Religious Education, Elementary Department, Santa Teresita Academy

08/12/2025

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗠𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬!

On this beautiful 𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, we celebrate how 𝗚𝗢𝗗 chose 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒚 to be the pure and holy Mother of Jesus, preserving her from original sin right from the moment of her conception. As Archangel Gabriel said, “𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒍, 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖!” (Luke 1:28), Mary shows us what it means to say "𝐘𝐄𝐒" to God's plan with a heart full of love and trust.

The 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 reminds us that even before Mary carried Jesus in her womb, GOD was already carrying her with a love so powerful that He preserved her from sin from the very first moment of her existence. Not because she was distant from us, but because she was meant to walk closely with us as our 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, our 𝙢𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙡, and our 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣 in faith.

For our young learners here at Santa Teresita Academy, this feast is a gentle lesson:
⚜️ God’s plans always begin with grace.
⚜️ Holiness starts with a simple, daily “yes.”
⚜️ Like Mary, we are called to bring Christ’s light wherever we go.

Dear STA students and families, let's follow Mary's example in this Advent season by 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀. Pray the Hail Mary today and ask for her intercession to grow closer to God.

𝙊 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙣, 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙚! 💙

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC: 490–493, 508)
[2] Pope Pius IX, 𝘐𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴 𝘋𝘦𝘶𝘴 (1854)
[3] Prayer for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8, 1998) - Speech | Pope John Paul II | 1998 AD
[4] Second Vatican Council, 𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘶𝘮 53, 56
[5] The Holy Bible Luke 1:26-38 | The New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (NRSV-C3) | 1993 AD

Santa Teresita Academy, Inc. Religious Education

13/04/2025

𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮: 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝘁𝘂𝗼, 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗹, 𝘂𝗴 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝘂𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻

As we journey through 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸, we are invited to walk with Christ—𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Each day calls us to 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁, and 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄. Through His 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, we witness the depth of 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, and 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.
May this sacred week inspire us to deepen our 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, strengthen our 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲, and live with a heart open to 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

28/03/2025

15/01/2025

01/01/2025

Today, January 2nd, we remember the 1st Death Anniversary of Bishop Ronald I. Lunas, D.D., the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Pagadian.

Let us offer a prayer for the death anniversary of our beloved bishop.

Hear with favor our prayers, which we humbly offer, O Lord, for the salvation of the soul of Bishop Lunas, your servant and Priest, that he, who devoted a faithful ministry to your name, may rejoice in the perpetual company of your Saints. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

01/01/2025

𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝟭𝟱𝟮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗦𝗧. 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗘!
January 2, 2025

Happy birthday, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, pray for us! Fill our hearts with your pure love of God.

“Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Prayer: Saint Thérèse, as a child you fell in love with God while living within the school of love that was your family. Your love grew so intense that God took you to Himself at a young age, to be with Him forever. Please pray for us, that we will discover the same intensity of love that you did, so that I will also share in the glory in which you bow share. Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.

Sources
1) PRAYER: My Catholic Life! Inc. mycatholic(.)life
2) PHOTOS: Les archives du Carmel de Lisieux. archives(.)carmeldelisieux(.)fr
3) PAINTING: St. Teresa Showers Roses from Heaven (n.d.) by Ettore Ballerini, Church of Santa Teresa di Gesù Bambino, Panfilo, Rome, Italy | The Catholic Art Company. catholicartcompany(.)com

01/01/2025

𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝. ✝️
ANNO DOMINI MMXXV

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
Father in heaven,
may the 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉 you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆
for the coming of your Kingdom.

May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.

May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen.

Source: Copyright Dicasterio per L'Evangelizzazione, Citta del Vaticano
Link: https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/giubileo-2025/preghiera.html

01/01/2025

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘, 𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐃

“Called in the Gospels “the mother of Jesus,” Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as “the mother of my Lord.” In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father’s eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God” (Theotokos),” (CCC 495).

“Mary is truly “Mother of God” since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself,” (CCC 509).

“Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church’s Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the “Seat of Wisdom.” In her, the “wonders of God” that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began to be manifested,” (CCC 721).

28/12/2024

28 DEC | 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦
𝐹𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡

On this Feast of the Holy Innocents, we remember the tragic loss of innocent lives and pray for a world free from violence and suffering for all children and the unborn.

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝗱𝘃𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗱𝗲𝘂𝘀, 𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽
(Sermo 2 de Symbolo: PL 40, 655)

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌, 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕

A tiny child is born, who is a great king. Wise men are led to him from afar. They come to adore one who lies in a manger and yet reigns in heaven and on earth. When they tell of one who is born a king, Herod is disturbed. To save his kingdom he resolves to kill him, though if he would have faith in the child, he himself would reign in peace in this life and for ever in the life to come.

Why are you afraid, Herod, when you hear of the birth of a king? He does not come to drive you out, but to conquer the devil. But because you do not understand this you are disturbed and in a rage, and to destroy one child whom you seek, you show your cruelty in the death of so many children.

