refle
ct on
Adve
nt as
a tim
e of w
aiting
. The
idea
of
waiti
ng is
not
pop
ular i
n ou
r mod
ern-
day c
ultur
e, bu
t wait
ing cr
eate
s in
us a
new
kind
of se
lf-di
scip
line t
hat h
elps u
s to
appr
eciat
e the
pre
sent
m
omen
t and
look
to th
e fut
ure w
ith p
eace
ful
antic
ipat
ion.
Mak
e it a
hab
it of
silen
tly p
rayin
g,
“Com
e, Lo
rd Je
sus.”
Or s
ing th
e ver
ses o
f “O
C
ome,
O C
ome E
mm
anue
l.” O
r set
asid
e tim
e to
join
Our
Lad
y in
pray
ing th
e Can
ticle
of M
ary
(Lk 1
:46-
55).
Go to
Mas
s. Pro
mise
your
self
that
you
will g
o to
Mas
s eve
ry S
unda
y du
ring
Adve
nt. A
t you
r par
ish ch
urch
yo
u wo
n’t se
e glit
tery
dec
orat
ions
an
d yo
u wo
n’t h
ear j
olly
jingl
es ab
out
snow
men
and
sleig
h be
lls. I
nste
ad, y
ou
will s
ee a
wrea
th w
ith o
ne p
ink c
andl
e an
d th
ree b
lue o
r pur
ple c
andl
es. Y
ou w
ill he
ar
word
s like
wait
ing, w
atch
ing an
d ye
arnin
g, an
d yo
u wi
ll list
en to
plai
ntive
mus
ic th
at ex
pres
ses a
de
ep lo
nging
for t
he co
ming
of t
he L
ord.
NO
VEM
BER
25, 2
012
OU
R SU
ND
AY V
ISIT
OR
12IN
FO
CU
S
Adjus
t you
r atti
tude
. We a
re
ofte
n ou
r own
wor
st en
emy w
hen
it co
mes
to
Chr
istm
as. W
e put
unr
ealis
tic ex
pect
atio
ns o
n ou
rselve
s with
the d
istor
ted
idea
that
ever
ythi
ng
mus
t be “
perfe
ct.”
But w
hat i
f you
gav
e up
on
perfe
ctio
nist t
hink
ing th
is ye
ar? W
hat i
f you
to
ld yo
urse
lf th
at n
o m
atte
r wha
t hap
pens
this
Chr
istm
as, it
will
be O
K?
30
stop
comp
aring
. We m
ay fi
nd
it te
mpt
ing to
com
pare
our
Chr
istm
as
custo
ms w
ith w
hat o
ther
peo
ple a
re
doing
, but
it o
nly l
eads
to tr
oubl
e. If
we se
e our
selve
s as d
eficie
nt, w
e stir
up
feeli
ngs o
f jea
lous
y. If
we se
e our
selve
s as
supe
rior, w
e fue
l a fa
lse se
nse o
f prid
e. If
you
find
your
self
starti
ng to
com
pare
, see
it as
a te
mpt
atio
n an
d sto
p it!
Put e
very
thing
into
pe
rspec
tive.
Whe
n we
are s
tress
ed
we o
ften
over
reac
t an
d m
ake s
mall
pr
oblem
s see
m
mon
umen
tal.
Prom
ise yo
urse
lf th
at w
hene
ver
som
ethi
ng u
pset
ting
happ
ens,
you
will t
hink
abou
t wh
ethe
r it i
s rea
lly
that
hor
rible.
It
may
be s
omet
hing
th
at ca
n be
easil
y fix
ed. O
r it m
ay b
e so
met
hing
that
will
resu
lt in
an ev
en b
ette
r out
com
e th
an yo
u ha
d or
igina
lly an
ticip
ated
!
Find g
oodn
ess i
n eac
h day
. A
s you
mov
e thr
ough
your
day
mak
e a
men
tal n
ote o
f all t
he g
ood
thing
s tha
t ha
ppen
. At t
he en
d of
the d
ay, lo
ok
back
with
a se
nse o
f app
recia
tion
and
than
kfuln
ess. Lig
ht an
Adve
nt w
reath
Fo
r cen
turie
s Cat
holic
s hav
e lit
the A
dven
t wre
ath
as p
art
of th
eir sp
iritu
al pr
epar
atio
n fo
r Chr
istm
as. T
he ev
ergr
een
bran
ches
repr
esen
t eve
rlasti
ng
life.
