The Jesse Tree November 29: The Jesse Tree (Isaiah 11: 1-10) Then a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from its roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of advice and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord. He will gladly bear the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear. He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips. Justice will be the belt around his waist. Faithfulness will be the belt around his hips. Wolves will live with lambs. Leopards will lie down with goats. Calves, young lions, and year-old lambs will be together, and little children will lead them. Cows and bears will eat together. Their young will lie down together. Lions will eat straw like oxen. Infants will play near cobras’ holes. Toddlers will put their hands into vipers’ nests. They will not hurt anyone anywhere on my holy mountain. The world will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. November 30: The Story of Creation (Gen 1:1-2:3. From My First Book of Catholic Bible Stories, © 2000 by the Regina Press, page 12)) In the beginning, God created everything. God spoke the words and created light and the heavens and the earth. God made the sky and the water and dry land and trees. God put the sun in the sky to light the days, and the moon and stars to shine down at night. When the earth was ready, God created animals. God created the land animals, the birds of the air, and the fish that swim in the seas. God was pleased with all He had made. Then, He created a man. He formed Adam from the dust of the ground and gave him life. He put the man in a beautiful garden called Eden. The man made up names for all of God's creatures. God saw that all was good.

December 1: The Fall (Gen 2:4-3:24 (From My First Book of Catholic Bible Stories, © 1965 by the Western Publishing Company, page 14) Soon God saw that the man was lonely. So God created a woman to be the man's mate. Her name was Eve. God made Adam and Eve in His own image. At first, Adam and Eve lived happily in God's garden and obeyed God. God taught Adam and Eve how to live in the garden. God told them they were free to eat anything growing there, but not the fruit of one special tree. This tree held the knowledge of good and evil. God said they were not to eat this kind of fruit. One day, a serpent came to Eve and tricked her. He made her think that God did not mean what He said. "Go ahead," the serpent said. "Eat from the tree if you want to." Eve took a bite of the fruit and gave some to Adam. Right away, they knew they had disobeyed God. God made Adam and Eve leave the garden. They had to go live and work in the world outside of Eden. This means that people were then separated from God.

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December 2: Flood & Rainbow (Gen 6:11-22, 7:17-8:12, 20-9:17. My First Book of Catholic Bible Stories, page 16) Many years later, God was sad to see that people made so many bad choices. God decided to start the world over again. God had a friend on earth named Noah. Noah was a good man and obeyed God. God told him God's plan. "Noah, I'm going to bring rains down and wash away all the evil that I see. I want you to build an ark big enough for you and your family and every kind of animal. I will protect all of you from the flood." People laughed as Noah built the ark. But then when the rains fell for forty days and nights. The flood was like an ocean, everywhere. But Noah, his family, and the animals were safe inside. After the flood waters were gone, Noah and his family left the ark to start a new world. God gave them the sign of the rainbow as God's promise that He would never destroy the world by flood again. December 3: Abraham and Promise: (Gen 12: 1-7: 15: 1-6. From The Children’s Bible Pages 34 & 38)) After these things the word of God came to Abraham in a vision saying: “Fear not, Abraham, I am your shield and your great reward.” “Lord God”, Abraham said, “what will you give me since I am without children and my heir is a servant, Eliezer of Damascus?” Then God said to him “Not a servant but a child of your own shall be your own heir.” He took Abraham into the open and said “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you can do so. As numerous as the stars shall your child and your children’s children be.” And Abram believed in the Lord and the Lord regarded him with favor.” December 4: The Birth of Isaac (Gen 18: 1-15; 21: 1-7. From The Children’s Bible Pages 40 & 41) And it came to pass that when Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent in the plains of Mamre, The Lord appeared to him in the form of three angels in the heat of the day. Abraham raised his eyes and aw three men standing before him. He ran to meet them and bowed to the ground saying: My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass away, I beg you, from your servant. Let a little water be fetched and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree I will bring bread to refresh you. Comfort your hearts, then you may go your way.” They said to him: “Do as you have said.” So Abraham hastened into the tent where Sarah his wife was and said: “Quickly, make three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes upon the hearth.” Then he ran to the herd and fetched a good and tender calf, and gave it to a young man to prepare. Abraham then took butter and milk, and the calf, and set the food before the men. He stood by them under the tree while they ate. “Where is Sarah, your wife?” they asked him. “There, in her tent, he said. And one of the men said “Sarah your wife shall have a son.” Sarah, standing in the ten door-way behind him, heard this. She and Abraham were old and they were beyond the age to have children. Sarah therefore laughed to herself. The God said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying she is too old to have a child? Is there anything the Lord cannot do? At the appointed time, Sarah shall have a son.” Sarah denied that she had laughed, for she was afraid. But God said: “No, you did laugh.” The Lord did as he had promised, and Sarah bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time chosen by God, and Abraham called the son Isaac, a name which means “He will laugh.” December 5: The Sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22: 1-9. (The Wonder book of Bible Stories from BibleHub.com)

