Illustration of the liturgical year: Amandine Wanert Under the direction of Romain Lizé, Associate Publisher David Gabillet, Editorial Director Claire Stacino, Editor Kathleen Hollenbeck, Translator Samuel Wigutow, Proofreader Gauthier Delauné, Graphic Designer Florence Bellot, Production Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner. © 2023 by Magnificat, New York. All rights reserved. Printed in Slovenia in February 2023 by DZS. Job number: MGN23010 Printed in compliance with the Consumer Protection Safety Act, 2008
Charlotte Grossetête • Éric Puybaret prayer Companion MY WEEKLY
Contents The whole year with God!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 My prayer throughout the liturgical year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 How to use my weekly prayer companion? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 My prayers: Our Father, Hail Mary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The time of Advent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1st week of Advent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2nd week of Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3rd week of Advent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 4th week of Advent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Christmastime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Christmas Eve (December 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Christmas Day (December 25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 January 1st: Mary, the Holy Mother of God. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The Epiphany of the Lord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Baptism of the Lord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The time of Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Ash Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 1st week of Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 2nd week of Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 3rd week of Lent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 4th week of Lent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 5th week of Lent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Palm Sunday (Holy week) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Holy Thursday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Good Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 The time of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Easter vigil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Easter Sunday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 2nd week of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 3rd week of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 4th week of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 5th week of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 6th week of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 The Ascension of the Lord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 7th week of Easter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Pentecost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Feasts and Solemnities in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 February 2: Presentation of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 March 19: Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 March 25: The Annunciation of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 The Most Holy Trinity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 June 24: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 June 29: Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 August 6: The Transfiguration of the Lord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 August 15: The Assumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 September 14: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 November 1: All Saints’ Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 November 2: Commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 December 8: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. . . . . 108 Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 2nd week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 3rd week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 4th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 5th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 6th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 7th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 8th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 9th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 10th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 11th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 12th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 13th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 14th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 15th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 16th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 17th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 18th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 19th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 20th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 21th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 22nd week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 23rd week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 24th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 25th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 26th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 27th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 28th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 29th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 30th week in Ordinary Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 31th week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 32nd week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 33rd week in Ordinary Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Calendar 2023 to 2029 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
6 My Weekly Prayer Companion is a beautiful book that will accompany you throughout the year to help you pray. It will lead you to set aside time to receive God’s love, to praise him, and to ask him to help you to love like he does. In this book you’ll find prayers for every week, as well as prayers for some special feast days throughout the Church year. Take time to look at the calendar on page 178, and you’ll see how very many opportunities there are! Jesus wants us to make room for him in our hearts by preparing to receive him. We can do this by being faithful to an appointment to meet with our Lord God every day: the appointment of prayer. The Appointment of Prayer It is important to pray every day. My Weekly Prayer Companion will help you set a more important time of prayer once a week, or even several times a week. Sunday would be a good day to use your Prayer Companion because it is the day of the Resurrection, but maybe it is not the most convenient for you—or you simply prefer another day of the week. It is up to you. At each prayer time, you will find a Bible passage to read and to understand more deeply, as well as heartfelt prayers of intercession for yourself, your loved ones, and people around the world. You will also pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary from your heart, every day. All with the accompaniment of this faithful prayer book. You can pray with those around you: your parents, your brothers and sisters, your grandparents... or with your classmates or your parish catechism group. Or you can pray by yourself.With others or alone, your companion will be right here to help you! The whole year with God!
