sorry this is a little late.

Follow the 💜 The third Sunday of Advent 2020

The third Sunday in Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, “Rejoice”. Rose vestments are worn to emphasize our joy that Christmas is near, and we also light the rose candle on our Advent wreath.

💜During this time, ask for the light of the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire you.  Pray for a very special grace to commune with God and experience true joy.  

💜Preparation

Take a few moments and close your eyes, preparing yourself to listen to what God may be saying to you during this prayer. As you sit with your eyes closed, use these or similar words: “My soul rejoices in my God, My Soul rejoices in my God” “I ask for the grace to commune with You and experience true joy”. 

When you are ready, open your eyes and focus on the scripture.  

💜Pray with the weekly scripture:  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

“May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.”

💜Review of Prayer

1. What word of God touched me the most?

2. Consider where I felt Joy in this passage, enjoy that secret place of prayer. 

3. Consider how God brings me true joy and peace. 

If possible, write in a journal about the answer that seems most significant. Formulate it in a prayer of petition or thanksgiving. These same questions can be used in the faith-sharing group or in spiritual conversation with another.

💜Concluding Prayer -Adapted from Romans 15:13

Heavenly Father, you have given me breath for today and a promise to bring me through whatever I may walk through tomorrow. Thank you for your son Jesus, who is the reason I can live with joy in the battles, and have peace that is unexplainable to the world. God of hope, fill me with all joy and peace as I trust in You, so that I may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Follow the Purple Hearts paying attention to how God leads you through the material.

💜 Second Week of Advent – LOVE

During this time, ask for the light of the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire you.  Pray for a very special grace to Love the Lord more intimately in order to make Him your greatest treasure. 

💜 Preparation

Take a few moments and close your eyes, preparing yourself to listen to what God may be saying to you during this prayer. As you sit with your eyes closed, use these or similar words: “I am yours Lord, I am yours.”  Pray for the grace to Love the Lord more intimately in order to make Him your greatest treasure. When you are ready, open your eyes and focus your attention to the scripture verse. 

💜Pray with the weekly scripture

Second Sunday of Advent – Psalm 85:8-13

8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,

    for he will speak peace to his people,

    to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,

    that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

    righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

    and righteousness will look down from the sky.

12 The Lord will give what is good,

    and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him,

    and will make a path for his steps.

💜Review of Prayer

1. What expectations do you have of this Advent journey?
2. Are you willing to put those expectations aside and allow the Spirit to guide you in a way that may be surprising?

If possible, write in a journal about the answer that seems most significant. Formulate it in a prayer of petition or thanksgiving. These same questions can be used in the faith-sharing group or in spiritual conversation with another.

💜Concluding Prayer

A Prayer for Resting in God’s Love

God of Goodness, I come into your presence so aware of my human frailty and yet overwhelmed by your love for me. 

I thank you that there is no human experience that I might walk through where your love cannot reach me. 

If I climb the highest mountain you are there and yet if I find myself in the darkest valley of my life, you are there. 

Teach me today to love you more. 

Help me to rest in that love that asks nothing more than the simple trusting heart of a child.  Amen.

– Author Unknown

Advent is a time when we recall the Son of God becoming a man for us, and we prepare ourselves for his second coming in glory.  It is a time for active expectation, desire, prayer, communication, and joy.  

During this time, ask for the light of the Holy Spirit to guide and inspire you.  Pray for a very special grace to know the Lord more intimately in order to love and serve him more.

Follow the Purple Hearts!💜

Preparation

💜Take a few moments and close your eyes, preparing yourself to listen to what God may be saying to you during this prayer. As you sit with your eyes closed, use these or similar words: “Here I am, Lord. Here I am.” Pray for the grace to know the Lord more intimately in order to love and serve him more. When you are ready, open your eyes and focus on the weekly scripture verse.

💜Pray with the weekly scripture

First Sunday of Advent – 1 Corinthians 1:3-9.

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I give thanks to my^[a] God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— ⁶ just as the testimony of^[b] Christ has been strengthened among you— ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

💜Review of Prayer

When you complete each period of prayer, ask yourself how it went: 

1. What word of God touched me the most?

 2. What feeling, sentiment, emotion, or effect predominated?

 3. Did I feel some calling, a desire, or an inspiration? 

4. Did I experience some difficulty or resistance? 

💜If possible, write in a journal about the answer that seems most significant. Formulate it in a prayer of petition or thanksgiving. These same questions can be used in the faith-sharing group or in spiritual conversation with another.

💜Concluding Prayer

End this time with an intimate farewell to God, using the words of the Lord’s Prayer.  

💜The Prayer of Loving Attention 

(Also known as Examen of Consciousness)

At the end of the day, give a few minutes of loving attention, making yourself present to the Lord as someone who was graced by him during the day. 1. Thank God for everything that was good for you and for your brothers and sisters. 2. Invoke the power of the Holy Spirit, asking for light to discern how to use your liberty, how to decide wisely. 3. Take note of the situations, circumstances, and events of your day in which you allowed God to act, to be present in your life. 4. Review your actions that were signs of God’s presence and love for others. 5. Ask for forgiveness from Jesus, your faithful friend, for the good you did not do and for not allowing yourself to be led by the Holy Spirit. 6. Entrust yourself and the coming day to the Lord and experience the joy and hope that come from putting all these matters into his hands.

Cited website http://www.ignatianspirituality.com

Bible Gateway

1 Corinthians 1:3-9New Revised Standard Version

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I give thanks to my^[a] God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— ⁶ just as the testimony of^[b] Christ has been strengthened among you— ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.