without expecting even a word of thanks. Lets help our parents with the chores that they have repeatedly told us to do. Lets do those tasks that we generally do not like doing.

St. Nicholas

December

Friday23

He was assigned with an important and arduous responsibility - an invitation to be-come the foster father of the Savior of the world, because of which he underwent

considerable suffering. He became a fortress of refuge for the Savior and His mother. Heeding God's voice, lets fulfill with utmost sincerity, the duties that are designated to us by God. Lets remember in prayer, all the fathers of this world.

Word of God:- "They shall be offspring blessed by the Lord and their descendants as well. (Isaiah 38/23c)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, bless my Dad. (Pray over and over again.)

Activity:- Decorating the Prayer Room today, lets celebrate today's Family Prayer, mak-ing it more meaningful. Let all fathers pray over their children. Children, kneel before your father and receive their blessing. After the family prayer, let each one greet the other and plant a kiss on the forehead. Shall we make this a routine habit after every family prayer?

St. Joseph

December

Saturday24

Being His bride, she is united with the Holy Spirit in a way that no other being is. Moth-er of the Word Incarnate, by virtue of Grace and by her sanctity she stands head and

shoulders above all the other Saints. If we wish to remain closely united with the Holy Spirit, seeking to do only His will, then we better be with Mother Mary in prayer.

Word of God:- "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the most high will overshadow you" (Luke 1/35a)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Holy Spirit descend upon us by the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mother Mary. (A very effective prayer if repeated on and on)

Activity:- Meditating on the 3rd Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, lets pray for our own earthly mothers. Lets find time to help them with the household work. All mothers should consecrate their children to the Sacred Heart of Jesus via the Immaculate Heart of Mother Mary.

Holy Mary

December

Sunday25

Baby Jesus

In order to save us God was born in a stable in the form of Jesus. This Baby Jesus in the manger is the living bread which came down from Heaven for us. To become one with

us, He became small, as small as the host. The celebration of the Holy Mass is the greatest form of Adoration. Lets receive this bread of salvation and convert ourselves into Jesus.

Word of God:- "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them." (John 6/56)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament Divine, may all praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment thine. (Lets repeatedly adore the Lord throughout this day by saying this prayer)

Activity:- Lets resolve that at least one person of our family will attend Holy Mass daily hereafter.

The one who reached the peak of holiness by doing every weeny bit for the love of Jesus. She consciously converted the tempting situations of complaints and

criticisms into opportunities of selfless love. Her entire being was concentrated on loving Jesus and on gaining souls for Him. The result? This young nun of the Cloistered Convent could influence so many lives even without leaving the Convent or having any form of contact or communication with the outside world.

Word of God:- "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8/35)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O my love, you are my all. (Pray this as many times as you can today)

Activity:- Whatever we do today, lets try to do it for the love of Jesus. May numerous souls be thus saved. Please recite one Creed for the Missionaries all over the world.

St.Therese of Lisieux - the Little FlowerDecember

Thursday01

December

Friday02

This Saint, who was instrumental in revealing to humankind, the depths of Mercy of the Almighty God, offered herself fully to God and became the Apostle of Mercy.

She has a message for us, "Offer yourself to God". Each one of us is also called to become the channel of God's Mercy. Lets recognize the promptings and working of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and offer ourselves as tools of Divine Mercy.

Word of God:- "Be merciful, just as the your Father is merciful." (Luke 6/36)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, make me an instrument of Your Mercy. (To be prayed as many times as one can today)

Activity:- Lets not miss any chance to show mercy to those around us, especially to those in our own family. Pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy for self and the whole world.

St. Faustina

December

Saturday

At a most crucial moment he denied his Master three times. The Bible tells us that when he realized his failure, he wept bitterly. God took his tears of repentance into account,

and raised him to be the first Pope of the Catholic Church. We too often fail in our lives. Ev-ery time we fall, lets run towards Jesus in repentance. He will gather us and keep us close.

Word of God:- "My Grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12/9a)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O God I trust in you. (As many times as you can)

Activity:- Lets thank the Lord for our failures. Today in our words and in our deeds, lets consciously give in to others. Write down today's Word of God on a sheet of paper and stick it where it can be easily seen.

