Thanksgiving!

This week is Thanksgiving! A good time to talk to your kids about what they have to be thankful for. This is also a chance to make them aware of the fact that there are those in this country much less fortunate than them.

Have your GOYA collect food and donate it to your local food pantry. Click here to find your local food pantry.

Or have your kids bring in old clothes, shoes, toys that they are not longer using and donate them to Goodwill.

Is someone in your parish going on a mission trip soon? Have that person talk to the kids about where they're going, what life is like for people there, etc.

For the younger kids, have them trace their hand and create a turkey- on each finger they have to write one or two things they are thankful for!

Presentation . . . Christmas -- here we come!!!

Yesterday, the Orthodox Church celebrated the Presentation in the Temple of the Theotokos. The young Mary was presented in the Temple by her pious parents, Joachim and Anna, tradition tells us at the age of 3. 

We know that Joachim and Anna tried to have children for so many years -- but they couldn't (they were shunned by the people of the time for not being able to). At a very old age -- they still had the faith to believe that God could bless them with the gift of a child. Joachim spent forty days and forty nights in the wilderness praying to God for a child. Can you imagine -- forty days and forty nights in prayer??? Most of us have a hard time praying for 5 minutes a day . . . or for 1 hour on a Sunday morning . . . but forty days and forty nights devoted to God -- Amazing! Anna spent the same time in her garden in prayer -- asking the Lord to intercede on their behalf. Because of their amazing faith -- God blessed them with this little baby girl, Mary. 

They promised that they would offer this gift from God back to God as a gift! So they brought her to the Temple for her to live her life. Imagine -- wanting a child for so long -- being blessed with one -- and then having her not live with you -- but in a Temple!!! Again -- amazing Faith. 

In the Matins service of this day -- we start singing the Christmas hymns (Katavasies). The first one starts with the beautiful words, "Christ is born, Glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven, meet Him. Christ is on earth exalt Him . . . " Just as the young Mary was being prepared to become the Mother of God (brought to the Temple) -- we too now, turn our attention on the new-born Christ Child -- and we must now prepare ourselves for His Nativity (birth). We prepare ourselves to "meet Him". 

As we approach these holy days toward Christmas -- let us be mindful to prepare ourselves to receive our Lord and Savior.