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You remember that in those times of which we are telling, when men worshipped God, they built an altar of earth or of stone, and laid an offering upon it as a gift to God. The offering was generally a sheep, or a goat, or a young ox -- some animal that was used for food. Such an offering was called "a sacrifice." But the people who worshiped idols often did what seems to us strange and very terrible. They thought that it would please their gods if they would offer as a sacrifice the most precious living things that were their own; and they would take their own little children and kill them upon their altars as offerings to the gods of wood and stone, that were no real gods, but only images. God wished to show Abraham and all his descendants, those who should come after him, that he was not pleased with such offerings as those of living people, killed on the altars. And God took a way to teach Abraham, so that he and his children after him would never forget it. Then at the same time he wished to see how faithful and obedient Abraham would be to his commands; how fully Abraham would trust in God, or, as we would say, how great was Abraham's faith in God. So God gave to Abraham a command which he did not mean to have obeyed, though this he did not tell to Abraham. He said: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love so greatly, and go to the land of Moriah, and there on a mountain that I will show you, offer him for a burnt-offering to me." Though this command filled Abraham's heart with pain, yet he would not be as surprised to receive it as a father would in our day; for such offerings were very common among all those people in the land where Abraham lived. Abraham never for one moment doubted or disobeyed God's word. He knew that Isaac was the child whom God had promised, and that God had promised, too, that Isaac should have children, and that those coming from Isaac should be a great nation. He did not see how God could keep his promise with regard to Isaac, if Isaac should be killed as an offering; unless indeed God should raise him up from the dead afterward. But Abraham undertook at once to obey. God's command. He took two young men with him and an ass laden with wood for the fire; and he went toward the mountain in the north, Isaac, his son, walking by his side. For two days they walked, sleeping under the trees at night in the open country. And on the third day Abraham saw the mountain far away. And as they drew near to the mountain Abraham said to the young men: "Stay here with the ass, while I go up yonder mountain with Isaac to worship; and when we have worshipped, we will come back to you." For Abraham believed that in some way God would bring back Isaac to life. He took the wood from the donkey and placed it on Isaac, and they two walked up the mountain together. As they were walking, Isaac said: "Father, here is the wood, but where is the lamb for the offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide himself a Lamb for a burnt offering." And they came to the place on the top of the mountain. There Abraham built an altar of stones and earth heaped up; and on it he placed the wood. Then he tied the hands and the feet of Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on the wood. And Abraham lifted up his hand, holding a knife to kill his son. Another moment longer and Isaac would be slain by his own father's hand. But just at that moment the angel of the Lord out of heaven called to Abraham, and said: "Abraham! Abraham!" And Abraham answered, "Here I am, Lord." Then the angel of the Lord said: "Do not lay your hand upon your son. Do no harm to him. Now I know that you love God more than you love your only son, and that you are obedient to God, since you are ready to give up your son, your only son, to God." What a relief and a joy these words from heaven brought to the heart of Abraham! How glad he was to know that it was not God's will for him to kill his son! Then Abraham looked around, and there in the thicket was a ram caught by his horns. And Abraham took the ram and offered him up for a burnt-offering in place of his son. So Abraham's words came true when he said that God would provide for himself a lamb.

