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The Catholic Youth Bible®
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by Joanna Dailey

Advent is coming! Now is the time to hunt down those Advent wreaths, Advent candles, and purple tablecloths. Now is the time to order those day-by-day Advent meditation books for yourself or for your group. This year, the First Sunday of Advent is December 1.

The Catholic Bishops have some great resources to use in celebrating Advent. These can be found at http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-resources/advent/. Among these is an Advent Family Calendar. Click on a date and it will open to an Advent activity and prayer. Very cool. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the calendar is still the one for 2012. However, the list of resources under the calendar promises that the 2013 calendar is COMING SOON!

Someone once asked my dad what life in the Army was like (he was a veteran of World War II) and my dad replied: "Life in the Army is hurry up and wait." I think we all share in that kind of life at various times. We hurry out of the house so we can wait for a bus, a subway train, a stop-and-go traffic situation, or a slow (or completely stopped) freight train. In our spiritual lives, we can hurry up, hunker down right on time in our prayer spot, and then spend precious minutes waiting for the Holy Spirit to blow away all the cobwebby thoughts that we seem to get stuck in so easily. With the psalmist we cry:

How long, LORD? Will you utterly forget me?

How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I carry sorrow in my soul,

grief in my heart day after day?

How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalm 13:2–3, NABRE).

But then Advent rolls around, and suddenly, waiting with eager expectation is the exact thing we are asked to do. And we are not waiting alone anymore. The whole Church is hurrying up and waiting together. In the very last book of the Bible, the Word of God in the Scriptures reassures us, "Yes, I am coming soon" (Revelation 22:20, NABRE, emphasis mine).

See the Make It Happen section of this newsletter for a celebration of the posada (Mary and Joseph seeking shelter. The word posada means lodging.). To be ready for enactment before Christmas, preparations should begin right after Thanksgiving.

And now a word about the National Catholic Youth Conference to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 21-23: This conference is for and about Catholic youth, and it has become a destination experience for many Catholic youth groups around the country. Our Midwest Sales Consultant, Dennis Kurtz, is very familiar with this conference (he has been attending it almost 30 years), and we talked about it together through an e-mail interview. Here are some of Dennis’s thoughts about his participation in this conference:

Servant Leader: What makes this conference different from other conferences that the sales force from Saint Mary’s Press attends?

Dennis: Having youth present for the conference energizes the conference. I am so impressed by the young people who attend the event. They are there because of their faith and are excited to meet other Catholic youth from across the United States. They are so well mannered and treat one another with great respect. It is enjoyable interacting with them as a vendor at the conference.

Servant Leader: How has the presence of Saint Mary’s Press at this conference evolved over the years?

Dennis: As the conference has grown to over 20,000 youth, the role of Saint Mary's Press has also grown—from a vendor with a booth selling The Catholic Youth Bible and other resources to where we have a very large booth area for display and sales and also an interactive area where you can come and have fun. It is a lot of fun to be in the interactive area talking with teens who have come to the conference.

Servant Leader: What do you particularly like about bringing Saint Mary’s Press products to this conference?

Dennis: Most times I can be found in the resource area of our booth. It is a delight to meet and greet our customers and point out our newest products that will assist them personally or professionally. What I find most satisfying is having the time to have a conversation with a group of young people or an individual teen, helping to find a resource that will be useful to them in developing their spiritual life.

Servant Leader: What can we expect to see at the Saint Mary’s Press booth at the conference this year?

Dennis: Besides book resources for learning about the Catholic faith, Saint Mary's Press has great youth Bibles— starting with The Catholic Children’s Bible, then the Breakthrough Bible for middle school youth, and of course specifically a teen Bible, The Catholic Youth Bible, and also the Anselm Study Bible for the young adult.

The other resources that participants will want to check out are all the digital resources and new game options we offer. There will be an opportunity to write short prayers that we will use in a prayer resource for teens. We will also be testing some prototype digital materials so we can get feedback directly from youth. You will want to come and discover the Saint Mary's Press "show special": It will be a cherished resource after the conference.

