First Week of Advent

1
First Week of Advent
2
We begin our week in preparation for meeting
Christ at Christmas
In quiet and peace
And take this time to stop the noise and busyness
3
One Family
One Journey
One Child
Who would change the world
Forever
4
And where did it begin?
With a young girl
Going about her daily work
Until one day her world changed
Forever
5
This week we will take a look at the characters
who shaped the Christmas story
beginning with that girl
that History honours
as the Mother of God
Mary
6
What happened that day?
7
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel came to
Nazareth, in Galilee to a young girl engaged to
Joseph of the house of David
8
Gabriel spoke in greeting and said to Mary that
the Lord God was with her
9
We are told that Mary was greatly troubled and
wondered what was going on
10
Gabriel told her not to be afraid and that she
was going to have a son, Jesus who was going to
rule over Israel forever
11
Can you imagine what was going on in her head?
12
She was only a young girl
and was to be married by arrangement to an older
man
13
Gabriel reassured her saying "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.
14
What Mary said next changed history
Can you remember what it was?
15
"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be
done to me according to your word."
16
Imagine what happened next
having to tell her parents
her neighbours finding out
having to tell Joseph
17
Mary must have been a determined teenager
having to deal with all that
and the worry of the pregnancy
but she had one thing going for her
18
She knew that God was with her
and she put her trust in Him
19
Today as we remember Marys journey
and prepare to celebrate the birth of her Son
let us take this time to celebrate her courage
with a difficult decision
and pray using the words she heard
20
Hail Mary, full of grace
the Lord is with you
Blessed are you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus
Amen
21
One Family
One Journey
One Woman
Who would change the world
Forever
22
Today
Can we be like Mary
Can we put our trust in God
and accept His plan for us
to be stewards of our world?
23
We light the First candle of Advent the candle
of peace
24
(No Transcript)