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FROM OUR EDITORS—December 5, 2021 – 2nd Sunday of Advent

FROM OUR EDITORS—December 5, 2021 – 2nd Sunday of Advent

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Throughout the readings for this Second Sunday of Advent, we hear the voices of Baruch, Isaiah, Paul, and John the Baptist urging us to “prepare the way,” so we may be “pure and blameless” for the coming of Our Lord. The theme of joyful preparation during Advent continues in the Responsorial Psalm, in which we pray, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” This Advent, the Church invites us to thankfully acknowledge what God has done for us in the past, so we can fully experience the joyful anticipation that this liturgical season is all about. We await Jesus’ coming this Christmas and prepare for his return in glory at the end of time.

Let us be attentive to the voices of those who help us prepare our hearts for the Lord, and to the cries of our brothers and sisters who are in need of our encouragement during this time. Amen.

Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and links to many online resources.

Video of Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 3:1–6)
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview all videos you plan to share with your class:
     Holy Heroes
     God’s Story: John the Baptist

Use these videos to introduce Advent:
     A Journey Through Advent
     Liturgical Calendar: Saints and Seasons with Shannon
     Advent in 2 Minutes
     What Is an Advent Wreath?

Share this video with families about the importance of attending Mass, especially at Christmastime:
     Find the Perfect Gift

Use this video to share about Our Lady of Guadalupe (feast day 12/12)
     Our Lady of Guadalupe

Seeds
Lesson Theme: All Creation is ready for Jesus.
In this lesson, Seeds will focus on praising God for Creation. We recommend that you use a puppet for the “Getting Ready for Christmas” activity. Sometimes preschool age children feel more comfortable talking to a puppet. Nevertheless, having a puppet is completely optional.

In addition to the Church Year Calendar and Advent wreath, for this lesson you will need 7” paper plates (flimsy), 36” strings of yarn with tape wrapped around one end and a knot at the other, scissors, hole punch, and at least one aide to help you with the cutting and lacing activity.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
     Weekly Gospel Videos and Coloring Pages
     Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
     Advent Wreath

Promise
Lesson Theme: We prepare the way of the Lord.
For this lesson, you’ll need your copy of the Advent calendar from the 11/28 lesson, a Bible, crayons, and glue in addition to the Church Year calendar and Advent wreath. You might always want to print or photocopy this coloring page to accompany the “Never-Ready Sam” story.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
     Weekly Gospel Videos and Coloring Pages
     Bible Bag Gospel Lesson with Mrs. Cole
     Advent Wreath

Good News
Lesson Theme: We get ready for Jesus’ coming.
For this lesson, catechists and teachers will need to prepare Jeopardy-style game questions about the Bible. Some suggested questions can be found on page TG2-19 in the Teaching Guide. You may wish to bring a small prize for the winner. You will also need Bibles, scissors, crayons or markers, pencils, Church Year calendar, Advent wreath, and your copy of the Advent calendar from the 11/28 lesson.

We suggest that you prepare and send home instructions for the Make a Road to Christmas activity on page 4. These instructions should help parents and families know to complete an activity and snip off a segment of the spiral each day. Suggested wording for the instructions: This Good News road gives your child (and family members) ideas of ways to get ready for Christmas. Tape a length of string or yarn to the center image of the Nativity, then hang the spiral in your home where it will serve as a reminder to prepare the way for Jesus this Advent. Cut off one piece of the road each day and do the activity. You may adapt the suggested activities to ones that you may do together as a family. As you cut off a segment of the spiral each day and complete the activity, this Advent road will take you closer and closer to the celebration of Christmas.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
     Advent Wreath
     What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?

Venture
Lesson Theme: The prophets prepared for Jesus’ coming.
Advent is also a time that we hear from the Old Testament prophets. Encourage the children to dramatize the play. You don’t need costumes or props unless you want them! It is the story of the prophets who shared the news of the coming of a savior long before Jesus was born.

Remember dice and game markers to play “Advent Is a Journey to Christmas.” Remind the children of the story of the real Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas. How can they follow his generous example?

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
     What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?
     The Meaning of the Advent Wreath
     St. Nicholas

Visions
Lesson Theme: John the Baptist announces Good News.
Refer to the cover of last week’s lesson (November 28) for this week’s opening prayer mantra: Help me see with great love. Advent can be lost in the busyness of preparing for Christmas. Help the students to appreciate Advent as its own special season by reviewing the items on the cover.

Remember that the students will need Bibles—or access to a Bible app—to complete this week’s prophet activity.

Note two of the items in the calendar on page TG2-17 in the Teaching Guide. This week, we celebrate the feast of Saint Nicholas. Encourage the young people to model his generosity. We also remember the lives lost in the attacks on Pearl Harbor during WWII. Pray together for peace in our time.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Lesson Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
     What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?
     The Meaning of the Advent Wreath

Image credit: © 2020 by Jon P. McKamey

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Our Editors


David Dziena
Publisher

David Dziena is the Publisher of Pflaum Publishing Group. He has also served as Executive Editor and […]

Joan McKamey
Project Editor

Joan McKamey, project editor, joined the Gospel Weeklies editorial team in September 2016. […]

Erika De Urquidi
Bilingual Editor

Erika De Urquidi, bilingual editor, joined Bayard, Inc. in July 2018. During her 15 years as a professional translator […]