Advent, Prayer Service for Children in Holy Family Parish, Zambia
What did you think, Mary, of your Advent?
Who knew your feelings while waiting?
What did you wish for your child who would soon be born?
What did you think of the circumstances you were experiencing?
MARIA, who knew about your secret dreams?
Who understood your allusions?
What was Advent for you, Maria?
Did you prepare, like us, with little blue trees,
green or white, coloured balloons, cider,
sweet bread and almonds? …
Your advent was not noticeable.
You walked the road so many times as you performed your chores:
You searched for water and kneaded the dough for bread.
You did not think of the glory, of the brilliance, of a king …
What did you think, Maria, of your advent?
You carried the sky concentrated in your entrails,
In you the Messiah gestated over time.
It was the hour of fullness and history.
MARIA, how I wish 2000 years old to be!
Would you treat me like a child?
What was the dark waiting, your secret pain,
your unshakable hope, your silent joy?
What did Maria think of her advent? …
You didn’t flaunt, you didn’t scream, at fate,
You didn’t want to make the story difficult or complicated.
All this was necessary because the Father wanted it so.
You knew that He was great, and you were so small,
You knew that He was God, yet He didn’t even have a cradle!
The Scripture said He was the Messiah,
and you did not understand the Father’s plan –
how he had his clear and perfect ways?
So, it would happen, in your advent, Maria!
Show me, Mary, how my Advent should be.
He who waits again in the life of each one.
When it is discovered that He is knocking at the door.
Who wants to be born? Who is waiting for a cradle?
And He does not find an available and poor way,
he does not find hope, nor does He find joy.
When we close the doors of the soul,
because the conditions don’t always suit us.
Thus, we continue to make our own Christmas
of tinsel and fairy lights, of balloons and laughter …
And we don’t see, we don’t hear, the man who cries
When he arrived 2000 years ago,
because we, who know everything,
Do not know how to see your advent, Mary.
It is to be born, it is to save,
To be redeemed through the Son of Adam.
It does not matter their race, colour, creed, etc…
“Today the ecological crisis has assumed such proportions that it is everyone's responsibility; there is an order in the universe that must be respected; The human person endowed with the ability to choose freely has the great responsibility of preserving this order for the well-being of future generations. (World Day of Peace- 1990)
WE BELIEVE that the world belongs to God, the Creator, the One and Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who in his mercy has revealed himself to humanity in Jesus Christ...
GOD OUR FATHER, We praise and bless you, because you instilled an ardent love in Blessed Maria Helena to spread your Name among all peoples and for instilling her humility to become a docile servant of the Holy Spirit...
Come Holy Spirit! Come with your Light, your strength and your peace.
Come! Without your presence and grace, without your courage and help,
without your love and support, we are incapable of new acts and actions.
Everything is lifeless and meaningless...