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December 6: Jacob and the Ladder: (Genesis 28: 10-22. From The Children’s bible Page 54 & 55 ) Jacob, the son of Isaac, set out from Beersheba and started towards Haran. He came to a certain place and had to stay there all night, because the Sun had set. Taking one of the stones from the ground, he placed it under his head for his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep. Jacob dreamed and in his dream he saw a ladder set up on the ground, the top reaching to heaven, and, behold, angels of God were going up and down on it. The Lord was standing above the ladder and he said to Jacob: “I am the Lord God of Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and your children. Your children shall be as the dust of the earth and you will spread abroad to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Through you and your children all the families of the earth will be blessed. Then Jacob waked out of his sleep and said “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.” He was afraid and said: “This is surely the hour of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” Early in the morning Jacob rose up took the stone that he had used as a pillow, set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel. December 7: Joseph and his Coat (Genesis 37: 1-28. The Wonder book of Bible Stories from BibleHub.com) Of all his children, Jacob loved Joseph the best, because he was Rachel's child; because he was so much younger than most of his brothers; and because he was good, and faithful, and thoughtful. Jacob gave to Joseph a robe or coat of bright colors, made somewhat like a long cloak with wide sleeves. This was a special mark of Jacob's favor to Joseph, and it made his older brothers envious of him. Then, too, Joseph did what was right, while his older brothers often did very wrong acts, of which Joseph sometimes told their father; and this made them very angry at Joseph. But they hated him still more because of the strange dreams he had. At one time, Joseph's ten brothers were taking care of the flock in the fields near Shechem, which was nearly fifty miles from Hebron, where Jacob's tents were spread. And Jacob wished to send a message to his sons, and he called Joseph, and said to him: "Your brothers are near Shechem with the flock. I wish that you would go to them, and take a message, and find if they are well, and if the flocks are doing well; and bring me word from them." And his brothers saw him afar off coming toward them. They knew him by his bright garment; and one said to another: "Look, that dreamer is coming! Come, let us kill him, and throw his body into a pit, and tell his father that some wild beast has eaten him; and then we will see what becomes of his dreams." Two of the stronger brothers seized Joseph. Reuben, the eldest, was frightened. He was afraid they would kill Joseph. "'Throw him into that pit over there," Reuben quickly suggested, knowing he could easily rescue Joseph later. "Don’t harm him." But first they took off Joseph's fine coat, and only then threw him into the pit. A caravan of merchants came along, and the brothers decided to sell Joseph as a slave to the merchants. The brothers thought, "Joseph is on his way to Egypt now. We are done with him!"

December 8: Joseph in Egypt (Genesis 37-46. From Advent Stories and Activities, © 1997 by M. Kathleen Glavich, pages 32-34) Joseph worked as a servant in Egypt and he began telling other people what their dreams meant. When Joseph was a young man, the Pharaoh had a dream that greatly disturbed him. He called for Joseph to interpret the dream. "There will be seven years of plenty; when the earth will produce more food than can be eaten. This will be followed by seven years of drought, when the crops will fail, and people will starve," Joseph explained.

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The Pharaoh decided to believe Joseph, and he also decided to put Joseph in charge of saving and storing the extra food, so the Egyptian people would not go hungry during the drought. Joseph was a smart man and a good leader. He did his job well, and when the seven years of plenty were over, just as Joseph predicted, the Egyptian people did not starve. But the people in nearby countries were hungry. They heard Egypt had food and began coming there to buy some. The Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of selling the food. He was doing this job, dressed in fine Egyptian clothing and sitting in a special chair when eleven brothers came in to ask for food eleven brothers who looked familiar! Joseph’s heart leaped for joy. Here were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and the others. Here, too, was handsome Benjamin, his brother who had been born when their mother Rachel died. Now Benjamin was a man, and Joseph barely recognized him. He realized that none of his brothers recognized him either. There they were, bowing down to him, just as the dream had predicted years ago. Now they needed him to help them feed their families, these brothers who had sold him as a slave. Joseph did not tell his brothers who he was. Instead, he gave them sacks of grain, but he instructed a servant to hide his own silver cup in Benjamin’ s grain. The brothers left happily with their food, but they were stopped and accused of stealing the cup. they were arrested and brought back to Joseph. Benjamin was terrified. Now Joseph chose to explain. "I am Joseph, your brother," Joseph then told them, and he began to cry. Amazed, bewildered, the brothers all stared at him, and of course they remembered how badly they had treated Joseph. Still crying, Joseph told them not to be sorry. He said, "It was God's plan that I come to Egypt so I could save our family now. But tell me, is Jacob our father still alive?" His brothers answered, "Yes." Joseph was overjoyed! They must go home, Joseph instructed his brothers, and get their father, their wives, and children, and come back here to live with him. Joseph would see to it that they had enough food and they could all be a family once again. It was a jubilant Jacob who traveled to Egypt with his family to join Joseph. The children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would all grow up there, in the land of the Pharaoh. December 9: The Call of Moses (Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) 0ne day Moses was taking care of the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law, who was the priest of Midian. Moses led the sheep along the edge of the desert to Sinai, the mountain of God. Suddenly the LORD'S angel appeared to him from a burning bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up. He said to himself, "This is strange! I'll go over and see why the bush is not burning up." When the LORD saw Moses coming near the bush, he called out to him. Moses answered, "LORD, here I am." God replied, "Don't come any closer. Take off your sandals, because the ground where you are standing is holy. I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses was too afraid to look at God, and he hid his face. The LORD said, "I have seen how my people are suffering in Egypt, and I have heard them cry out to me because of those slave bosses. I am sorry for them, and so I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians. I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land and plenty of milk and honey."

