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FROM OUR EDITORS—December 8, 2024 – 2nd Sunday of Advent

FROM OUR EDITORS—December 8, 2024 – 2nd Sunday of Advent

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Throughout the readings for this Second Sunday of Advent, we hear the voices of Baruch, Isaiah, Paul, and John the Baptist urging us to “prepare the way,” so we may be “pure and blameless” for the coming of Our Lord. The spirit of joyful anticipation during Advent continues in the Responsorial Psalm, in which we pray, “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” This Advent, the Church invites us to thankfully acknowledge what God has done for us in the past, so we can fully experience the joyful anticipation that this liturgical season is all about. We await Jesus’ coming this Christmas and prepare for his return in glory at the end of time.

Let us be attentive to the voices of those who help us prepare our hearts for the Lord, and to the cries of our brothers and sisters who are in need of our encouragement during this time. Amen.

Note that the Immaculate Conception is a solemnity, the most important kind of feast day. We usually observe it on 12/8. That date falls on a Sunday in 2024, so the observance is moved to Monday, 12/9. It is to be observed as a Holy Day of Obligation in most dioceses. You may wish to photocopy and share the bonus Immaculate Conception activity found on page TG2-36 of your Teaching Guide.

Every week in the GROW newsletter, you will find helpful tips for teaching your Gospel Weeklies lesson, a reflection on the Sunday Gospel, and links to online resources.

Videos of Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 3:1–6)
Use these videos as you discuss today’s Gospel. Please preview to make sure the videos are appropriate for your group:
Holy Heroes
God’s Story: John the Baptist
Gospel Reading and Reflection for Kids
Every Day Can Be a Sunday
Immaculate Conception (12/9)
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception–Catholic Central
Immaculate Conception Explained 4 Kids
The Meaning of the Immaculate Conception
Our Lady of Guadalupe (feast day 12/12)
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Advent Videos
A Journey Through Advent
Liturgical Calendar: Saints and Seasons with Shannon
Advent in 2 Minutes
What Is an Advent Wreath?
Find the Perfect Gift
Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope Resources
Jubilee 2025 activities, handouts, resources, and more

Seeds
Lesson Theme: All Creation is ready for Jesus.
This lesson, Seeds will focus on praising God for Creation. We recommend that you use a puppet for the Activity “Getting Ready for Christmas”. Sometimes preschool age children feel more comfortable talking to a puppet. Nevertheless, having a puppet is completely optional.

In addition to the Church Year Calendar and Advent wreath, for this lesson you will need a Bible, your paper wreath from 12/1, 7″ paper plates (flimsy), 36″ strings of yarn with tape wrapped around one end a knot at the other, scissors, hole punch, and at least one aide to help you with the cutting and lacing activity.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole (Bible Bag)
Advent Wreath

Promise
Lesson Theme: We prepare the way of the Lord.
For this lesson, you’ll need your copy of the Advent calendar from the 12/1 lesson, a Bible, crayons, glue, copies of the story coloring page (one per child), a Church Year calendar, and an Advent wreath.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
Extending Activities
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Word of the Week
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi
Kid-Sized Lessons on the Sunday Gospel with Mrs. Cole (Bible Bag)
Advent Wreath

Good News
Lesson Theme: We get ready for Jesus’ coming.
For this lesson, catechists and teachers will need to prepare Jeopardy!-style game questions about the Bible. Some suggested questions can be found on page TG2-19 in the Teaching Guide. You may wish to bring a small prize for the winner. You will also need Bibles, scissors, crayons or markers, pencils, Church Year calendar, Advent wreath, and your copy of the Advent calendar from the 12/1 lesson.

We suggest that you prepare and send home instructions for the Make a Road to Christmas activity on page 4. This will help parents and families know to complete an activity and snip off a segment of the spiral each day. Suggested wording: This Good News road gives your child (and family members) ideas of ways to get ready for Christmas. Tape a length of string or yarn to the center image of the Nativity, then hang the spiral in your home where it will serve as a reminder to prepare the way for Jesus this Advent. Cut off one piece of the road each day and do the activity. You may adapt the suggested activities to ones that fit your family. As you cut off a segment of the spiral each day and complete the activity, this Advent road will take you closer and closer to the celebration of Christmas.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
Advent Wreath
What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?

Venture
Lesson Theme: The prophets prepared for Jesus’ coming.
For this lesson, you will need dice, game markers, an Advent wreath, and a Liturgical Year calendar. Props (crepe paper and ribbons in many colors) and costumes for the play are encouraged but optional.

Advent is also a time that we hear from the Old Testament prophets. Encourage the children to dramatize the play. It is the story of the prophets who shared the news of the coming of a savior long before Jesus was born.

Remind the children of the story of the real Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas (feast day 12/6). Ask: How can they follow his example of generosity?

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?
The Meaning of the Advent Wreath
St. Nicholas
Prophets–Catholic Central

Visions
Lesson Theme: John the Baptist announces Good News.
For this lesson, gather pens or pencils, markers or colored pencils, scissors, Bibles (one per child), an Advent wreath, and the cover from your 12/1 Visions lesson for this week’s opening prayer: Jesus, help me see with great love.

Advent can be lost in the busyness of preparing for Christmas. Help the students to appreciate Advent as its own special season by reviewing the items on the cover.

Teaching Guide
Parent Teaching Pages
The Gospel at Home
Weekly Review Template
Online Assessment
Seasonal Resources
Videos
What Is the Symbolism of the Advent Wreath?
The Meaning of the Advent Wreath
Prophets–Catholic Central

Image credit: © 2020 by Jon P. McKamey

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Our Editors


David Dziena
Publisher

David Dziena is the Publisher of Pflaum Publishing Group. He has also served as Executive Editor and […]

Joan McKamey
Project Editor

Joan McKamey, project editor, joined the Gospel Weeklies editorial team in September 2016. […]

Erika De Urquidi
Bilingual Editor

Erika De Urquidi, bilingual editor, joined Bayard, Inc. in July 2018. During her 15 years as a professional translator […]