Servant Leader: What makes this conference particularly enjoyable for you?

Dennis: It is a place to come and reconnect with friends that I have made over the years attending this conference, and to meet new friends. It’s a joy to take time to pray, worship, and have fun together with a group of 20,000 Catholics who love God and life to the fullest.

Servant Leader: Can you recall any memorable conferences from the past? Or any memorable events in any of the past conferences?

Dennis: Most memorable at every conference is the gathering of the all the attendees for Mass. It is so impressive. You surely feel the presence of Jesus in a big way.

When I was still a diocesan director of youth ministry, a young person from our diocesan group was one of a pair who served as cantors for the final Mass. Our group was so proud of this young man. He did an awesome job!

Servant Leader: Thank you, Dennis, for your impressions of the National Catholic Youth Conference: It’s not just for young people anymore! (But mainly, it is.)

This year two editors will be helping out for a few hours in the booth: Susanna Seibert and yours truly, Joanna Dailey. Look for us and say hello to two shy and retiring behind-the-scenes people who will be up front and personal at this conference! Hope to see you there!

Blessings on your ministry!

Peace and joy,

Joanna

A note on the Year of Faith: On November 23 at 4 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis will conclude the Year of Faith by meeting with the catechumens who, as adults, have decided to become Catholics. The Pope will celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and the Rite of Acceptance into the Order of Catechumens for some of the catechumens who are ready for this step. Also invited are the catechists and all those within the Christian community who are journeying with the catechumens.

For the rest of us, the Vatican Web site notes: This gathering will serve as a sign: That as the Year of Faith has come to an end, what continues is the commitment of every Christian to respond daily to the Lord Jesus, who calls us to be his disciples, sent into the world to announce the Gospel and to bear witness to the joy of a life lived in faith.

Read more at http://www.annusfidei.va/content/novaevangelizatio/en/eventi/catecumeni.html.

The Mass for the closing of the Year of Faith will be celebrated on Sunday, November 24, the Feast of Christ the King, at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square.

Overview
This activity involves the young people in a Latino custom of reenacting Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem.

Suggested Time
40 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the group and the number of homes the group stops at

Group Size
This activity can be done with any size group, but works best with a group of 10 people or fewer.

Special Considerations
If you have a large group, your challenge will be to find some way to involve everyone. Two of the young people will depict Mary and Joseph. Invite others to become a choir to sing Christmas carols as they move from house to house. Music is also a way to get the attention of the people at whose houses the group stops. The rest of the group can carry flashlights, and use them as spotlights on Mary and Joseph when they arrive at a house.

Materials Needed

• costumes identifying Mary and Joseph
• lyrics for traditional Christmas songs (optional)
• a Bible

Preparation. Before the young people gather, select one of them to represent Mary and another to represent Joseph. Ask the young people who are portraying Mary and Joseph to come in costume. (Either supply the costumes or ask the actors to do so.) Prepare these two participants to play the parts described in step 2 of this activity.

Make arrangements with five people in the neighborhood to take part in the activity. Prepare the first four to reject the group when it approaches them for housing. Ask the last person you visit to host a small party for your group.

Prepare to lead the group in singing traditional Christmas hymns as you move from house to house in procession. Or recruit someone else to take on this role. You may want to provide lyrics for the songs.

If you are unfamiliar with the Posada tradition, you may want to read a book about Latino holiday traditions from your local library, or find information about the tradition on the Internet, in order to prepare to answer questions that the young people might ask.

1. Gather the young people and offer the following information in your own words:

Latino people have a custom of re-enacting Joseph and Mary's search for a place to stay when Jesus was born. The name for this re-enactment is Posada. The event is usually held on an evening during the week before Christmas. Parish families volunteer their homes as sites for the visit of Mary and Joseph. Sometimes people act out the parts of Mary and Joseph, sometimes they carry statues. Typically the last house they visit offers snacks or a meal to the people who take part in the procession.