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Moses answered, "I will tell the people of Israel that the God of their ancestors has sent me to them. But what should I say, if they ask me who you are?" God said to Moses, "I am who I am. So tell them that the one whose name is 'I Am' has sent you. Say that the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has sent you to them. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on:' December 10: The 10 Commandments (Exodus 19: 1-20 17. From Lectionary With Children & The Children’s Bible, page 134) In the third month after the children of Israel had left Egypt, they came into the desert of Sinai. They pitched their tents in the wilderness and camped there before the mountain. Moses went up to talk to the Lord, and God called to him from the mountain, saying: "Say to the children of Israel, 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey my voice and keep your agreement with me, then you shall be a special treasure to me, more than any other people. You shall be a kingdom of priests to me, and a holy nation.' These are the words you shall speak to the children of Israel." Moses came down and called for the elders of the people, and laid before them all the words of the Lord. And the people answered together and said: "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do."Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said. And God was pleased and spoke to Moses, saying: “Lo, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak to you, and believe you forever. And Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke rose up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled and shook. When the voice of the trumpet sounded long blasts, and grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. Then the Lord came down upon the top of Mount Sinai, and he called Moses up to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. The LORD then gave Moses the 10 commandments.

December 11: The Fall of Jericho (Joshua 6: 1-2. From The Children’s bible Page 183) Jericho that great city, was tightly shut up because of the children of Israel; no one went out of the city, and no one came in. Then the Lord told Joshua how he and the children of Israel could capture the city. Joshua called the priests and the people and gave them their orders. To the priests he said: “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests carrying seven trumpets of rams’ horns march before the ark of the Lord.” And to the people he said “Surround the city, and let those that are armed march before the ark of the Lord.” When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns went forward before the ark of the Lord and blew on their trumpets. The armed men went before the priests and the rear guard followed after the ark of the Lord. Joshua had commanded the people: “You shall not shout nor make any noise nor shall any word come out of your mouths until the day when I bid you shout. Then you shall shout.' So the ark of the Lord circled the city, going about it once. Then everyone came back to the camp and stayed there. Next day Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. Again seven priests, bearing seven trumpets of rains' horns, went steadily ahead. blowing on their trumpets. The armed guard went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord. The second day they circled the city once and returned to the camp. This they did for six days. On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawning of the day, and circled the city in the same way seven times. At the seventh time. while the priests blew on their trumpets, Joshua said to the people: "Shout, for the Lord has