The c
andl
es re
mind
us t
hat
Jesu
s cam
e int
o th
e wor
ld to
disp
el da
rkne
ss.
Plac
e the
wre
ath
in a p
rom
inent
plac
e in
your
ho
me a
nd lig
ht it
ever
y eve
ning
befo
re d
inne
r.
Cut b
ack.
Imag
ine w
hat C
hrist
mas
wo
uld b
e like
if yo
u cu
t eve
ryth
ing in
half
—
inste
ad o
f six
batc
hes o
f co
okies
, bak
e thr
ee. I
nste
ad
of u
sing
all yo
ur d
ecor
atio
ns,
use h
alf. I
nste
ad o
f sen
ding
50
Chr
istm
as ca
rds,
send
25
to p
eopl
e you
wo
n’t se
e dur
ing
the h
olid
ays.
Curb
exce
ssive
gift
giving
. Mak
e a lis
t of t
he p
eopl
e you
us
ually
buy
gift
s for
at C
hrist
mas
tim
e. W
here
can
you
cut?
At
work
or a
mon
g fri
ends
, sug
gest
elim
inatin
g gi
fts th
is ye
ar an
d ins
tead
give
a gr
oup
dona
tion
to a
char
ity. I
t’s al
so a
good
idea
to
reva
mp
exte
nded
fam
ily g
ift g
iving
. Sta
rt by
put
ting
a do
llar a
mou
nt o
n wh
at ea
ch g
ift ca
n co
st. O
r lim
it gi
fts to
child
ren
unde
r a ce
rtain
age.
Or s
ugge
st th
at ev
eryo
ne d
raw
nam
es an
d bu
y onl
y one
gift
. Or s
ugge
st th
at ev
eryo
ne g
ive “f
utur
e fun
” gi
fts th
at m
ight
inclu
de th
ree n
ight
s of f
ree b
aby-
sittin
g, g
oing
to
the m
ovies
, tak
ing al
l the
cous
ins to
the z
oo o
r a fu
n af
tern
oon
of
ice sk
ating
, sled
ding
, etc
.
stick
to a
budg
et. O
nce y
ou’ve
de
cided
on
the a
mou
nt o
f mon
ey th
at
you
will s
pend
, don
’t go
over
it. M
ake a
list
befo
re yo
u sh
op. L
eave
cred
it ca
rds a
t hom
e an
d pa
y cas
h fo
r as m
any t
hing
s as p
ossib
le.
Comm
unica
te. T
alk w
ith
fam
ily m
embe
rs ab
out w
hat
Chr
istm
as tr
aditi
ons a
re im
porta
nt
to ke
ep. T
hen
find
ways
to si
mpl
ify yo
ur
celeb
ratio
ns an
d m
ake t
hem
mor
e mea
ningf
ul.
Celeb
rate t
he fe
asts
of Ad
vent
. Dec
. 6 is
the
feas
t of S
t. N
ichol
as, a
third
-ce
ntur
y bish
op, w
ho w
as kn
own
as a
mira
cle w
orke
r and
a gi
ver o
f sec
ret g
ifts.
Cele
brat
e with
surp
rise c
andi
es fo
r peo
ple y
ou
love
, a su
rpris
e gift
for s
omeo
ne w
ho is
lone
ly,
or a
surp
rise d
onat
ion
to a
favo
rite c
harit
y. O
n D
ec. 8
we h
onor
Our
Lad
y who
was
conc
eived
wi
thou
t sin
. It’s
a ho
ly da
y of o
blig
atio
n, so
plan
to
atte
nd M
ass.
On
Dec
. 12,
we co
mm
emor
ate
Our
Lad
y of G
uada
lupe
. It’s
a gr
eat d
ay to
hav
e a M
exica
n di
nner
. On
Dec
. 13,
we ce
lebra
te th
e fe
ast o
f St.
Lucy
, a fo
urth
cent
ury m
arty
r, who
se
nam
e and
feas
t day
are a
ssoc
iated
with
light
. It’s
a g
reat
day
to lig
ht ca
ndles
and
ask S
t. Lu
cy to
pr
ay fo
r you
r spe
cial in
tent
ions
.
