Spiritual

Wednesday December 29, 2021 Jesse Tree-Doves Luke 2:22-35 Our Gospel today recounts the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Our Jesse Tree symbol is the two doves given by Joseph and Mary to sacrifice. At the temple, a man named Simeon proclaims that the light has come to Israel. He goes on to say that Jesus […]

Tuesday December 28, 2021 Jesse Tree- Innocents  1 John 1:5-2:2 Today we remember the Holy Innocents and hang their ornament on the Jesse Tree. John’s letter admonishes us that if we “talk the talk, we must walk the walk.” If we claim to care for the unborn (the innocents), then we must care for them once

Monday December 27, 2021 Jesse Tree-Shepherds  John 20:1a, 2-8 In her wisdom, the church gives us a resurrection story today. Mary Magdalene ran to tell Simon Peter that the tomb was empty. Our Jesse Tree ornament is the shepherds. They ran to Bethlehem at the behest of angels to see the newborn king. Upon arrival, they

Sunday December 26, 2021 Jesse Tree-Holy Family 1 John 3:1-2 Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. Our Jesse Tree ornament depicts the family consisting of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. The second reading from Mass today is taken from the first letter of John where he tells us that we are “called the children of

Saturday December 25, 2021 Jesse Tree- Jesus Merry Christmas!! God is faithful! Rejoice, our Messiah has come and will come again!!

Friday December 24, 2021 Jesse Tree-Mary Luke 1:67-79 Zechariah’s beautiful canticle is today’s Gospel. In front of friends and family, he lifts his voice in a prophetic song, from his newly loosed tongue, after his son John is circumcised. This canticle praises God for keeping his word and announces that his son will prepare the way for

Thursday December 23, 2021 Jesse Tree-Joseph Malachi 3:23 The prophet Malachi tells us today that the Messiah will “turn the hearts of fathers to their children.” Our Jesse Tree addition is the model of fatherhood, St. Joseph. A quiet man of strength and faith, St. Joseph’s heart was more than turned to his child, he never needed

Wednesday December 22, 2021 Jesse Tree-John the Baptizer 1Samuel 2:1-7 and Luke 1:46-56 From the first book of Samuel, we hear Hannah’s hymn of praise which is echoed in Mary’s Magnificat from Luke’s Gospel. Both hymns, or canticles, speak of how God is mindful of the lowly and forgets not his promises. The Jesse Tree’s ornament symbolizes

Tuesday December 21, 2021 Jesse Tree- Elizabeth Luke 1:39-45 Today we put up a symbol for Elizabeth on the Jesse Tree. Our Gospel is the story of Mary visiting Elizabeth and of her joyous greeting to Mary. Elizabeth’s joy at meeting the mother of our Savior is so overwhelming that her unborn baby can feel it and

Monday December 20, 2021 Jesse Tree- Zechariah Isaiah 7:10-14 and Luke 1:26-38 Our Jesse Tree addition is Zechariah. It seems he is in good company when it comes to not believing the Lord. Ahaz didn’t either. He was unwilling to even ask. Zechariah had asked, but he couldn’t believe his prayer had been answered. He was