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given you the city. And the city and everyone in it shall be accursed, except for Rahab. who shall live. she and all that are with her in the house. because she hid the messengers that we sent." So the people shouted while the priests blew on their trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet and shouted with a great shout, the wall of Jericho fell down flat. The people of Israel went into the city, each man walking straight ahead. and they took the city and put all its inhabitants to the sword. December 12: The Call of Samuel (Samuel 3: 1-10, 19. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) Samuel served the LORD by helping Eli the priest. But in those days the LORD did not often speak to people or appear to them in dreams. One night Eli, who was almost blind, was in bed as usual. Samuel was sleeping on a mat in the place of worship near the sacred chest. The lamp was still burning when the LORD called out to Samuel. "Here I am," Samuel answered. He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, sir. What can I do for you?" Eli replied, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." So Samuel went back. Once more the LORD called Samuel's name. Samuel got up. He went to Eli and said, "Here I am. What can I do for you?" But Eli told him, "Son, I didn't call you. Now go back to sleep." Samuel did not realize that the LORD was speaking, because this was the first time the LORD had spoken to him. When the LORD spoke a third time that night, Samuel again went to Eli and said, "Here I am. What can I do for you?" Eli now knew that it was the LORD who was speaking to Samuel. So Eli told him, "Go back to bed. If someone speaks to you again, answer, `LORD, I am your servant. Speak, and I will listen.' " Once again Samuel went back and lay down. The LORD came and stood beside Samuel. Then he called out as he had done before, "Samuel! Samuel!" The boy replied, "LORD, I am your servant. Speak, and I will listen." As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him and made everything he said come true. December 13: The Anointing of David: (Samuel 16:16, 6-7.10-13a. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) The LORD said to Samuel: "Take some olive oil with you and go to a man named Jesse who lives in Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." When Jesse and his sons got there, Samuel saw Jesse's oldest son, Eliab, and thought, "He must be the one the LORD has chosen." But the LORD told Samuel, "Don't choose him just because he is tall and handsome. He isn't the one I have chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I don't. I judge by what is in a person's heart" Jesse sent seven of his sons to Samuel, but each time Samuel would say, "The LORD has not chosen him." Finally, Samuel asked Jesse, "Do you have any more sons?" Jesse answered, "Yes, my youngest son David is out taking care of the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him. We won't start until he gets here." Jesse sent for David, and he came. He was a healthy, good-looking boy with a sparkle in his eyes. The LORD told Samuel, "This is the one. Pour the olive oil on his head."

December 14: David & Goliath (1 Sam 17: 1-52. The Wonder book of Bible Stories from BibleHub.com) All through the reign of Saul, there was constant war with the Philistines, who lived upon the lowlands west of Israel. The camps of the Philistines and the Israelites were set against each other on opposite sides of the valley of Elah. Every day a giant came out of the camp of the Philistines, and dared some one to come from the Israelites' camp and fight with him.

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The giant's name was Goliath. He was nine feet high; and he wore armor from head to foot, and carried a spear twice as long and as heavy as any other man could hold; and his shield bearer walked before him. He came every day and called out across the little valley: "I am a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul. Now choose one of your men, and let him come out and fight with me. If I kill him; then you shall submit to us; and if he kills me, then we will give up to you. Come, now, send out your man!" But no man in the army, not even King Saul, dared to go out and fight with the giant. Forty days the camps stood against each other, and the Philistine giant continued his call. One day, old Jesse, the father of David, sent David from Bethlehem to visit his three brothers in the army. David came, and spoke to his brothers; and while he was talking with them, Goliath the giant came out as before in front of the camp calling for some one to fight with him.

While everybody in the army had been looking on the giant with fear, David had been thinking out the best way for fighting him; and God had given to David a plan. It was to throw the giant off his guard, by appearing weak and helpless; and while so far away that the giant could not reach him with sword or spear, to strike him down with a weapon which the giant would not expect and would not be prepared for. David took his shepherd's staff in his hand, as though that were to be his weapon. But out of sight, in a bag under his mantle, he had five smooth stones carefully chosen, and a sling, -- the weapon that he knew how to use. Then he came out to meet the Philistine. The giant looked down on the youth and despised him, and laughed. "Am I a dog?" he said, "that this boy comes to me with a staff? I will give his body to the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field." And the Philistine cursed David by the gods of his people. And David answered him: "You come against me with a sword, and a spear, and a dart; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. This day will the Lord give you into my hand. I will strike you down, and take off your head, and the host of the Philistines shall be dead bodies, to be eaten by the birds and the beasts; so that all may know that there is a God in Israel, and that He can save in other ways besides with sword and spear." And David ran toward the Philistine, as if to fight him with his shepherd's staff. But when he was just near enough for a good aim, he took out his sling, and hurled a stone aimed at the giant's forehead. David's aim was good; the stone struck the Philistine in his forehead. It stunned him, and he fell to the ground. While the two armies stood wondering, and scarcely knowing what had caused the giant to fall so suddenly, David ran forward, drew out the giant's own sword, and cut off his head. Then the Philistines knew that their great warrior in whom they trusted was dead. They turned to flee to their own land; and the Israelites followed after them, and killed them by the hundred and the thousand, even to the gates of their own city of Gath. So in that day David won a great victory and stood before all the land as the one who had saved his people from their enemies.

