Michelangelo’s painting, Creation, depicts two figures facing each other from a distance. The lower figure is a male with his arm outstretched toward another male figure in the sky. Most people see the male figure as Adam from the Book of Genesis and the celestial figure of the older male as God. What is interesting about this painting is that both figures are attempting to connect hands, yet there is a disconnect. Michelangelo intentionally left a gap between the figures.

During Advent, Christmas and Epiphany, we hear stories from Scripture about the Prophets, the Psalmists and John the Baptist crying out to the people to prepare for the Lord’s coming. We read about a simple young girl radically accepting God’s call to carry and birth God’s son. We are told of the girl’s fiancé mysteriously obeying God’s message to protect and support her and her child. Furthermore, the Gospel writer Matthew describes the Wise Men looking to the heavens in their search to find the Holy One.

Like Michelangelo, the Scripture writers describe humanity’s longing to be in connection with God. And at the same time, since the beginning of creation, God continually has yearned to be in relationship with us. In Jesus Christ, the one who lived among us and who will come again, is the connection which fills the gap of the relationship between humanity’s yearning and God’s longing.

During this special time of year, may we find that which we seek and may this booklet deepen the sense of God’s presence in our lives. A holy Advent and blessed Christmas to you and your loved ones from St. Catherine’s!

Thank you to all who contributed to this collection, especially:

Paul Acocella, Ellen Adams, Bill Bowden, Martha Bowden, Tanya Bowers-Dean, John Brooks, Jennifer Buckalew, Steve Diffley, Ben Frost, Ash Gale, Jennifer Gale, Barbara Garner, Susan Greger, Kathy Holman, Bill Holman, Tom Hunter, Deborah Hurd, Bill Ivey, Al Jones, Ellis Kilgore, Elizabeth Lopez, Karen Manno, Marcia Markette, Ana Martin, Gail McGill, Katja Michael, Carroll Mitchell, Joan Nixon, Jim Nixon, Jan Potter, Sally Powers, Liz Rea, Margaret Shaw, Amelia Snider

• Advent begins the liturgical church year. This Advent we enter into Liturgical Year A which emphasizes the Gospel of Matthew.
• Advent comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “to come.” Interestingly, adventus translated into Greek is parousia, which translates into “the end time.” In short, Advent is a special time to remember the events leading up to the Nativity of Christ, as well to be reminded that Christ will come again.
• Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends at sundown on December 24. Advent is a time when we prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas.
• The liturgical color of Advent is blue which signifies hope. The liturgical color of Christmas is white, denoting celebration.
• The Advent wreath symbolizes God's unending love for us and consists of four candles along the circumference. Each week a candle is lit and a theme and prayer are said. On Christmas, the white candle, representing the Christ candle, in the center of the wreath, is lit. Each candle signifies God's saving actions through out history.
• Christmas translates into “Christ mass,” the celebration of Christ’s coming into the world. Christmas began to be celebrated in the fourth century.
• We give gifts during Christmas because God gifted humanity with Jesus.
• Epiphany means "manifestation” or "revelation." In other words, Epiphany is a season that shows Christ being recognized as the Messiah.
• The first Sunday of Epiphany is celebrated twelve days after Christmas on January 6.