St. Peter

December

Sunday04

By prayer, fasting and sacrifice, her husband, her 5 children and her mother-in-law, 8 in all were raised to the choir of Saints of the Catholic Church! When one person was

faithful to God, her sanctity spilled over and spread to all around her. She proved that holiness is contagious. Lets also dream of becoming Saints and making others Saints too. Yes, every Christian without exception, is called to be a Saint.

Word of God:- "For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness...." (Wisdom 6/10a)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, clothe me with the garment of holiness. (Repeat as many times as you can)

Activity:- Today lets search and go through the biography of the Saint whose name we bear. 'Lets become Saints', write this down on bits of paper and present them to the students and teachers of our Sunday Catechism class.

St. Emilia

When she was a child, seeing that her mother ran short of time, Rose asked Baby Jesus whether he would teach her to read and write. One day she wrote and read

a lot. The revelation that it was Infant Jesus who had taught her daughter, surprised Rose's mother. Yes Jesus is sufficient for every need of ours. Lets depend fully on Him.

Word of God:- "All your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the prosperity of your children...."(Isaiah 54/13)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Holy Spirit, grant me knowledge and understanding. (repeat several times this day)

Activity:- Today lets pray for all students and teachers, especially for those students who find a certain subject too hard to handle. Lets also pray for the teachers of these difficult subjects. Pray a decade of the Rosary for this intention.

St. Rose of LimaDecember

Monday05

He is the Pope who built the bridge of peace wherever there was unrest, the Pope who went to the prison to visit and bless the one who tried to kill him. The Pope

who went with the message of love to the nations where the Catholic Church had no access, winning over their hearts. If there are any broken relationships in our lives, lets take the help of St.Pope John Paul II to mend these.

Word of God:- "Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5/44)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Lord, give me your heart.

Activity:- Today lets pray for the whole world. If there are persons with whom we need to be reconciled, lets make a conscious effort to call them or visit them. Besides, lets bless them and recite one devout "Glorybe..."

St. Pope John Paul IIDecember

Tuesday 06

December

Wednesday 07

St. Mary of Egypt is the solid proof that any sinner can become a Saint. The moment she got converted from a hard-core sinner into one who experienced the love of

Jesus, she has never looked back. She became a staunch follower. Though she was once instrumental to lead many into sin, after knowing the love of Jesus, she turned out to be a guide towards sanctity, for them. May the love of the Lord set us free from all our shortcomings.

Word of God:- "...the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1John 1/7b)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Heavenly Love, inebriate me. (Repeat several times during the day)

Activity:- Lets examine ourselves, search and find out the areas of habitual sin which need to be redeemed by the love of Jesus. Repeating today's Word of God, lets offer them all up to Jesus on the Cross.

St. Mary of Egypt

December

Thursday08

This 9 year old was declared Venerable by the Catholic Church. From when she was little she had the habit of speaking only the truth. Once, presuming that else she

would feel wounded, her mother told her a lie. To this little Maria responded with, "Mama, please speak the truth always, even though it could possibly hurt me". Lets emulate Maria and be truthful always.

Word of God:- "If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless you shall serve as my mouth". (Jeremiah 15/19b)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, purify my tongue. (Repeat as often as you can)

Activity:- Am I used to telling lies? Do I habitually utter obscene or vulgar words? Lets ask for Grace to use our tongues truthfully and decently. Lets pray for control of our tongues by repeating today's Word of God - (Children 10 times and Adults 20 times).

Venerable Maria Carmen

December

Friday 09

She grasped the importance of the virtue of Chastity at a very young age. When others tried to lure her to sin against the body, she would slip out of the situation

by using the name of Jesus. For her, these proved to be stepping stones to Heaven. Lets seek forgiveness from God for the moments we failed to witness to Him out of shame or omitted to do good for fear of being ridiculed. Resolve to preserve the sanctity of the body gifted to us by God.

Word of God:- "For you were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body".(1Corinthians 6/20)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, transform my body into Your holy tabernacle. (Make it a constant prayer today)

Activity:- Lets carry a Bible with us to School/Office today. When we get free time lets read a Chapter of the Bible.