7 You can pray with your Companion this year, and also next year, the year after, and the year after that! My Weekly Prayer Companion will grow right along with you, deepening your prayer time and your friendship with God throughout the years. All you need to do is to follow the instructions given on pages 8 to 11. How to Pray? Do you ever think that you don’t know how to pray well? If so, don’t worry; you’re not the first! Even Jesus’ disciples felt they needed help, so they asked him: “Lord, teach us to pray!” And Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is the greatest prayer of Christians because it came directly from Christ himself. Later, after Jesus’ Death and Resurrection, his disciples received the Holy Spirit, who inspired them to pray to God in many ways. There are many ways to pray, but what’s most important is to recognize that prayer is a way of talking with God, who loved us first and who invites us and wants us to spend time with him. The Four Moments of Prayer Your Weekly Prayer Companion provides four steps of prayer that remind you that God loved you first: God is always there first, with everyone who prays to him. That is why we first put ourselves in the presence of God—who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit—by saying: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit... God spoke first to human beings. We will then listen to a passage from God’sWord that is read throughout the Church, and read a short commentary to better understand it. God welcomes all requests. Therefore, we will continue by offering our prayers to the Lord, for ourselves and for others. God has given us the words of prayer through his Son, Jesus Christ. In all the prayers of Christians, there is the Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Our Father. We will say it every day. To end our time of prayer, we can also say the Hail Mary. This year, follow the calendar and help your heart growwith your Weekly Prayer Companion! David Gabillet
8 NAVIGATING THROUGH THE YEAR Holy Family IV III IV II II III I I Christmas Immaculate Conception Epiphany All Saints Commemoration of all the Faithful Depa ted Christ the King Baptism of Jesus Ash Wednesday Ma y, the Holy Mother of God Presentation 8 25 1er 2 1st 2 Februa y December Janua y November Ordina y time Advent Lent Christmas What is a liturgical year? Each year, the Church invites Christians to walk with Jesus and to celebrate his coming, his Death, and his Resurrection through the rhythm of Sundays and religious feasts throughout the year. Jesus is at the center of our daily lives because he is our Savior; his life and his sacrifice changed our lives forever. He opened to humanity the gates of God’s kingdom: throughout the year, with him, and with all the saints who precede us into heaven, we respond to his invitation to enter it. My Prayer throughout the Liturgical Year Understanding the Liturgical Calendar The liturgical calendar is the calendar of the whole Church year. It includes the dates of all the feasts and seasons we celebrate as Catholics! The liturgical calendar changes each year. To know which page you can pray with each week, you need to know where we are in the liturgical calendar.
9 V I II III IV V VI VII Palm Sunday Holy Thursday Good Friday Holy Saturday Easter Sunday Pentecost Holy Triniy Corpus Christi Sacred Hea t Ascension Nativiy of Saint John the Baptist Saints Peter and Paul Transiguration Assumption Exaltation of the Holy Cross Saint Joseph Annunciation 19 25 24 29 6 15 14 st October y Month of Joseph Month of Mary Month of the Rosary Month of the Sacred Heart March April May June August July er September Ordina ytime Easter y HolyWeek t What are the colors of the liturgical year? Finding your way through the liturgical year is easy: just look at the color the priest wears during Mass! DuringOrdinary Time, the color is green. Green is the color of life, of growing plants. Like a plant, the Christian’s heart grows throughout the year. During Advent and Lent, it is purple. Purple is a simple color; it can be dark and a little sad. That why it is well suited to Advent and Lent, which are times of preparation, penance, and conversion, when the Christian makes greater efforts to get closer to God. One specific Sunday during both seasons, the color is pink, to remind us of the joy that is soon to come: Christmas or Easter. At Christmas and Easter, the color is white, pure as light! For with his first coming and then with his Resurrection, Jesus won for us a great victory over the darkness of sin and death. And so we rejoice! At Pentecost, the color is red: it is the color of fire, of the Holy Spirit. It also appears on the feasts in honor of the apostles, evangelists, and martyrs—the Christians who died for their faith in Jesus.
