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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me understand that I'll get what I need for Christmas. Amen!


John the Baptist was getting people ready for Jesus' coming, and they were confused. "Are you God, or a prophet?" they asked John. "No," John told them. "Then why are you baptizing people?" they asked. John answered, "I'm only baptizing you with water. Jesus is coming soon, and He's really God! He's so great, I don't even deserve to untie His shoes."

For a lot of kids, it's not enough to see Santa at the mall and tell him what you'd like for Christmas. You also remind your parents to let him know - and maybe you write a letter to Santa, too, just to make absolutely sure he gets the message.

Your family might tell you not to worry: Santa knows about your Christmas list, and may surprise you with something on it. You don't have to tell him a hundred times in a hundred ways.

Some of the people in this week's Gospel (John 1:6-8,19-28) felt like your family might feel before Christmas. They had listened to John teaching and been baptized by John, so they wondered why they'd have to do that all over again with Jesus!

John reassured them that baptism wasn't like a Christmas list asking for the same thing over and over again. John's baptism of people with water was a symbol of the real baptism to come: Jesus' baptizing people with the Holy Spirit, come down from heaven.

No matter how many letters you write to Santa and messages you send, you won't get every present you want. (If everyone did, there wouldn't be room for it all!) But one thing is sure: Jesus was the best Christmas present of all, the reason we celebrate. John promised that Jesus was so great, John didn't deserve to untie His shoes![[In-content Ad]]

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