St. Agnes

December

Saturday10

Inflamed with the love of Jesus in her, she was a mother to one and all. Once when Mother Teresa extended her hand before a man asking for something to give her

destitute children, he spat on her palm. What she said next touched the heart of that man. "Okay, you've given me my share, now please give me something for my chil-dren", is what she said. Yes, she was a refuge for the impoverished and the indisposed. Lets pray for the Grace to behold Jesus in every other person.

Word of God:- "and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."(Mat-thew 10/42)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy love. (Today, please go on repeating this throughout the day.)

Activity:- Today lets offer a meal to a needy person. Besides, lets make a visit to an orphanage or and old-age home.

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

December

Sunday11

The rose which bloomed in Carmel, baptised Rosa, she was the bosom friend of the Purgatory Souls. This "Mother who prays", by her prayers and sacrifices saved

umpteen souls from Purgatory. Also nicknamed "The sentinel of the Tabernacle", lets imitate her by loving and living with the Jesus who dwells in our hearts.

Word of God:- "...Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me..."(Matthew 25/40)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Lord have mercy on the Souls in Purgatory. (Repeat as many times as you can)

Activity:- Today, lets make a visit to the Cemetery to pray for the dead. Also lets pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, several times today.

St. Euphrasia

December

Monday12

Neither his dark skin nor his abject poverty could separate him from the love of Jesus. Instead, he would kneel before the Crucifix in the dark hours of the night, meditating

on the Passion of Jesus, and would ask, "What can I give you in return for this selfless love of yours?" After mulling over it for 3 long years, at the age of 15 he finally approached an ashram of Don Bosco, requesting to be a 'helper' there, as he felt he wasn't worthy to become a priest. Bowing to the wish of the Superior, he however later became a Priest. Lets also offer our lives to God, seeking His will in the matter of our Vocation in life.

Word of God:- He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; there-fore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest."(Luke 10/2)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- Lord, guide me to the calling you have chosen for me. (Go on asking His guidance)

Activity:- Today lets offer the Memorare Prayer 3 times, for those who are struggling to discern their vocation, and for Seminarians and Novitiates the world over.

St. Martin de Porres

December

Tuesday13

She is a Saint who, kindled by the love of God, easily glided down into the depths of prayer. Declared a "Doctor of the Church", this Saint shared an abysmal, yet simple

bond with Jesus. Like her, lets also build an intimate relationship with the Lord, by being regular in our personal prayer.

Word of God:- "My beloved is mine and I am His; He pastures His flock among the lilies."(Song of Solomon 2/16)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Jesus, merge my spirit with yours. (Pray this several times today)

Activity:- Lets resolve to pray in solitude every day from today on wards, and if pos-sible lets do it before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Teresa of Avila

December

Wednesday14

Towards the last days of her life, critically ill and bed-ridden, St. Clare expressed to Jesus, her sadness at not being able to offer Holy Mass. He then showed her the

entire Mass, on the wall of her room, just as we see it nowadays on Television. She is therefore venerated as the patron Saint of Television. Lets pray for the Grace to use the various forms of social media with discretion and discipline, discerning between good and bad.

Word of God:- "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light."(Matthew 6/22)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O my Jesus, sanctify my senses. (Pray this many times today)

Activity:- If the media has influenced us negatively, lets seek the intercession of St. Clare. Lets make the sign of the Cross on our external senses and ask the Lord to sancti-fy, both our outer senses and our inner senses. Lets also offer the control of our senses to Jesus.

St. Clare

December

Thursday15

With his 2nd Vatican Council, a refreshing gale of the Holy Spirit blew into the Church discovering the charismatic dimension of the Church. This rejuvenated

the Church to an extent that an about-face occurred in the attitude of the Church even towards the world. A new face of holiness was the result.

Word of God:- "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." (Mathew 16/18)

Ejaculatory Prayer:- O Holy Spirit, strengthen me. (Pray this several times today)

Activity:- Today lets pray for the Holy Church. Praying the "Our Father" lets offer our-selves, our families and our Church for a fresh awakening of the Holy Spirit.

St. Pope John XXIII03