Making the Most of Advent
Advent is here. Are you ready? How can prepare spiritually for Christmas? Dan and Melissa discuss ways we can make the most of Advent, and how we can prepare our hearts for Christmas during Advent with devotional ideas and lots of resources.
Topics/Questions covered in the show:
- Why is Advent so important in the liturgical calendar?
- How does imagery, like icons and manger scenes, help to orient our hearts toward God?
- How does the Old Testament help us understand Advent?
- How can we stir up the longing for Jesus that we want during Advent?
- Why is Advent considered a penitential season?
- Daily Mass readings and the Liturgy of the Hours as extra devotionals during Advent.
- Preparing your heart before Mass.
- Why is confession so important during Advent?
- What devotional elements are essential in spiritual preparation for Christmas?
Resources:
- Discovering Christ – Spiritual growth program, a seven-week experience that invites guests to hear the Good News and personally encounter Jesus Christ
- How do I Set Up a Home Altar? – post on spiritualdirection.com
- Divine Intimacy – Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.
- The Four Last Things – Catholic Culture link
- iBreviary (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry, mobile version, widgets): Contains the Liturgy of the Hours and also all the readings from the Mass
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website – subscribe to Daily Readings
- Links to Episcopal Conferences – Catholic News Agency links to countries or regions with Bishops’ Conferences around the globe; scroll down for links throughout the world (the USCCB link also has links to Bishops’ Conferences in various states)
- The Vatican Website – official website of The Holy See; to view the Vatican Website in a different language, click on the box in the top right-hand corner where it says English, then scroll down to the language that you would like to use
- 1 Corinthians 11:27 – “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.” – USCCB Bible link
- Matthew 7:21-23 – “…I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.” – USCCB Bible link
- Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy – NewAdvent.org
- Magnificat Advent Companion – softcover book
- Magnificat Advent Companion – ebooks
- On The Incarnation – Athanasius of Alexandria
- EWTN Television Schedule
- EWTN Religious Catalogue
- Onething 2015 – Dan Burke speaking engagement, Kansas City (Dec. 28-31)
- Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – USCCB Bible link
- For Call in questions for future shows 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).
Don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and help us get the word out. If the show is inspiring to you and you would like to help us make it a daily show, please click here to donate. All donors will receive a signed copy of your choice of Dan’s books: Finding God through Meditation, 30 Days with Teresa of Avila, or Navigating the Interior Life.