10 NAVIGATING THROUGH THE YEAR Howto Use MyWeekly Prayer Companion Example for 2024 . Pray every week. To know where to go in your book each week, you need to know where we are in the liturgical calendar. To do this, go to pages 178 to 183, where you will find—week by week—a calendar for each year until 2029. The week of August 11 to 17, go to page 146 to pray with the texts of the 19th week of Ordinary Time. You can pray all week with these pages, except on August 15. On that day, go to page 100 to pray with the texts of the Assumption. Notes : The liturgical year is also punctuated by feasts and solemnities that sometimes fall on Sundays and sometimes on other days. Pray in union with the whole Church as you honor all these particular feasts. Be careful, for some feast days have fixed dates and others do not! Refer to the calendars on pages 178 to 183 so you don’t get lost and write them down in your agenda so you don’t miss those special days! 23 1st Week of Advent 16 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary 108 2023 2nd Week of Advent 18 2023 3rd Week of Advent 20 4th Week of Advent 22 ) Eve of the Nativity of the Lord 26 2023 Nativity of the Lord 28 024 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph 30 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God 32 The Epiphany of the Lord 34 The Baptism of the Lord 36 2th Week in Ord. Time 112 3th Week in Ord. Time 114 4th Week in Ord. Time 116 Presentation of the Lord au Temple 82 5th Week in Ord. Time 118 6th Week in Ord. Time 120 Ash Wednesday 40 1st Week of Lent 42 2 2nd Week of Lent 44 h 9 3rd Week of Lent 46 ch 16 4th Week of Lent 48 ch 23 5th Week of Lent 50 Saint Joseph 84 ch 27 Holy week (Palm sunday) 52 Holy Thursday 54 Good Friday 55 Holy Saturday 60 l 6 Week of Easter 62 3 2nd Week of Easter 64 The Annunciation the Lord 86 20 3rd Week of Easter 66 27 4th Week of Easter 68 5th Week of Easter 70 6e Week of Easter 72 Ascension 74 May 12 to May 18 7e Week of Easter 76 May 19 to May 25 Pentecost 78 May 26 to June 1 The Most Holy Trinity 88 June 2 to June 8 The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ 90 June 7 The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 92 June 9 to June 15 10th Week in Ord. Time 128 June 16 to June 22 11th Week in Ord. Time 130 June 23 to June 28 12th Week in Ord. Time 132 June 24 Nativity of Saint John the Baptist 94 June 29 Saint Peter and Saint Paul 96 June 30 to July 6 13th Week in Ord. Time 134 July 7 to July 13 14th Week in Ord. Time 136 July 14 to July 20 15th Week in Ord. Time 138 July 21 to July 27 16th Week in Ord. Time 140 July 28 to Aug. 3 17th Week in Ord. Time 142 Aug. 4 to Aug. 10 18th Week in Ord. Time 144 Aug. 6 The Transfiguration 98 Aug. 11 to Aug. 17 19th Week in Ord. Time 146 Aug. 15 The Assumption 100 Aug. 18 to Aug. 24 20th Week in Ord. Time 148 Aug. 25 to Aug. 31 21th Week in Ord. Time 150 Sept. 1 to Sept. 7 22th Week in Ord. Time 152 S pt. 8 to Sept. 13 23th Week in Ord. Time 154 Sept. 14 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross 102 Sept. 15 to Sept. 21 24th Week in Ord. Time 156 Sept. 22 to Sept. 28 25th Week in Ord. Time 158 Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 26th Week in Ord. Time 160 Oct. 6 to Oct. 12 27th Week in Ord. Time 162 Oct. 13 to Oct. 19 28th Week in Ord. Time 164 Oct. 20 to Oct. 26 29th Week in Ord. Time 166 Oct. 27 to Oct. 31 30th Week in Ord. Time 168 Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day 104 Nov. 2 All the Faithful Departed 106 Nov. 3 to Nov. 8 31th Week in Ord. Time 170 Nov. 10 to Nov. 16 32th Week in Ord. Time 172 Nov. 17 to Nov. 23 33th Week in Ord. Time 174 Nov. 24 to Nov. 30 Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 176 24 1st Week of Advent 16 024 2nd Week of Advent 18 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary 108 2024 3rd Week of Advent 20 2024 4th Week of Advent 22 4 Eve of the Nativity Jan. 5 to Jan. 11 The Epiphany of the Lord 34 Jan. 12 to Jan. 18 The Baptism of the Lord 36 Jan. 19 to Jan. 25 2th Week in Ord. Time 112 Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 3th Week in Ord. Time 114 Feb. 2 Presentation of the Lord 82 Feb. 3 to Feb. 8 4th Week in Ord. Time 116 Feb. 9 to Feb. 15 5th Week in Ord. Time 118 Feb. 16 to Feb. 22 6th Week in Ord. Time 120
