Pray

• • Mealtime Prayers & Night Time Prayers

  • 5 mins - Praying for Others

Learn

• Watch the video

The Main Points to Teach Your Child:

1. Know the story of Jesus' Birth

2. Understand the important points of the story

A Note from Julie:

Hi Parents,

How are you doing? Sincerely, we--Steve, Dan and I--have had many convesations circling around, "How are our Holy Cross families are doing?"

Last week flew by, this week has felt like the longest week ever. I am dragging today and can't say why. I feel like I'm on overload. Between keeping up with work (from home), activities around the house, etc. Not to mention, the family sees me at home (working) and naturally assumes I can drop everything for them. Not complaining, but hey, I am still working amidst the interruptions of family --that I love and would NOT trade for anything.

I wonder if Mary ever felt this way? Did she ever feel things were too overwhelming? Did she ever want to cry "Uncle" and throw in the towel? (Pretty certain God would have thrown it back and said, "you're not done yet!") I think not. Even after giving birth at a very young age, in a dirty stable, with a man she hardly knew, far away from the support of her family, Luke tells us "Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart." She turned to prayer. I believe prayer and her relationship with God sustained her through all of her life.

I know what I am missing. I have lost my a portion of time commited to prayer, not completely, but enough to feel a heavy burden. I need to return to, make time for quiet prayer. I need to thank God for the many blessings He has bestowed upon me, on all of us, and I must make time to listen to Him. I need to tune out, turn off the noise to hear what it is He is asking of me at this moment and during these days of isolation.

As soon as I sign-off oif this note, I'm going to my quiet space, my prayer space to isolate myself so that my prayer is not hurried or quick, but rather, slow and intentional. I am off now to take time to be alone with the Lord, to be alone, to be...

-Julie Sheridan

Additional Resources & Activities to do at Home

Video:

• Saddleback: Jesus Is Born (Luke 2:1-20)

• also, from Day 9 - Stories From the Bible - The Nativity (Hana Barbera animated)

Resources:

• Nativity Coloring & Activity Pages Grades 1-2

• Nativity Coloring & Activity Pages Grades 3-4

Pray

• • Basic Prayers

  • Ten Minutes of Silence

    • Intercessions

    • Thanksgiving

    • Reading the Bible

Learn

• Watch the video

The Main Points that need to be learned or taught from this lesson

1. Know the basics of the Nativity and be able to summarize some of the details and circumstances in which it takes place.

2. Be able to explain why God chooses to come into the world in this way.

Pray

• See Day 1 for a longer explanation of what to do in Pray & Learn

• New to the Spiritual Life

  • Basic Prayers

  • 20 Minutes Silent Prayer

• For those more advanced

  • Basic Prayers

  • Liturgy of the Hours

  • 20 Min Silent Meditation

Learn

• Watch the video

Pray

• See Day 1 for a longer explanation of what to do in Pray & Learn

• Basic Prayers

  • A list of all these prayers are here.

For those new to prayer

• First 10 mins - Talk to God

• Second 10 mins - Listen to God

  • Praying with the Bible or the daily mass readings.

For those more experienced in prayer

• Liturgy of the Hours

• 20 Mins of Silent Meditation – Suggestions:

  • Rosary

  • Lectio Divina/Meditating on the Bible

  • Stations of the Cross

  • Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving, & Praise

  • Journaling

  • Reflecting on the Daily Readings

Learn

• Watch the video