Advent-Christmas-Season-Incarnation-RCIA-2012
Session Title
Opening Prayer
"Busted Halo" - Advent in Two Minutes
references/sources
Content
Advent is: at time of expecting, waiting, hoping, praying for Christ to enter our lives.
At Christmas we commemorate the birth of Jesus - "Incarnatus Est - He became incarnate and makes His home with us. - Creed
At the same time that we Commemorate/Remember we prepare for Christ's return. We know neither the day nor the hour, but we prepare our hearts to receive him.
Eschatalogy
Christmas Season begins with the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and continues through the feast of the Baptism of the Lord (this year celebrated on Sunday January 13).
So we go from the Infancy of Jesus to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry in a very brief time!
Readings for Christmas:
Vigil Mass: Isaiah 62: 1-5 - New name signifying the change in relationship between God and the people of Israel / us!
Acts: 13: 16-17; 22-25 - Salvation history focus on the Jewish background of our belief in Jesus the Saviour.
Matthew: 1: 1-25 - Genealogy leading to the 'back story' of Jesus' birth.
Midnight Mass: Isaiah 9: 1-6 - From this reading we recognize Jesus, the Light of the World for everyone even to the ends of the earth.
Titus: 2: 11-14 - Jesus' coming as the Grace of God in history and His saving work through His life, death and resurrection.
Luke: 2: 1 - 14 - Luke's narrative of Christ's birth - most familiar to us, and from which most of our traditions arise.
Creche: ascribed to St. Francis of Assisi - interpreted by many cultures and inspiration for much of religious art from that time to now.
Christmas Tree: traditionally thought to have been initiated by Martin Luther and seen as an appropriation of an earlier 'pagan' symbol of light from the darkness: now signifies Jesus.
Posadas: Ritual telling of the Nativity story - particularly in Latin American cultures.
Christmas Pageants: similar to above.
Gift Giving: (Not the craziness!) Symbolizes the Gifts of the Magi to Jesus on the Feast of the Epiphany.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer: Luke 2: 15 - 20 with prayer and reflection.