St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS: THE REVOLUTIONARY ACTION OF GOD’S EUCHARIST
Calendar of Transformative Social/Spiritual Events
For My Family

Dec. 1 – First Sunday of Advent: Lighting the first purple candle of our Advent wreath; committing my family to enter this revolutionary season of God’s approaching action in the human race, in my own family. Will I love God’s fullness enough to see right through the focus on earthly things that are all around me? Will I lift up this beautiful time before Christmas into a sacred and hopeful awareness of Christ’s increase?

      6:00 pm front of the church and in J.P. II Center – Blessing the outdoor parish crèche and then all family Nativity scenes. Celebrate with prayers, hymns and carols as we bless our beautiful outdoor crèche and your family Nativity scene. We flow directly into our Franciscan-led Advent Mission, session one.

      7:00 pm in the church – Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (Bronx NY) with a dynamic Catholic family of eight instruct our Advent Parish Mission. The Mission topic: The Revolutionary Action of God’s Eucharist: the Incarnation of Jesus in the flesh, the Incarnation of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and the Incarnation of Jesus in us.

Dec 2 – Mon., 7:00 pm in the church – Evening two of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (Bronx NY) with a dynamic Catholic family of eight instruct our Advent Parish Mission. The Mission topic: The Revolutionary Action of God’s Eucharist: the Incarnation of Jesus in the flesh, the Incarnation of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and the Incarnation of Jesus in us.

Dec 3 – Tues., 7:00 pm in the church – A powerful Eucharistic Healing encounter marks our final evening of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (Bronx NY) Mission. The Mission topic: The Revolutionary Action of God’s Eucharist: the Incarnation of Jesus in the flesh, the Incarnation of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, and the Incarnation of Jesus in us.

Dec. 6 (Feast of St. Nicholas) – Fri., 7:00—9:00 pm in the J.P. II Center: THE WELL, An Advent/Christmas Coffee House. All are welcome to this seasonal, family evening of live stage talents, fun, pastries, food, coffees, and Christmas hope.

Dec. 8 – Second Sunday of Advent: (Feast of Immaculate Conception replaced by Sunday obligation): Lighting the second purple candle on our Advent wreath; Supporting our spouses and our children, young or grown, to take note of the deep pining inside every human heart for heaven’s beauty to meet me and fill me.

      6:00 pm in the J.P. II Center: movie, “Mary of Nazareth”. Honor the Feast of the Immaculate Conception watching the life of Our Lord unfold through the eyes of His mother. “Mary of Nazareth” makes for an enriching experience that’s both inspiring and entertaining. The film is fittingly dedicated “to all mothers, whose life-giving, sacrificial love, like Mary, changes the world.”

Dec. 12 – Thu., 7:00 pm in the church: Advent Penance Service – Do we examine our conscience during this revolutionary season of Advent? Christ cannot increase where there has been no preparation to welcome Him. All are welcome to the miracle of the Sacrament of Reconciliation when we step through the DOOR OF GOD’S MERCY which is our only hope. Numerous thankful priests will be available to celebrate God’s healing/forgiving mercy in all of our lives.

Dec. 13 – Fri., 7:00 pm in the church: Lessons and Carrols – a holy and joyful evening of Advent hope, filled with Advent and Christmas music, Scriptures, prayers and fellowship.

Dec. 15 – Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday): Lighting the rose candle on our Advent wreath; we acknowledge the Joy that God has already enlightened all human flesh by His birth. On Gaudete Sunday we hope for Jesus, the Light of the World, to truly increase in everyone in our families.

      10:00 am in the church and J.P. II Center: Children’s Christmas pageant and festive pancake breakfast – The hearts of children seem to be more beautifully receptive to Christ filling them with Light and Joy. The children will lead all present to open our hearts wider to receive, know, love and live in Christ.

Dec. 22 – Fourth Sunday of Advent: The final purple candle is lighted; the wreath fully illumined represents each heart which Christ longs to enter and fill more completely. Now we focus more than ever on approaching Christmas.

Dec. 24 – Vigil Mass of the Nativity of the Lord: Holy Mass 5:30 pm – God’s covenant gloriously shines forth in the anticipated birth of Jesus, son of David. The Word is made flesh.

Dec. 25 – The Nativity of the Lord: Holy Mass at Midnight, 8:30 & 10:30 am: On this day of great Joy in heaven and on earth, the Church glories in the newborn Son of God, the Word-Made-Flesh, Jesus, who embodies for us the REVOLUTIONARY ACTION BY OUR GOD. Jesus, the Eucharist of God, IS all the hope and peace we seek. Salvation has been definitively, once and for all, revealed to all nations in Christ.

Dec. 29 – First Sunday of Christmas: – The Solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph: The Holy Family is the “real life” model for all families. Our family life becomes deeper, more loving, more healed, more glorifying of God when we live the life of the Sacraments within our homes. This is called the “domestic church.” St. John Chrysostom urged all Christians to make each home a “family church,” and in doing so, we sanctify the family unit.

Jan. 1 – The Octave Day of Christmas: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God: Christ’s Birth was made possible by Mary’s fiat: “Be it done unto me according to Thy word.” The birth of the New Year is entrusted to the intercession of Jesus’ mother and our own, Mary. On this day, we are reminded of the role that the Blessed Virgin played in the plan of our salvation.

Jan. 5 – The Second Sunday of Christmas, The Epiphany of the Lord: Epiphany comes from a Greek verb meaning “to reveal.” Epiphany originally celebrated four different events, in the following order of importance: the Baptism of the Lord, Christ’s first miracle of changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana, the Nativity of Christ, and the visitation of the Wise Men or Magi. All four REVEAL and ANNOUNCE the Revolutionary Action by our God in the human race.

Jan. 12 – The Third Sunday of Christmas, The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord: This is the final major feast of the Christmas Season and, in fact, the last day of this Season of Light and Joy. Today the heavens opened and the waters of the sea became sweet and fragrant; the earth rejoiced, the mountains and hills exulted–because Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan. In Jesus Christ, our Baptism makes us ONE in the Revolutionary Action of our God as the Eucharist of Christ.

The Giving of Alms

The giving of alms is one way to share God’s gifts not only
through the distribution of money, but through the sharing
of our time and talents. St. John Chrysostom reminds us:
“Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal
from them and deprive them of life.  The goods we possess are
not ours, but theirs.”   (CCC 2446)