Explain that as a group the participants too will walk from house to house, led by Mary and Joseph, searching for a place to stay. Mention that as you move from house to house, the group will sing traditional Christmas carols. Distribute lyrics if you have prepared them. Then read Luke 2:1–7 aloud to the group.

2. Supervise the group as it walks to the house of the first neighbor who has agreed to take part in this activity, singing as you go. Ensure that the young people who are playing Mary and Joseph knock at the door, explain that Mary is about to deliver her baby, and ask if they might stay the night. When the resident answers, "There is no room," lead the processional group in, saying loudly: "Let us move on. Surely God will provide." As the group moves to the next house, lead the young people in singing a traditional Christmas hymn. Guide the group in repeating this process with each of the first four houses you have arranged to visit.

3. When Mary and Joseph ask to stay the night at the fifth and last house, the host invites the whole group inside for refreshments. After the refreshments ask someone in the host family to read Luke 2:8–14 aloud to the gathering. Then pray the following prayer:

O God, your faithful followers Mary and Joseph faced rejection even as they

did your will. We take courage from them because they did not take no for

an answer. Instead they continued to search all of Bethlehem for shelter.

They trusted in you, and they found a humble place for Mary to give birth

to your Son. May we trust as much and learn from their example. We ask

this in the name of the Son, Jesus, whose birth we soon celebrate. Amen.

Alternative Approaches

• Instead of recruiting a Mary and Joseph to dress in costume, provide statues of Mary and Joseph. Then allow different people to carry the statues from house to house and play Mary and Joseph.
• If your group includes mostly non-Latino people, invite someone who grew up in a Latino family to talk about their experience of Posada and describe how they celebrated the holiday in their culture.

Scriptural Connections

• Mic. 5:1–2 (Little Bethlehem will be the place for the holy birth.)
• Luke 2:1–7 (There was no room at the inn.)

The Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
November 24, 2013
Luke 23:35-43

Opening Prayer

Jesus, we know that you are the Christ and King over heaven and earth and, therefore, sit at the right hand of God the Father. We also know that you hear all our prayers and intercede for us in heaven. We ask that you bless us with the strength to be faithful servants--to serve as priests, prophets, and kings of the Kingdom of God on earth. Jesus, help us to always be open to doing God's will. Amen.

Context Connection
The Gospel for the last Sunday of the liturgical year begins with Jesus, on the cross, being verbally taunted by the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees: "The leaders scoffed at him, saying, 'He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!'" (Luke 23:35). Using the title Messiah was meant to ridicule Jesus. Even the soldiers mock Jesus by "coming up and offering him sour wine" (23:36). In reality no one would ever serve a king poor-quality wine. Luke also tells us about an inscription on the cross that reads, "This is the King of the Jews" (23:38). None of these verses point to a worldly understanding of kingship. In verse 42 the repentant thief on the cross next to Jesus is the one who reveals the true identity of Jesus. Luke is the only Gospel that records the story of the thief, who asks Jesus for forgiveness: "Remember me when you come into your kingdom" (23:42). Jesus' response reveals further the kind of kingdom he is ushering in: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (23:43). Jesus tells us that his Kingdom has a dimension that is not of this world. Each time we pray the Lord's Prayer and say, "thy kingdom come," we acknowledge this.

Sunday's Gospel also takes us back to the beginning of Jesus' public life, when he was tempted by Satan in the desert. Jesus was enticed by Satan to turn stones into bread, to gain power over all earthly kingdoms, and to throw himself from the highest point of the Temple. Jesus responded in a way that demonstrated his faithfulness to God the Father and rejected the enticements of Satan. Now, on the cross, Jesus faces new temptations through the voices of the leaders: "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" (23:35). Jesus is also tempted to take himself off the cross by the soldiers and the unrepentant thief: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" (37) and "Save yourself and us!" (39). Through these voices, Satan is tempting Jesus to prove he is the Messiah by denying death. But Luke wants his audience to know that Jesus is truly the Son of God because he chooses to die in obedience to God's will. Jesus' obedience to the Father has life-giving consequences.