134 ORDINARY TIME th Week in Ordinary Time The Resurrection of Jairus’ Daughter We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Get up! Jairus is the head of the synagogue—the leader of the Jewish community, and therefore an important and respected figure. His twelve-year-old daughter is dying. Jairus has not lost all hope and he goes to find Jesus. Confidence! A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark: P eople from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”... When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, [Jesus] caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He...entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (Mk 5:35-42) “Talitha koum”: “Arise!” For a Christian, these words are a kind of motto. In a way, Jesus performs the miracle he performed for Jairus’ daughter for us as soon as we welcome him into our lives. His Word wakes us up and shakes us up. Christian, get up; stand up! Shake free of your indifference. Become a witness of Jesus by going to announce to the world the wonders of God! God wants to give his life for all men and women. This life is stronger than death. Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For all who are suffering, that you will give them comfort, strength, and healing. R/ • For the families and friends of the sick, that they may draw from you the strength to stand firm, to provide loving and faithful support to their loved ones. R/ • For all doctors and caregivers, that they may practice their profession with passion, in the service and for the protection of life and human health. R/ • For thosewho do not yet believe in your goodness, that their eyes may be opened and they may put all their faith, hope, and love in you. R/ • For the intentions that I carry in my heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lord Jesus, you love us and you came to the world to live with us and offer us eternal life. Help us to choose each day what guides us toward life, toward the light, toward the good. Help us to arise for you, to work in your service and the service of others. Let us pray “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. . R/ An excerpt from the reading from the Mass of the day can be read by another child. The introduction can be read by a child. In the name of the Father... The one who leads the prayer will lead with the Sign of the Cross. A commentary (perhaps read by an adult) will help all present understand the day’s reading. There are four prayers of intercession each week, which help us to pray for others and ourselves. (Perhaps you can each say one.). All will join in to say the refrain after each petition. The Our Father and the Hail Mary are found on pages 12 and 13. You will all pray them aloud together. Each day, you will be encouraged to make an effort, a small step toward Easter through prayer, fasting, or almsgiving. For Lent . Pray together as a family, with your friends, or at school. To make the prayer beautiful, take the time to prepare by dividing the text for the day among yourselves in advance; decide who will read which portions. Be careful to read slowly so that all understand and can pray.