Find w
ays t
o he
lp ot
hers.
Ad
vent
is a
grea
t tim
e to
help
peo
ple w
ho
are l
ess f
ortu
nate
. C
lean
out c
lose
ts an
d do
nate
gen
tly u
sed
item
s to
loca
l out
reac
h ce
nter
s. Bu
y a C
hrist
mas
gi
ft fo
r a n
eedy
child
. Brin
g fo
od to
your
par
ish
food
pan
try. V
isit r
elativ
es in
a nu
rsing
hom
e. Br
ing co
okies
to a
hom
ebou
nd n
eighb
or.
eat s
lowly.
Con
cent
rate
on
eatin
g ev
eryt
hing
slow
ly. S
avor
ever
y bi
te. I
t’s al
so w
ise to
pay
atte
ntio
n to
wha
t you
ea
t. To
o m
uch
suga
r or f
atty
food
s will
mak
e yo
u fe
el slu
ggish
. Too
muc
h ca
ffeine
incr
ease
s th
e stre
ss h
orm
ones
in yo
ur sy
stem
. Drin
k pl
enty
of w
ater
to p
reve
nt d
ehyd
ratio
n.
Brea
the.
Whe
n pe
ople
are
stres
sed,
they
tend
to h
old
their
br
eath
or h
yper
vent
ilate
. The
be
st wa
y to
regu
late
your
bre
athi
ng is
to
turn
it in
to a
pray
er.
Take
a fe
w de
ep
brea
ths t
hrou
ghou
t th
e day
and
imag
ine
that
God
’s lo
ve is
flo
wing
thro
ugh
you
to ev
ery p
art o
f you
r bod
y. A
s you
exha
le, le
t go
of te
nsio
n an
d wo
rry.
Keep
mov
ing. Ex
ercis
e re
lease
s end
orph
ins th
at lif
t you
r sp
irits.
At t
he ve
ry le
ast,
get o
utsid
e ev
ery d
ay fo
r a b
risk w
alk. F
ill yo
ur lu
ngs w
ith
fresh
air.
App
recia
te th
e bea
uty o
f na
ture
.
read
the C
hrist
mas
story.
One o
f the
bes
t way
s to
redu
ce
your
stre
ss le
vel a
nd p
repa
re sp
iritu
ally f
or
Chr
istm
as is
to re
ad th
e Gos
pel a
ccou
nts o
f the
Bi
rth o
f Jes
us. Y
ou ca
n fin
d th
em in
Mat
thew
1:1
8-23
and
Luke
2:1-2
0.
step
back
in tim
e. Ta
lk to
th
e old
er m
embe
rs of
your
fam
ily
abou
t wha
t Chr
istm
as w
as lik
e in
the o
lden
day
s. Th
en th
ink a
bout
how
you
can
mak
e this
year
’s ce
lebra
tion
an “o
ld-fa
shio
ned”
Chr
istm
as. I
t m
ight
mea
n re
plac
ing o
utdo
or d
ecor
atio
ns th
at
use e
lectri
city w
ith si
mpl
er d
ecor
atio
ns su
ch as
re
d bo
ws, e
verg
reen
bra
nche
s and
strin
gs o
f po
pcor
n. O
r mak
e hom
emad
e fud
ge in
stead
of
buy
ing ch
ocol
ates
. Or k
nit a
scar
f for
a gi
ft ins
tead
of b
uying
one
. Or c
ollec
t gra
ndm
a’s
favo
rite r
ecip
es in
to a
fam
ily co
okbo
ok.
Do so
meth
ing
nice e
very
day. I
t m
ight
be a
n en
cour
aging
wo
rd, a
pho
ne ca
ll, a n
ote o
f ap
prec
iatio
n, o
r a lit
tle ac
t of
kindn
ess.
It off
ers y
ou th
e opp
ortu
nity t
o m
ove
outsi
de o
f you
rself.
Reac
hing
out
to o
ther
s is s
o im
porta
nt to
our
spiri
tual
lives
that
Jesu
s ass
ures
us
that
anyt
hing
we d
o fo
r som
eone
else
, we d
o fo
r him
(Mt 2
5:40)
.