The paradise into which Jesus welcomes the repentant thief is a place of obedience to the will of God and an end to the deceitful world of Satan. Jesus gains for all humankind a renewed friendship with God.

Tradition Connection
This Sunday the Catholic Church celebrates Jesus as Christ the King. The sense of kingship that the Gospel refers to is rooted in the Jewish tradition recorded in Deuteronomy 17:18-20. The king's duty was to read and understand the law of God, then to show the community through example how to follow God's commandments. In this sense Jesus was truly a king. He lived a life of obedience to God's laws and set an example through his death on the cross.

We address Jesus as the Christ, which in Greek (Christos) means "the anointed one." In the Judeo-Christian heritage, individuals whom God has called for a special mission are anointed with oil. In Sunday's first reading, David is chosen as king and anointed with oil as a sign that he is to serve God and God's people (2 Samuel 5:1-3,4b-5). Jesus' anointment as Messiah is willed by God the Father--thus making his mission divine. God planned to send Jesus to earth to inaugurate the Kingdom: "It was necessary that the Messiah be anointed by the Spirit of the Lord at once as king and priest, and also as prophet.1 Jesus fulfilled the messianic hope of Israel in his threefold office of priest, prophet and king" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 436). Through Baptism, we also are anointed priest, prophet, and king. We are invited to join Jesus in serving his Kingdom by fulfilling these roles here on earth. As priest, we are asked to make daily sacrifices that promote Kingdom living. As prophet, we are asked to proclaim the Good News of Jesus' Kingdom--forgiveness and union with God the Father. As king, we are asked to use our gifts of leadership to positively influence others, in both the civil and church communities, helping them acknowledge God's handiwork in our world.

Jesus' true identity as king and Messiah is solidified through the cross: "The true meaning of [Jesus'] kingship is revealed only when he is raised high on the cross"2 (Catechism, paragraph 440). In the Acts of the Apostles, Luke proclaims, "Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made [Jesus] both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified" (2:36). So it is fitting that on this Sunday we acknowledge Jesus as Christ the King.

Wisdom Connection
The contrast between the second reading and the Gospel for this Sunday is striking. Colossians 1:12-20 presents an image of the resurrected Jesus who has taken his rightful place in paradise at the right hand of God. It is a regal image of kingship. However, the final verse reminds us that the peace of Christ was won at the price of the blood of the cross. Luke also reminds us of the high cost of our redemption--a redemption that reunited all of humankind once again with the loving Father. The new age that this great sacrifice ushers in is one of forgiveness and reconciliation. From the throne of his cross, Jesus forgives those who executed him and does not cast revenge on those who taunted him. Jesus welcomes the repentant thief into paradise and, finally, freely gives his spirit to the Father and dies (46). According to Luke, Jesus--the Christ--is in control of his destiny until the end. This Jesus came to restore a right relationship between God and humankind that was envisioned from the beginning and can only be accomplished through patience, endurance, and forgiveness. To be followers of this King, we must be willing to model his life, to embrace the crosses in our life, and to remain faithful to the will of God.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

1. Cf. Isaiah 11:2, 61:1; Zechariah 4:14; 6:13; Luke 4:16-21.
2. Cf. John 19:19-22; Luke 23:39-43.

The First Sunday of Advent
December 1, 2013
Matthew 24:37-44

Opening Prayer

Jesus, thank you for giving us the season of Advent in which to reflect on our own preparedness to greet you when you come again. Help us to be watchful disciples so we will recognize your presence in our lives and in the world in new ways. Amen.