12 Our Father Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hail Mary Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
14 The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, which speaks of a “coming.” We are referring to the coming of Jesus, which we are waiting to celebrate: his birth, of course, but also his return at the end of time. A time of expectation By the end of November, Advent calendars appear in the stores, and we grow excited for Christmas. It is hard to wait! For us Christians, this time before Christmas is not so much about waiting for something (a party, some gifts): it is first and foremost about waiting for someone. On the night of December 24th to 25th, we will celebrate the birth of Jesus in a stable! Our God is coming: Advent prepares us for this miraculous and life-changing event. The voice crying in the desert During Advent, we will often hear about John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin. John is a prophet. His role is to announce the coming of the Messiah, the one sent by God. THE TIME OF ADVENT The time
15 No hibernation for the Christian! During Advent, the Gospel invites us to “keep watch.” We watch when we are waiting for a great event. Advent takes place during the longest nights of the year, and yet we are invited not to fall asleep but to keep our hearts ready, to watch for the arrival of God in our lives. How do we “watch”? We do this by praying, by saying “no” to everything that distances us from God (such as sin), and by living as true Christians, joyful and generous! “I proclaim to you good news of great joy...” (Lk 2:10) This iswhat the angelwill say to the shepherds at Christmas. Yes, Advent is a path that leads to great joy! TheChurch reminds us of this on the third Sunday of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means “joy.” To signify this, the priest can wear pink at Mass. Our expectation, our preparation for Christmas is thus illuminated by the hope of the birth of the “Prince of Peace” whowill save theworld. The Immaculate Conception On December 8, the Church celebrates the Blessed Virgin Mary, immaculate, or without sin from the moment of her conception! She is the patroness of the United States of America. (See page 108.) Other prophets have already done this in previous centuries. But John proclaims the imminence of his arrival and the urgent need for conversion. We must change our hearts and prepare to welcome the Messiah! How does John know this? God has revealed to him that Jesus, born six months after him, is this hoped-for Messiah. John’s voice crying out in the desert urges us, too, to “prepare the ways of the Lord” in the world... and first of all, in our hearts. of Advent
16 1st WEEK OF ADVENT st Week of Advent Keep watch! We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. To keep watch is first of all to love It is the first week of Advent. Advent means “arrival” or “coming.” During Advent, we prepare to celebrate the coming of Jesus, born on Christmas Day! Getting ready for Jesus isn’t something we do at the last minute. Instead, we prepare day by day. We read the Bible, pray, and go out of our way to be kind to others. The more good we do, the more our hearts will fill with love. Jesus wants to live in our hearts! Will our hearts be ready to welcome him? A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark: J esus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” (Mk 13:33-37) Advent is exciting. It is also a challenge. We are called to stay alert and prepare our hearts for Jesus to come. God does not leave us to do this alone. He speaks to us when we pray and when we read the Bible. When we spend time with God, he helps us to want to do kind and thoughtful acts—and he makes it feel easier along the way! With each loving thought, word, and action, our hearts become more and more ready for Jesus.
Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For each one of us, that we may make room in our hearts for Jesus. R/ • For thosewho do not know the truemeaning of Christmas, that they will come to know and love Jesus. R/ • For those who are not allowed to practice their Christian faith openly, that their faith may only grow stronger during this season of Advent. R/ • And for the intentions that I carry in my heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loving Father, open our eyes and our hearts today. Help us to treat others with kindness and compassion. Let Us Pray: “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. R/
24 Christmas is such an important event that the Church extends this great day by a period of several days during which we live in the light of the feast: this is called the Christmas season. White, always white The Christmas season begins with the vigil of the Nativity of the Lord, on the night of December 24. It ends in early January with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, just after the Epiphany. The Epiphany recalls the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem. The following Sunday, taking a great leap forward in the life of Jesus, we celebrate his baptism in the Jordan River at the age of thirty. During the Christmas season, the priest who celebrates Mass continues to wear a white chasuble, a symbol of celebration and joy in the Catholic liturgy. CHRISTMASTIME Christmastime
25 Important celebrations The Christmas season is quite short, but it has several important dates: • The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (see p. 30) • The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, January 1 (see p. 32) • The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (see p. 34) • The Baptism of the Lord (see p. 36). Long live the angels! During the Christmas season, angels are very present. They are present onChristmas Eve, when we remember their visit to the shepherds. They are also present in other Gospel passages, notably the one that recounts the visit of an angel to Joseph at night towarn him against Herod. Did you know? Four holy evangelists have told us about the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Everything we know about Christmas (Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the announcement to the shepherds, the angels singing for joy in heaven) is told byLuke. The visit of theMagi is described byMatthew.Mark and Johndo not speak of the childhood of Jesus. T