December 15: The Wisdom of Solomon (Kings 3: 1-28. From The Children’s Bible, Pages 262-264) There came two women to king Solomon, and stood before him. The one woman said: "O my lord. this woman and I live in one house, and bore a child in the house with her. And it happened that three days afterward, this woman bore a child too. We were together, and there was no one else in the house with the two of us. "This woman's child died in the night and she arose at midnight and look my son from beside me, while your handmaid slept, and she took him in her arms and laid her dead child in my arms. "And when I rose in the morning to nurse my child, I saw that it was dead. But when I had looked at it in the daylight, I found that it was not my own son." The other woman said: "No, the living is my son, and the dead is your son." And the first

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woman said: "No, the dead is your son and the living is my son." Thus they argued before the king. Then the king said: "The one says, 'This is my son that is alive, and your son is the dead child,' the other says, 'No, your son is the dead one, and my son is the living." So the king said: "Bring me a sword." And they brought him a sword. "Divide the living child in two." he said, "and give half to the one and half to the other.” Then the mother to whom the living child belonged spoke to the king, for her heart ached for her son, and she said: “O Lord, give her the living child, but by no means kill it.” Then the king answered and said “Give the first woman the living child and by no means kill it. She is the mother of it.” All Israel heard of the judgement which the King had handed down, and they respected the king. For they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to give judgments. December 16: Elijah and the Raven (1 King 17: 1-24) Elijah the Tishbite. and inhabitant of Gilead, said to Ahab: "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will not be dew nor rain for years, unless I say the word." Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying: "Get away from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is this side of Jordan. There you shall drink of the brook, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there." So he went and did as the Lord had commanded, and lived by the brook Cherith. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and again bread and meat in the evening, and he drank of the brook. December 17: Isaiah’s Vision of Jesus (Isaiah 9 2-4, 6-7) Those who walked in the dark have seen a bright light. And it shines upon everyone who lives in the land of darkest shadows. Our LORD, you have made your nation stronger. Because of you, its people are glad and celebrate like workers at harvest time or soldiers dividing what they have taken. You have broken the power of those who oppressed and enslaved your people. You have rescued them as you did from Midian. For us a child has been born. A son has been given to us, and he will be our ruler. His names will be: Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His power will never end, and peace will last forever. He will rule David's kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The LORD All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done. (From the Lectionary For Masses With Children) December 18: Jonah & the Whale (Jonah 1: 1-17 & 2: 10. The Wonder book of Bible Stories from BibleHub.com) At this time another prophet, named Jonah, was giving the word of the Lord to the Israelites. To Jonah the Lord spoke, saying: "Go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it; for its wickedness rises up before me." But Jonah did not wish to preach to the people of Nineveh; for they were the enemies of his land, the land of Israel. He wished Nineveh to die in its sins, and not to turn to God and live. So Jonah tried to go away from the city where God had sent him. He went down to Joppa and took a ship for Tarshish.

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But the Lord saw Jonah on the ship; and the Lord sent a great storm upon the sea, so that the ship seemed as though it would go to pieces. The sailors threw overboard everything on the ship; and when they could do no more, every man prayed to his god to save the ship and themselves. Jonah was now lying fast asleep, and the ship's captain came to him, and said: What do you mean by sleeping in such a time as this? Awake, rise up, and call upon your God. Perhaps He will hear you and save our lives." But the storm continued to rage around the ship; and they said: "There is some man on this ship who has brought upon us this trouble. Let us cast lots and find who it is." Then they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. They said to him, all at once: "Tell us, who are you? From what country do you come? What is your business? To what people do you belong? Why have you brought all this trouble upon us?" Then Jonah told them the whole story, how he came from the land of Israel, and that he had fled away from the presence of the Lord. And they said to him: "What shall we do to you, that the storm may cease?"

