The Institute for Christian Formation
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Monday of the First Week of Advent
December 2, 2013
On this first Monday in Advent, let us turn to the Prophet Isaiah. This great prophet is certainly an important Advent figure. Writing in the second half of the 8th century B.C., Isaiah's prophecies include the birth of Immanuel. The image of the Prophet Isaiah pictured here dates to the 11th century (1042-1056) and is a mosaic done in the Byzantine tradition. Located at the Nea Moni Monastery in Chios, Greece, the scroll Isaiah is holding is one of Isaiah's Immanuel prophecies. Based on Isaiah 7:14, this scroll says "Behold the Virgin shall conceive in her womb."
The Book of the Prophet Isaiah is proclaimed frequently in our Advent liturgies. (The First Reading today is Isaiah 4:2-6). Spend some time this Advent Season in prayerful reflection with the Prophet Isaiah. What do you think Isaiah's message is for us today?
Look up Isaiah 7:14 in your Bible. Invite children to draw a scroll and to write this Bible verse on their scroll. Teens and adults might even want to create a mosaic, such as the one pictured here. You can access an icon pattern for the Prophet Isaiah here. Children could use this as a coloring page.
Did you know that the Israel Museum in Jerusalem recently posted the Dead Sea Scrolls on line? The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls they have posted includes the Great Isaiah Scroll, one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls found in Qumran in 1947. You can learn more about this scroll and view it on line here.
Jesus healing the servant of a Centurion, Paolo Veronese
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
Many of the words prayed at Mass come from Scripture, and these words we say at the Communion Rite, as a response to the presider's words, “Behold the Lamb of
God…”, are one example. Just read today’s Gospel (Matthew 8:5-11) to find their source! You can access today's readings here.
The Jesse Tree
Forefather Jesse
Iconographer:
Theophanes the Cretan
16th Century
Stavronikita Monastery,
Mt. Athos
The first reading for Mass tomorrow, December 3, is Isaiah 11:1-10. This reading is about the shoot, or root, of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David. Jesus was born of the House of David, and therefore Jesse is an ancestor of Jesus. We can read the human genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17.
An Advent project based on the genealogy of Jesus, which you could do at home, in your parish, or in your classroom, is making a Jesse Tree. You could make an actual Jesse Tree by taking a bare tree branch and for each remaining day of Advent creating an ornament for it representing one of Jesus' ancestors. Or, if you don't want to set up a tree branch, you could begin a Jesse Tree Scrap Book, with a page each day focusing on one of Jesus' ancestors. For each page you could draw a picture, or write a poem, or summarize a Bible story about this person.
There are numerous resources available in print and on line to assist you with making a Jesse Tree. Our Sunday Visitor has coloring pages online with Jesse Tree symbols you can color and cut out. Loyola Press also has Jesse Tree information on line. There are many other resources available, as well. But you might want to rely on your own creativity. Read Bible stories about Jesus' ancestors listed in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, and come up with your own ideas for Jesse Tree symbols.
