Day 15
Ornament: Lily, crown of stars, pierced heart
The story of Mary, mother of Jesus
Saints Joachim and Anne, are the parents of the Virgin Mary.
God gave a message to a young girl named Mary. Mary was a virgin who was engaged to Joseph, a descendant of King David.
The angel said to Mary, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you”. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end”.
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
Mary spoke to the angel saying, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word”. Mary’s words showed her complete faith in God and her choice to accept and follow God’s plan.
Throughout her life, Mary loved and obeyed God. She trusted God completely. Mary loved and cared for Jesus and along with Joseph, Mary taught Jesus to be faithful to the covenant and to follow Jewish laws and customs. Mary stood by Jesus as he died on the cross. Her faith in her son did not weaken in times of suffering or loss. Along with Jesus’ followers, Mary waited in prayer and with hope for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Mary was the first disciple of Jesus, and she is our greatest saint. She is a model for all of us.
Day 16
Ornament: Shell, water
The story of John the Baptist
Zechariah was an old man and Elizabeth, his wife, was barren. The angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah and told him that Elizabeth will bear a son and he will be called John. Because Zachariah didn’t believe Gabriel, he became a mute. When the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, she did bear a son. Everyone thought that he would be called Zechariah. But his father wrote on a tablet “John is his name”. It was then that Zechariah filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke.
John would have an important part in the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people. Like the prophets before him, John would prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.
John the Baptist appeared preaching in the desert of Judea proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. And this is what he proclaimed, “I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
​
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” After Jesus was baptized, he came up for the water and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming upon him.
​
John fulfills the words of the prophet Isaiah. He prepares the people for the coming of the Messiah. He preaches a message of repentance and conversion. He points out Jesus as the Messiah. John’s greatest joy is proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah, the hoped-for Savior, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”
Day 19
Ornament: poinsettia flower
Jesus is Flower of Jesse
But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
A spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord,
and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.
