Second Week - 3
Jesus is Born

When you come to repeat one of these contemplations, notice where you were welcome and where you held back or felt out of it.

If you've been doing some penances, you might want to make some changes. Celebrate Jesus' birth with your whole self.

What I want now: I ask to enter into the mind of the One who chose to be born as I was born. I ask to love this little Infant so that my life will fall into His life's pattern.

PRAYER MATERIAL FOR THIS WEEK:
1. The Birth of Jesus (see Brief Note)

2. Repetition, using Luke 2:1-7

3. Luke 2:-?20
The shepherds hear the angel's news. They hurry to find Mary, Joseph, and the baby. Then they go back to their flocks glorifying and praising God.

4. Matthew 2:1-12
The Three Wise men follow the star to adore Jesus. They worship Him, offering gifts.  Warned in a dream, they go back another way.

5. Repetition

6. Luke 2:22-39 The Purification and Presentation ? The Child Jesus is taken to the temple to be offered as the first?born to the Lord. There the young couple is met by Simeon and Anna.

7. Repetition of the Week

PRAYER FOR WHAT I WANT:
Lord Jesus, right from the moment of Your birth,
You lived with both the little and the great.
You charmed and challenged and won them all.
Lord, let me feel Your charismatic warmth,
that tremendous welcoming grace
that made the simple love You
and their leaders seek You in the night.
Teach me to rest easy where You are,
easy as hairy shepherd and smooth-shaven savant,
easy as Mary who bore You gently,
easy as Joseph who held You, your Abba!
Accept the homage of my heart
along with the shepherd's adoring gaze
and the gifts of worshipful kings.
Amen.