You are not restrained by the love of weeping mothers or fathers mourning the deaths of their sons, nor by the cries and sobs of the children. You destroy those who are tiny in body because fear is destroying your heart. You imagine that if you accomplish your desire you can prolong your own life, though you are seeking to kill Life himself.

Yet your throne is threatened by the source of grace—so small, yet so great—who is lying in the manger. He is using you, all unaware of it, to work out his own purposes freeing souls from captivity to the devil. He has taken up the sons of the enemy into the ranks of God’s adopted children.

The children die for Christ, though they do not know it. The parents mourn for the death of martyrs. The child makes of those as yet unable to speak fit witnesses to himself. See the kind of kingdom that is his, coming as he did in order to be this kind of king. See how the deliverer is already working deliverance, the savior already working salvation.

But you, Herod, do not know this and are disturbed and furious. While you vent your fury against the child, you are already paying him homage, and do not know it.

How great a gift of grace is here! To what merits of their own do the children owe this kind of victory? They cannot speak, yet they bear witness to Christ. They cannot use their limbs to engage in battle, yet already they bear off the palm of victory.

𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳,
𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦
𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵.
𝘔𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴
𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴.
𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵.
𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘯.

Sources:
1) READING AND PRAYER: Office of Readings, iBreviary Pro Terra Sancta
2) PHOTO: “Massacre of the Innocents” by Mariano Rossi (1731-1807), in the church Chiesa id san Giuseppe alla Lungara, Rome | Shutterstock | Stock Photo ID 2051984543 via

Santa Teresita Academy, Inc. Religious Education

26/12/2024

𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬! While the Filipino tradition famously marks the "longest Christmas season" from September 1 to December 25, let us remember that the Church invites us to continue the celebration beyond December 25. In the Catholic Church, the 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 BEGINS on 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 (Christmas Day) and ENDS on 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 (the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord).

𝙀𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ✝️🙏🏻✨

“Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.”

𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺,
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱,
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴,
𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘥𝘢𝘺
𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴.

Sources:
1) PRAYER: Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings, iBreviary, 26 Dec 2024
2) EXCERPT: Office of Readings, A sermon of Pope Saint Leo the Great, “Christian, remember your dignity,” 25 Dec 2024
3) PHOTO: Photograph of the Fresco of Nativity scene by Joseph Kastner the older, c. 19th-20th c., Erloserkiche Church, Vienna (2014) by Jozef Sedmak, Fine Art America

Posted by kbdc

25/12/2024

𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 • 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡
How many days 𝘪𝘴 Christmas? People measure the Christmas season differently, and even within the Church, the various feasts and observances can get a little tricky. So here is a rundown of the different ways of measuring 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆.

✓ 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮.
Christmas is celebrated on December 25. On this day, the liturgy celebrated is the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord.

✓ 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨.
The Church regards Christmas as an octave, or eight-day celebration. The Octave of Christmas begins on the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord and concludes on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1.

✓ 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨.
Some traditions mark the twelve days beginning on Christmas Day and ending January 5, the day before Epiphany. However, the Twelve Days of Christmas are not official liturgical celebrations, but more of a popular tradition.

✓ 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙤𝙧𝙙.
The Church marks the end of the Christmas season with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany.

Sources:
1) "How long is the Christmas season?" Teaching Catholic Kids. (n.d.). teachingcatholickids(.)com/how-long-is-the-christmas-season. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
2) "Liturgical Calendar Philippines." GCatholic. (n.d.) gcatholic(.)org/calendar/2024/PH-en.htm. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
3) Rouselle, Christine. "When does Christmas actually end?" The Catholic Telegraph. 5 Jan. 2022. thecatholictelegraph(.)com/when-does-christmas-actually-end/79049. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Santa Teresita Academy, Inc. Religious Education

25/12/2024

25 DEC | 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗗
𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦

“𝐃𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝! 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬, 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞.”¹

Jesus Christ, Our Lord, is born. We have prepared for this day and in glorious acclaim we join the celestial choir of angels who sing, “Glory to God in the highest heavens and peace on earth to people of good will”(Luke 2:14). Church Fathers comment that this angelic song, heard by shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth, unveils God’s personality in a new way. For before, God was known in splendor, in the radiant beauty of the cosmos and in the divine workings of creation. But now, at the onset of Christ’s birth in a manger, He makes Himself known as a child. A little baby, tender and in need of love, ushers in a new and special relationship with the Creator.²

𝘖 𝘎𝘰𝘥,
𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦
𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵,
𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺,
𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵,
𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

Source:
1) TEXT: DivineOffice. [Written by Sarah Ciotti; Reviewed by Fr. Hugh Feiss, OSB, STD; ¹Pope Francis, Homily, December 24, 2013.; ²Benedict XVI, Homily, December 25, 2008.]
2) IMAGE: The Nativity (mosaic) by Howgill, Adobe Stock | File # 126002422

Santa Teresita Academy, Inc. Religious Education