26 Christmas eve December Eve of the Nativity of the Lord We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Today a Savior is born Christmas is upon us! With full and joyful hearts, we welcome Baby Jesus, our Savior and Lord! We do not have to wait one minute longer to celebrate and to worship him. Come! Let us adore him! A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke: [ Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.” (Lk 2:7-11) At this moment, the world has been forever changed. It is Christmas! God, come to earth in the form of a child, is a gift for all people, born to save us from sin. Because of Jesus, we are no longer denied heaven by the sins of Adam and Eve. In Christ we have a new life, a new way of seeing and acting, and the promise of spending eternity with God. CHRISTMAS EVE
Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For each one of us, that we will always make time to adore the Savior, as the shepherds did that first Christmas night. R/ • For the Church, that she may join with the angels in praising and glorifying God. R/ • For the world, that holiness will dwell in place of evil, and we may have peace on earth. R/ • And for the intentions that I carry in my heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loving Father, on this holy Christmas night, we thank you for the hope and joy you have given us in Jesus. May his light and goodness fill our hearts to overflowing. Let Us Pray “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. R/
38 Lent is a period of forty days that begins with AshWednesday and ends before Easter, when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. From year to year, the date of Easter changes, and so does Lent. Forty days to prepare Easter is the greatest feast of the year for Christians, because it recalls Jesus’ resounding victory over death. And a great feast must be prepared! Each year, God asks us to prepare ourselves to receive the Good News of Easter with a renewed and pure heart. To do this, we must put forth effort, no matter how difficult it may seem! The Church (based on the Gospels, the Word of Jesus) tells us three ways to get closer to God: by fasting, prayer and almsgiving. It is not a question of choosing between the three but of trying to practice them together. Fasting Fasting consists in doing without anything that is useless or even cumbersome in our diet, but also in our lifestyle. For example, we can do without sweets for forty days and abstain from meat on Fridays; we can choose not to put butter on our toast. But we can also “fast” from video games or movies and, during Lent, devote more time to others… by playing games, chatting, and serving by doing kind deeds. These are just examples; think about what you can do to grow closer to the Lord and to walk with him on the road to Calvary. THE TIME OF LENT The time
39 Prayer Prayer is the way to refocus on something essential: our relationship with God, who is our loving Father and who is always ready to listen to us. Often, the small efforts we make will help us to focus on the spiritual dimension of Lent. Through prayer, we can ask God for things, say thank you, and ask his forgiveness for any sins or habits that keep us from him. Almsgiving To give alms is to share with the poorest. During Lent, Christians are invited to be generous. Donating money, food, or clothing to the poor is serving God directly. During Lent, each week, you will see small steps toward Easter. These will suggest some efforts you can make to turn your heart toward God! Holy Week This is the last and most important week of Lent. It begins on Palm Sunday and ends at Easter. It brings to life the Passion of Jesus, that is, the last days of his life on earth. During the last three days, called the Triduum, we join with the Church to recall when Jesus shared a last meal with his disciples before being arrested (on Holy Thursday), judged, and put to death (on Good Friday), and then resurrected (on the night of Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday). Why forty days? That’s the time Jesus spent alone in the desert praying tohisFatherbefore beginninghis “public” life (the part of his life where he lived among the crowds to proclaimtheWord ofGod).We too take forty days to get away from our habits, to pray, to get back to the essentials. The number forty also recalls the length of the Hebrew people’s journey in the desert where they spent forty years after they left Egypt in search of the Promised Land. They journeyed for forty years. In the Bible, the number forty always involves a journey. of Lent Important feasts days that can fall during Lent: Saint Joseph (March 19) and the Annunciation (March 25). Check your calendar!
40 1re SEMAINE DE L’AVENT ASH W DNESDAY We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Ash Wednesday Jesus teaches us how to fast. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew: When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you. (Mt 6:16-18) On this first day, the Gospel sets the tone. Lent is not a sad and long period of time, where we will make efforts reluctantly and tell everyone the list of good things we decided to give up for God! These forty days must bring us closer to God through prayer, fasting, and sharing. It takes effort, and even though it is not always easy, the Lord asks us to do it happily, heart to heart with him. If some days it seems too hard, we can always ask for his help! 40 days to get closer to God Today, Catholics around the world begin a forty-day spiritual journey called Lent. This journey will lead them to the greatest celebration of the liturgical year: Easter. Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus, his victory over evil and death. When the day of a celebration is approaching, it is normal to prepare your house—your heart—to be ready for it. This is the purpose of Lent.
Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For all Christians entering Lent, that their discreet efforts will bear witness to Jesus. R/ • For all of us, that the grace of God will accompany us on our journey toward Easter. R/ • For each one of us, that we will persevere in our efforts even when they get harder. R/ • For the intentions that I carry in my heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Let Us Pray “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. R/ My small step toward Easter through fasting Ash Wednesday is a special day that can be marked by a light meal, such as a small bowl of rice. It is a good way to enter the simplicity of Lent that will allow the Word of God, which is more important and strengthening than anything else, to echo in me. Today, at Mass, I will listen attentively to the call of the priest when he makes a cross of ashes on my forehead: “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel,” or “Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.”
As we do at Christmas, we prolong the great feast of Easter with a period during which we remain in the joy of the Resurrection. This is the “Easter time” (or Paschal time). It lasts fifty days, until the feast of Pentecost. Eight days under the great light of Easter In the Easter season, there is first the octave of Easter, the seven days following the feast day. The last day is “Divine Mercy Sunday,” which celebrates the infinite goodness of God. But the Easter season does not end at this point: until Pentecost, the priests who celebrate Mass remain in white chasuble, the color of joy and celebration, to celebrate his birth, of course, but also his return at the end of time. A lighted flame Every Sunday, the Paschal candle shines beside the altar. It is this large, new candle that was first lit from a fire outside the church on Easter night. After Easter, it will remain unlit during the Masses of Ordinary Time. But it will be lit at every Baptism and every funeral, because these celebrations have a very strong link with the Resurrection and eternal life. From Easter to Ascension The feast of the Ascension (see p. 74) takes place forty days after Easter. Here we see this symbolic number again, just as in Lent. Here too, between Easter and the Ascension, it involves a journey: the one that the disciples of Jesus had to make in their hearts before believing with certainty that Jesus had truly risen from the dead. It took them those forty days, and several occasions on which Jesus appeared to them to show them that he had really conquered death. He had risen, as he said he would! THE TIME OF EASTER The time 58
Pentecost, a promise fulfilled At the Ascension, we recall the day Jesus ascended into heaven. Before he disappeared from the gaze of his disciples, he promised to send them the Holy Spirit to be with them always. This promise is fulfilled at Pentecost, ten days after the Ascension. Pentecost takes place fifty days after Easter.With this feast, theEaster seasonends and theChurchreturns to Ordinary Time. of Easter
60 TEMPS DE PÂQUES 3e SEMAINE DE L’AVENT The Good News Today, Saturday of Holy Week, there is silence in the churches. The bells are silent because Jesus died. But tonight, a tremendous elation, an incredible light, and the joyous ringing of bells will put an end to this mourning. At last, the long wait of Lent will give way to immense joy. We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Easter Vigil The empty tomb A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew: After the sabbath…Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow.... Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ Behold, I have told you.” (Mt 28:1-3, 5-7) At the beginning of the Easter Vigil, several readings of the Old Testament follow one another, recounting the sacred history of the long, passionate relationship between God and men that started with the creation. We recall the main stories of God’s love for us, to prepare ourselves to finally hear the Gospel. “Gospel” means good news in Greek. Here we are at the heart of the Good News: the Resurrection. Jesus is alive, ALLELUIA! And this Good News is shared, like the light of the Paschal fire lit in the night just outside all the churches in the world. EASTER VIGIL
Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For all Christians in the world, that they may be united in the joy of the Resurrection, gathered together in one prayer. R/ • For those baptized at the Easter vigil, everywhere in the world, that the Alleluia sung on the night of their baptism will strengthen them to live and share their faith. R/ • For our families, especially those who are far from us, that Easter joy may fill their hearts and homes. R/ • For my own personal intentions: Let Us Pray “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. R/ My last big step toward Easter If I have not had the opportunity to do this before during the Lenten season, I will ask my mom or dad to take me to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confessions are probably available in my parish or at a different church nearby. It will be a great way to end my Lenten journey: asking the Lord for a pure, new heart for the great Easter party tonight!