Then said Jonah:"Take me up and throw me into the sea; then the storm will cease and the waters will be calm; for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you." At last, when they could do nothing else to save themselves, they threw Jonah into the sea. At once the storm ceased, and the waves became still. Then the men on the ship feared the Lord greatly. They offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and made promises to serve him. And the Lord caused a great fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was alive within the fish for three days and three nights. In the fish Jonah cried to the Lord; and the Lord caused the great fish to throw up Jonah upon the dry land. December 19: Daniel in the Lion Den: (Daniel 6: 2-24.The Children’s Bible, Pages 318-321) It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty princes who were to rule the whole kingdom. And over these were three presidents, and of than Daniel was the first. The princes were to give account to them. so that the king would have no troubles. Daniel was put over the presidents and princes because of his excellent mind. And the king planned to put him over the whole kingdom. Then the presidents and princes tried to find some fault with Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no fault because he was faithful and loyal, and there was no error or Fault to he found in him. And these men said:"We shall not find and grounds for complaint against Daniel unless it concerns his worship of his God." So those presidents and princes assembled together before the king and said to him:"King Darius. live for ever! All the presidents of the kingdom and the governors and the princes , the counselors and the captains, have consulted together about establishing a royal law, by a firm order, that whoever asks anything of any god or man for thirty days, except of you, O king, shall be cast into a den of lions. “Now O King, establish this order and sign the writing, that it may not be changed, according to the law of Medes and the Persians, which does not change.” Then King Darius signed his name to the writing. When Daniel knew that the law was signed and ratified, he went into his house, and his windows being opened in his chamber facing Jerusalem, he knelled down three times a day and prayed and gave thanks to his God just as he had done before. Then the men came together and found Daniel praying and entreating God. They hurried to the king and reminded him of his order. “Did you not sign an order that any man asking a favor of any god or man withing thirty days, except yourself, O King, shall be thrown into the den of lions?” The king

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answered and said “That is true, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which does not change.” Then they answered and said to the king “That Daniel who is one of the children oh the captivity of Judah, does not respect you, O king, nor the decree which you have signed, but makes his request three times a day." When he heard these words, the king was very much displeased with himself, and he set his heart on saving Daniel. He thought until the setting of the sun about how to save Daniel. Then the men came before the king and said to him: "Remember, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and the Pcrsiuns that no order or law which the king lays down can be changed." Then the king commanded them to take Daniel and throw him into the den of lions. And the king said to Daniel: "Your God whom you serve so faithfully surely he will save you." Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night in fasting. No musical instruments were brought to him. and he did not sleep at all. Very early in the morning the king arose and hurried to the den of lions. When he came to the den, he cried out m a sorrowing voice to Daniel and said to him: "O Daniel, servant of the living God. has your God, whom you serve so faithfully, been able to save you from the lions!" Then Daniel said to the king: "O king, live for ever. My God has sent his angel and has shut the lions' mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was innocent in his sight; and I have done no harm to you either, O king."

Then the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that Daniel should be brought up out of the den. So Daniel was brought up out of the den, and no wound of any kind was found on him, because he believed in his God. Then king Darius wrote to all people and nations, and in all the languages of the earth: "Peace be multiplied to you! I now command that in every part of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, unchanging for ever. and his kingdom shall never he destroyed, and his power shall continue to the end. He rescues and saves, and he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions." So Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (The December 20: Prophecy About Bethlehem: (Micah 5: 2-4. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago. That is why the Lord will abandon Israel until the time a mother has a child. Then the rest of the Lord’s people will return to the people of Israel. The child will become the shepherd of his flock. He will lead them with the strength of the Lord, with the majestic name of the Lord his God. They will live in safety because his greatness will reach the ends of the earth. This man will be their peace. December 21: The Birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1: 5-25. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abi'ah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old. One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, while the people stood outside praying.

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All at once an angel from the Lord came and appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. But the angel told him: "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers .Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born. "John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought That is how John will get people ready for the Lord." December 22: The Annunciation (Lk 1: 26-38. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. The angel greeted Mary and said, "You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you." Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. Then the angel told Mary, "Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end." Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married!" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. "Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. Nothing is impossible for God!" Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said." And the angel left her.

December 23: The visitation (Luke 1: 39-56. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." December 24: Joseph Visited by an Angel (Mt 1: 18-25. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) This is how Jesus Christ was born. A young woman named Mary was engaged to Joseph from King David's family. But before they were married, she learned that she was going to have a baby by God's Holy Spirit. Joseph was a good man and did not want to embarrass Mary in front of everyone. So he decided to quietly call off the wedding. While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord came to him in a dream. The angel said, "Joseph, the baby that Mary will have is from the Holy Spirit. Go ahead and marry her. Then after her baby is born, name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." So God's promise came true, just as the prophet had said, "A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel," which means "God is with us." After Joseph woke up, he and Mary were soon married, just as the Lord's angel had told him to do. He had no relations with her till she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

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December 25: The Birth of Jesus (Lk 2: 1-10. From Lectionary For Masses With Children) Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family. Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, "Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying in a manger." Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said: "Praise God in heaven!Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God."

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