From the "Advent is Coming" worksheet:
ADVENT IS COMING
The four weeks of Advent are set apart by the Church to commemorate the ages that intervened between the fall of our first parents and the birth of Christ which we celebrate at Christmas. It is a Season of special prayer and penance mingled with joyful expectation, and calculated to prepare our souls for a worthy keeping of this great solemnity. Advent is also the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, and as each succeeding year brings us closer to the Second Coming of Christ as Judge of the world, this holy time is likewise intended to make us ready to meet our Judge. Such preparation is best achieved by seeking sanctification through voluntary amendment of life, acts of penance, and works of charity.
Do not let this time to Grow in Holiness Pass You By!!
Consider the following categories on what we should do for Advent this year.
1. VOLUNTARY AMENDMENT OF LIFE: Give up those things that need to go sooner or later, namely bad habits. Our goal here is to learn to love our souls more than our bodies… to break
a bad habit forever and Advent is a good time to do it. Examples: Gossiping, surfing the web without real need, watching T.V., overeating, eating between meals, eating and drinking junk foods (e.g., soda), bad drinking habits, complaining, saying vulgar words, not getting up on time, using a snooze alarm, wasting time playing video games, going to movies, listening to base music, useless chattering on facebook, blogs, and the like, etc.
In this category I am going to give up ________________________________
2. ACTS OF PENANCE: Perform some kind of penance. Our goal here is to train ourselves to say
“no” in little things so that we can say “NO” to big temptations later. We can resume doing the
things given up here once Advent is over. Examples: Avoid eating or drinking something that we
enjoy, such as desserts. Give up eating out, taking completely warm showers, drinking alcoholic
beverages, etc...
In this category I am going to give up _____________________________________
3. WORKS OF CHARITY: Perform some good and holy action(s). Our goal here is to strengthen
our relationship with Christ and His Church. Ideally, what we start here would continue in
some way even after Advent is over. Love God more than yourself! Examples: Pray the Rosary
everyday, attend daily Mass as much as possible, read the Sacred Scriptures _______ minutes a
day, spend _______ additional time everyday with my family, read a life of a saint or saints, increase spiritual reading in place of electronic media, make a daily visit to the Most Blessed Sacrament or shrine of Our Lady.
In this category I am going to _____________________________________________
May God bless you this Advent!
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