Readying Our Hearts to Receive Jesus - Part I

Today's reading from the beginning of St. Mark's Gospel gives a familiar image:  St. John the Baptist by the Jordan River baptizing the people as they confessed their sins.  He was helping to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah. 

Over the next days, we invite you to join in an older custom that we have begun anew several years ago:  the spiritual nativity.  Each Advent, each Sister draws a slip from a basket and then uses that "lense" so to speak as a means to help prepare her heart.  We would like to share some of these with you, so that you, may have a thought each day to think and pray about in order to ready your heart for Christ in a special way this Christmas:

Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

The Stable

Awaken a loving desire in your heart for the Christ Child and prepare with all care the stable through the practice of the humility.  Offer all that you have, in particular offer up your self will and self love to the Lord.  Prune your pride and your vanity. 

Ask God for His grace and His help and pray with devotion three Our Fathers and the Salve Regina.