Page 28 - Pflaum Publishing Catalog

Seasonal Programs
PRIMARY
In the primary edition, Levi the Lamb leads children
through Advent with his adventures in verse. As
these Advent weeks unfold, let Levi lead the way,
and you’ll find out why Nazareth is a famous place
today. During Advent as we are getting ready for
something special, we make some changes in our
lives. This Advent, children learn to get their spirit
ready for Jesus to come.
6" X 9" 36 pages $7.95 #HTP-A241
INTERMEDIATE
Most of the secular holiday decorations, traditions,
and symbols have a spiritual origin, stemming
from the reason for the season—Jesus’ birth. Daily
activities encourage readers to reflect on the Gospel
messages and apply them to their own lives as they
prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.
6" X 9" 36 pages $7.95 #HTP-A242
TEEN
The teen edition features daily Scripture reflections,
journaling, and an activity connecting the Scripture
to teens’ lives—plus weekly “Green” Christmas
activities focused on protecting God’s Creation.
As students prepare during Advent for the birth of
Jesus in our world, they have a great opportunity to
examine how we all are preparing ourselves, each
other, and our planet for Jesus. How are we caring
for one another, especially the poor and vulnerable
and how are we caring for God’s Creation?
6" X 9" 36 pages $7.95 #HTP-A243
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First Sunday of Advent
D E C E M B E R 3
This passage is NOT an invitation to be
up all night! But it does have a message
that is carried by teachers, coaches,
and friends when they say to you: “Pay
attention!” “Heads up!” “Wake up.” You
are asked to be alert to what is happen-
ing around you lest you miss something
important.
Today’s Scripture Reading » Mark 13:35–37
Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master
of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow,
or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.
And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.
A E E M K T V W O L
D L A V E K S R Q L
M A S T E R J P M A
I B L R P N Y L X O
D M E C A G I Z E T
N C E F W D D N N Y
I C P O A U E A G A
G C O C K C R O W S
H N F H E B A F G N
T E K A W A P E E K
Warm-up
Find nine words/phrases
from the Scripture passage
in this word search.
Reflection: Briefly describe circumstances or persons in which you sensed
the presence of God today.
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THE ADVENT WREATHThe First Week of Advent
Let’s face it—the days are very
dark in December. In fact, until
December 21, the world moves through
the darkest days of the year. It is no
coincidence that during these days, the
Church celebrates the coming birth of
Jesus, the Light of the World, with the
light from the candles of the Advent
wreath.
The Advent wreath actually has its
roots outside of Christianity. Both
Germanic and Scandinavian peoples
would take branches from evergreen
trees and decorate them with candles,
providing light in the darkness. By the
year 1600, Christians brought this ritual
into religious practice. So what do the
candles and greens mean?
Evergreens = Life. The greens can
signify different aspects of life; for
example, pine has symbolized immortali-
ty, whereas cedar represents
strength.
Circle = Everlasting life. The circle
has no beginning and no end. God has
no beginning and no end. Eternal life has
no beginning and no end. Life goes on, no
matter what!
Candles = Light. There are four can-
dles on an Advent wreath— three violet
and one pink or rose colored. The three
violet candles symbolize prayer and
penance, which prepare us to celebrate
the birth of Christ. The pink candle, lit
on Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday
of Advent, represents a turning point.
We have reached the halfway point of
Advent when this candle is lit. And,
of course, all light reminds us of the light
of Christ!
A GREEN CHRISTMAS
ACTIVITY: If your family has
a tradition of mailing Christmas
cards to family and friends, send
a green Christmas card this
year. With your family, design an
electronic Christmas card. Be
creative! Use family photos and
clip art. Gather email addresses
of family and friends. Then, with a
click, you can email your card to all
of the people who are important
in your life. You can also post your
family’s card on social media sites.
Think of all the trees you can save
with this one small step!
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Advent 2024
Begins December 1
During Advent, the Church uses a special
color—violet, or purple. It means something BIG is
about to happen. On the third Sunday of Advent,
the special color will be rose, or pink. Rose is a
joyful color and shows that the big event is very
close. That is why an Advent wreath has three
purple candles and one pink candle.
Decorate this border in purple and pink.
Why do you think there are stars in the border?
First Sunday Advent
D E C E M B E R 3
Today’s Gospel » Matthew 13:33–37
Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware, keep alert;
for you do not know when the time will come” (13:33).
Why was Jesus warning his disciples to be awake and ready?
Well, Jesus doesn’t come to us just on the day of his birth. In fact, he is always
with us. So we must always be ready for him.
Think about what you would do to get yourself ready for a visit from Jesus.
Would you decorate? Would you wear special clothes or serve special treats?
Write what you would talk about with Jesus when he visits you.
