Lessons, Carols, y Posada

This Advent we invite you to a special Advent event. The night begins at 6:30 pm in the Church where we will embark on a journey through scripture and song known as “Lessons and Carols”.

• The Festival of Lessons and Carols is a service of Scripture and song that dates to the late 19th century.  In this service, we listen to nine Scripture lessons that recount the Fall, the promise of a Messiah, the Incarnation, and the Great Commission to preach the Good News.  Each lesson is followed by a carol or other song that reflects on the lesson's message and a brief prayer (from the USCCB).

Following the Lessons and Carols, we will transition to “Las Posadas.”

• Celebrating "Las Posadas," we remember the pilgrimage of the Holy Family from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and how hard it was for them to find a place to rest despite Mary's advanced pregnancy. With songs, those accompanying "the Holy      Pilgrims" represent the act of knocking on the door of a house requesting "posada" (lodging): "En el nombre del cielo, os pido posada…" Those inside keep turning them down. They go back and forth several stanzas until the house hosting the posada finally opens the doors welcoming the Pilgrims and accompanying crowd. In the United States, this Mexican tradition has extended to many other Latin American communities, perhaps due to identification with the migration experience of the Holy Family (from the USCCB).

Finally, we will end with a social and fellowship in the PEC. We need your help for this part of the night.

• We invite all parishioners to bring a light snack for all to share. Examples include pan dulce, cookies, tamales, and other finger foods. You can drop off your shareable food item at the Parish Evangelization Center (building 5) beginning at 4:30 pm.