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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me to be satisfied with whatever I get for Christmas. Amen!

When Joseph found out that Mary would be the mother of Jesus, he decided not to marry her. But in a dream, an angel said to him, "Joseph, take Mary home with you. The Holy Spirit gave her this child, and you will name Him Jesus, because He will save the world." Joseph married Mary, and, soon, Jesus was born.

Christmas lists can be serious business for kids. Just because you know you won't get everything doesn't stop you from adding to your list and changing what you want, right up until the last minute!

In this week's Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24), Joseph and Mary's Christmas list gets changed - and it isn't even their decision.

A lot of kids plan Christmas lists by asking for a bunch of things, knowing you'll just get a few. In the Gospel story, Joseph and Mary had planned just one thing: getting married. At first, they must have been as excited as kids before Christmas.

Sometimes, you list things you won't get, like a horse or a baby brother. Some things are too big, too expensive or just impossible. But you put them on the list anyway, just for fun.

For God, nothing is impossible - which is what Mary and Joseph found out. God decided to make them the mother and foster father of Jesus. Instead of a small wedding and a quiet life, they were going to get a surprise baby who was the Son of God!

Listing things you know you won't get can make you a little sad. When Joseph found out that his plans were changed, he got very upset. He wasn't even going to marry Mary.

But, like kids at Christmas, Mary and Joseph found out that what God had planned was just right for them. They didn't get what was originally on their Christmas list, but they got the best Christmas gift ever: Jesus, born on the first Christmas![[In-content Ad]]

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