80 Throughout the year, even in Ordinary Time (outside of the liturgical periods surrounding Christmas and Easter), the life of the Church is marked by what are called feasts and solemnities. Rarely does a month go by without at least one or two of them. What is the difference between the two? A feast is a day on which the Church celebrates a person or event that is important to the Catholic faith. A solemnity is a feast that is even more important than others; for example, even though common language refers to the “feast” of Christmas, Easter, the Assumption, or Christ the King, these are actually “solemnities,” feasts that have precedence over others. FEASTS AND SOLEMNITIES Feasts and Solemnities
81 Paying homage to God by celebrating Our Lady and the saints Other solemnities celebrate the Virgin Mary: the Assumption (August 15), for instance, or the Immaculate Conception (December 8). Others celebrate great saints: St. Joseph (March 19), the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24), St. Peter and St. Paul (June 29)—and let us not forget All Saints’ Day, which honors them all. When we celebrate the Virgin or the saints, it is of course the Lord whom we honor through them, because they do not receive prayer for their own glory, but always to help us turn to God. They have lived their earthly lives in the service of God and help us to become servants and friends of Jesus. Gospel scenes In Ordinary Time, some feasts and solemnities celebrate significant events recounted in the Gospels: for example, the Presentation of the Lord (February 2), the Annunciation (March 25), the Transfiguration (August 6). Others were created to highlight a particular aspect of Jesus: his glory, his tenderness, his victory over death, or the love that unites him to his Father and to the Holy Spirit. This is the case for the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14), the Trinity, the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart, and Christ the King, to name a few. Stronger than Sundays Solemnities fall on weekdays or Sundays depending on the year. If it is Sunday, the Mass for the solemnity of the day (prayers, Bible readings) takes precedence over the Mass for that Sunday in Ordinary Time. in Ordinary Time
82 PRESENTATION OF THE LORD We place ourselves in the presence of the Lord: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. An old man meets the Savior. Today we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day, the parents of a Jewish first-born baby boy were required to present their child in the Temple, consecrating him to God, forty days after his birth. On that day, an important meeting awaited Joseph and Mary. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke: S imeon] came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus...[Simeon] took him into his arms and blessed God, saying, / “Now, Master, you may let your servant go/ in peace, according to your word,/for my eyes have seen your salvation,/ which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, / a light for revelation to the Gentiles,/ and glory to your people Israel.” (Lk 2:27-32) Simeon is an old man to whom the Holy Spirit revealed that he would not die before seeing the Savior. His words confirm that the newborn child is the Messiah. The meeting between Simeon and the Holy Family confirms that Jesus is the Light of the whole world, the promised and long-awaited Savior. This day is also the feast of consecrated life, the feast of all who have given their lives entirely to God: monks, nuns, and religious men and women. Presentation of the Lord February Jesus, Light of the Nations [
Intercessions R/ Lord, hear our prayer. • For thosewho, like Simeon, have a lively faith full of hope, that you will bless them for reminding us that you are the light of our lives. R/ • For all newborns, and for the children who are soon to be baptized, that they may be drawn to Jesus, the Light of the World. R/ • For the elderly, especially those who live alone, that our society may be concerned for their welfare and offer them respect, assistance, and protection. R/ • For all thosewho have consecrated their life to you through the model of the Gospel (poverty, chastity and obedience), that their witness may be a source of joy for all. R/ • For the intentions that I carry in my heart: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lord Jesus, you are Light of the Nations and Prince of Peace. Open the eyes and the hearts of all people, and may the light and salvation that Simeon announced shine upon all. Let Us Pray “Our Father...” “Hail Mary...” In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. R/
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