Forg
ive
some
one.
Forg
ivene
ss
relie
ves s
tress
. It
mea
ns th
at
you
mak
e a
cons
cious
dec
ision
to le
t go
of an
ger, r
esen
tmen
t an
d de
sire f
or re
veng
e. It
does
not
mea
n yo
u co
ndon
e wha
t hap
pene
d, it
just
mea
ns yo
u’re
read
y to
let al
l the
neg
ative
emot
ions
stop
gn
awing
at yo
u. M
ake f
orgi
vene
ss yo
ur sp
ecial
gi
ft to
your
self
this
year
. You
’ll fin
d a l
ot o
f stre
ss
will m
elt aw
ay.
rece
ive th
e sac
ramen
t of
reco
ncilia
tion.
Atte
nd a
pena
nce s
ervic
e or g
o to
conf
essio
n an
d ta
ke
adva
ntag
e of t
he o
ppor
tunit
y to
clean
se yo
ur
soul
in pr
epar
atio
n fo
r the
com
ing th
e Lor
d. T
he
sacr
amen
t help
s you
let g
o of
wha
teve
r guil
t, do
ubts,
sinf
ulnes
s or s
tress
you
are c
arry
ing.
Pray
for p
atien
ce. If
you
find
your
self
beco
ming
anxio
us o
r ups
et,
ask t
he L
ord
for t
he g
ift o
f pat
ience
. The
n m
ake
a con
scio
us eff
ort t
o be
a m
ore p
atien
t per
son.
Offer
up so
meth
ing
painf
ul or
diffi
cult i
n yo
ur lif
e. Th
e bes
t way
to tr
ansfo
rm tr
ials
and
tens
ions
is to
turn
them
into
a pr
ayer
by
sayin
g, “L
ord,
I’m g
iving
you
this
stres
sful
situa
tion
with
the h
ope t
hat y
ou w
ill gi
ve m
e the
co
urag
e, th
e stre
ngth
and
the p
eace
to m
ove
thro
ugh
it.”
Listen
to Ch
ristm
as
music
. Fill t
he h
ouse
with
the
soun
ds o
f the
seas
on. S
elect
trad
ition
al ca
rols
that
celeb
rate
the t
rue m
eanin
g of
Chr
istm
as.
take
a pr
ayer
nap.
A pr
ayer
nap
is a
lot l
ike a
cat n
ap. T
he d
iffer
ence
is th
at
you
imag
ine th
at yo
u ar
e res
ting
in th
e arm
s of t
he L
ord.
Just
find
a quie
t plac
e and
ta
ke 10
or 1
5 min
ute p
raye
r nap
. You
’ll no
tice t
he d
iffer
ence
righ
t awa
y!
Medit
ate on
the n
ativit
y sce
ne. Im
agine
your
self
in th
e cr
èche
with
Jesu
s and
Mar
y. Pi
ctur
e you
rself
hold
ing th
e Chr
ist C
hild
.
Laug
h. Lo
ok fo
r the
hum
or in
th
ings t
hat h
appe
n. E
ven
if yo
u ha
ve to
fa
ke it
, mak
e you
rself
laugh
. Stu
dies
show
that
lau
ghte
r red
uces
stre
ss h
orm
ones
and
eleva
tes
your
moo
d.
Pray
. Set a
side 1
0 m
inut
es a
day f
or q
uiet p
raye
r. A
s you
mov
e th
roug
h Ad
vent
you
will b
egin
to re
lish
thes
e qu
iet m
omen
ts th
at w
ill re
store
your
spiri
t.
start
an Ad
vent
jour
nal. I
mag
ine
that
you
are w
riting
a let
ter t
o G
od. R
ecor
d th
e wa
ys yo
u ex
perie
nced
God
dur
ing th
e day
, and
jo
t dow
n th
e nam
es o
f peo
ple w
ho n
eed
pray
ers.
than
k God
for a
ll the
good
th
ings.
Cult
ivate
an at
titud
e of g
ratit
ude.
Be th
ankf
ul fo
r all t
he g
ood
thing
s tha
t God
has
gi
ven
you!
ways
to ma
ke
Adve
nt, Ch
ristm
asstress-free
Thin
ksto
ck. a
ll oth
er im
ages
: Shu
tters
tock