Context Connection
The Gospel for the first Sunday of Advent speaks about being prepared for the Second Coming of the Son of Man, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour" (24:44). A commonly held belief of the early Christian community was that the Second Coming of Jesus would happen in their lifetime. When Matthew was writing his Gospel, around AD 85, many of the original disciples had died, and the next generation was wondering when this event was going to happen. Matthew uses various examples to show the importance of always being prepared, stressing that Jesus will come in God's time and that he will return in the ordinary events of life. In the days of Noah, Noah listened to God and was prepared, while others were simply engaged in the ordinary things of life: "They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage . . . so too will be the coming of the Son of Man" (24:38-39). People will be doing ordinary things--men will be working in the fields, and women will be preparing grain for baking bread. One will be prepared spiritually to greet the Son of Man, and another will not know him. Matthew gives these words of advice: "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming" (24:42). The emphasis here is to be spiritually ready--to be spiritually awake--so that you will recognize the Lord when he comes. Matthew further stresses this point using the example of a thief in the night, saying that if you knew when a thief was coming to rob your house, you would be awake and ready. However, we do not normally know when a thief is coming, and we have no way of knowing when the Lord will come again. Therefore, the only way to guarantee that we will recognize Jesus is to always be spiritually ready, because he is coming again.

Sunday's Gospel invites today's Christian community to wait patiently for the return of Jesus, just as the Jewish people waited patiently for the coming of the Messiah. The season of Advent prepares us for Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus--the coming of the Messiah. As Christians, we are reminded that we are also engaged in a new Advent--waiting patiently for Jesus to come again. Therefore, the proper attitude is one of watchful patience and vigilance. The Second Coming of the Son of Man is a mystery known only by God the Father, the one who truly knows the future. This call to be prepared requires that we live fully in the moment, treating every moment as if it were the last.

Tradition Connection
During Mass, after the words of consecration, the celebrant invites us to proclaim the mystery of faith. The assembly responds in unison that Christ has died, is risen, and will come again. The Lord's Second Coming is part of the mystery of faith that Catholics hold as sacred. When we pray the Nicene Creed, we also say that we believe that Jesus will come again in glory. The understanding that Jesus will come again permeates our prayers and liturgies. Therefore, it must be important.

Our prayers express longing for the time when Jesus will come again because we live in an in-between time. It is a time of waiting and preparation, but it is also a time to give witness to our faith through our actions. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that "according to the Lord, the present time is the time of the Spirit and of witness, but also a time still marked by 'distress' and the trail of evil which does not spare the Church1 and ushers in the struggles of the last days. It is a time of waiting and watching"2 (paragraph 672).

We often call the coming of Jesus the Parousia, which is a Greek word meaning "arrival." Through the centuries, the Church has pondered when Jesus will return. The response has always been the same--only God knows for sure. That has not stopped humans, at various times throughout history, from trying to predict Christ's Parousia. Life as we know it could continue for thousands of years, or Christ could come again tomorrow. As Catholics, we believe that trying to predict the precise day and hour of the coming of Christ is really missing the point. The point of the Gospel is that we should live every moment of every day as if it could be our last.

The early Christians did not fear the return of Jesus but, rather, joyfully awaited it. The return of Jesus will be the advent of a time of great and sudden upheaval for good. It is a time that we wait for with hearts filled with elated longing.

Wisdom Connection
Matthew wants his audience to know that when Jesus comes again he will come in the midst of ordinary daily activity--work, play, or celebration. If we recognize Jesus' presence amid daily life now, then we will recognize him when he comes again.

The Second Coming of Jesus will usher in a new era, a time of good. The prophets wrote of this era as a time when nations will lay down their weapons of war, and bitter fighting will end. The poor and oppressed will be free of their burdens, and gentle, peace-loving people will inhabit the earth. This drastic change for good is attributed solely to God's actions. No human being will be able to do this alone. However, we can model Jesus' example of how to live by loving God completely and by loving our neighbors as ourselves. The Scriptures call us to prepare by living God's goodness now--to live as if Jesus has already returned.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

1. Cf. Acts of the Apostles 1:8; 1 Corinthians 7:26; Ephesians 5:16; 1 Peter 4:17.
2. Cf. Matthew 25:1,13; Mark 13:33-37; 1 John 2:18, 4:3; 1 Timothy 4:1.

Over several centuries, thousands of Christians—bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople—were martyred during persecutions in Vietnam. On June 19, 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized 117 of these martyrs. (Some others had been canonized earlier.) The feast day of the Martyrs of Vietnam is November 24. Read more at http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4951.