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Each week, follow the story of Levi the Lamb
and his shepherd, Ira. They are on a journey,
and you can come along.
Welcome to
ABSOLUTELY
ADVENT!
In just four weeks, something BIG is going to happen. Advent is the time
to get ready to celebrate that big event. As you complete each day’s activity,
draw a on the calendar on page 30. When the page is full, the big event
will be here!
Levi and
the Very First Advent
P A R T 1
Levi was a lively lamb,
who liked to run and play.
Hide-and-seek was lots of fun
he’d play that game all day.
His shepherd’s name was Ira.
He was a faithful Jew,
awaiting the Messiah,
the Savior, good and true.
While you walk your Advent path,
let Levi be your guide.
He’ll tell you of the FIRST Advent
and walk right by your side.
The Jews waited
thousands of years for
the Messiah (the Savior)
to come. Do you know who
that Messiah was?
Write the name here.
During Advent, we wait to
celebrate the coming of the
Messiah. How long do we wait?
CHECK ONE.
4 hours
4 days
4 weeks
4 years
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Today’s Gospel » Matthew 8:5–11
Jesus was amazed and said, “Truly I tell you,
in no one in Israel have I found such faith” (8:10).
First Monday Advent
D E C E M B E R 4 S A I N T J O H N D A M A S C E N E
He’s got the strength of a horse! She has the
speed of a jackrabbit. He has the eyes of a
hawk. Are all of these sayings familiar to you?
How about … he’s got the faith of a centurion!
Not so familiar, right?
The centurion was a military man who
commanded a century (100) of men in the
Roman army. When he spoke, people listened.
He had a lot of power.
He knew, however, that curing the sick was
beyond his power. He also knew that Jesus
could cure the sick without even seeing them.
So he turned his problem over to Jesus and put
his faith in him.
Do you have “centurion faith” in Jesus?
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Write here some problem or concern
you have at this time.
Write here what you will do if you have
centurion faith in Jesus.
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First Sunday Advent
D E C E M B E R 3
Today’s Gospel » Mark 13:33–37
Jesus said, “Keep awake—for you don’t know
when the master of the house will come” (13:35).
You’ve heard these familiar warnings before, especially during games or
sporting events. You know to pay attention or a ball might hit you or a
tricky move might get by you. You have to be ready at all times.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us to be ready at all times to meet God,
the master of the house. You might think the only way to be prepared to
meet God is to pray all day and night. In a way, that’s true. But prayer is
more than reciting memorized words or saying a rosary or going to Mass.
Every act of love, kindness, and charity can be offered to God as prayer.
Helping your little brother can be prayer. Smiling at someone can be
prayer. Following a rule can be prayer.
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5
2
3
4
“Heads
UP!”
“Keep your EYES open.”
“WATCH
OUT”
Consider these
ordinary events that
could be in your
day. Write how you
can turn each into a
prayer that keeps
you ready to meet
Jesus at any time,
in any place.
Alarm clock rings.
Carpool (or bus) driver has an attitude.
Teacher needs a volunteer to lead
morning prayer.
Science test is today.
You choose players for a volleyball game.
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First Tuesday Advent
D E C E M B E R 5
If someone tells you something that sounds hard to believe, you would
probably ask, “How do you know?”
Today’s Gospel » Luke 10:21–24
Jesus told his disciples, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!
Many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it” (10:23-24).
It is very important to get your information from a reliable source. So, “It
depends” is a good answer if you mean “It depends on how reliable the
website is, or the newspaper reporter, or the television or radio program,
or the person who said it.”
It was important for those who followed Jesus to know for sure that
he was who he said he was. They were people of the Jewish religion. They
had prayed to God for centuries, asking for a Savior—a Messiah. Jesus
was that Messiah, but people weren’t just going to take his word for it.
Anyone could say, “I am the Messiah.”
Those who believed in Jesus had seen the power he had. They had
heard his words. They had asked him questions and had gotten answers
they could understand. They were blessed with faith.
Look at these
possible responses
to your question.
Rate each one with
B, N, or D.
B=I’d believe it.
N=I wouldn’t believe it.
D=It depends.
“I saw it in on the Internet.”
“It’s in today’s paper.”
“It was on TV last night.”
“I heard it on the radio.”
“Somebody told me.”
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No time of the year is more exciting for children than the weeks and days leading up
to Christmas. Now Absolutely Advent! can give them a new understanding of what
the expectation and excitement, the celebration and joy are all about.
An invaluable resource for parishes, families, and schools.
MIX AND MATCH
ABSOLUTELY ADVENT! '24
AND TOTALLY LENT! '25
new covers coming soon
ADVENT!
new covers coming soon
new covers coming soon
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