The Christmas Story Experience at St. Joe’s Welcome to the Family Friendly Self-Guided Drive Through Christmas Story Experience at St. Joe’s. The Christmas Story Experience is available from December 6 through the 20 from 6pm to 8pm. Please follow the Christmas Story Narration available at www.mystjoes.me for each scene. Look for the inflatable snowman to begin. Advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas. It is a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. Many Catholics light an Advent Wreath in preparation of Christmas. The first Advent Candle is purple and represents Hope. Shine in our lives with hope and promise. Give us right vision so that we remain attentive to this holy season. Remind us to look for you in small acts of kindness and love. We await your coming with wonder. The second Advent Candle is also purple represents Faith. Illuminate our hearts with your grace. Enlarge our vision so that we recognize our kinship with all the people of the world. Help us to give to others in ways that meet their deepest needs. We await your coming with gratitude and faith. The third Advent Candle is pink and represents Joy. Brighten our homes with your presence. Clarify our vision so that we might see you in the people we cherish. Make every holiday activity an opportunity to spread your light and love. We await your coming with joy. The fourth Advent Candle is purple and represents Peace. Glow brightly in each moment. Enlighted our vision so that we see beyond the trappings of the holidays. Relieve us, if just for a moment, of our worries and stress. We await your coming with peace in our hearts. Please quiet your mind and enjoy the simplicity and beauty of the Christmas Story… Scene #1: Mary and Joseph are engaged to be married. In the town of Nazareth lived a young woman named Mary. Mary was engaged to marry a carpenter named Joseph. He was a good man and was a descendant of King David. Mary would often stop in the doorway of Joseph’s shop to say hello. Mary and Joseph loved each other very much, and they looked forward to sharing a long and happy life together. Scene #2: An angel appears to Mary. God sent the angel Gabriel to see Mary. “You are a blessed woman,” Gabriel said. “God loves you very much.” Even though Gabriel was bringing Mary good news, she was so afraid she could not speak. Then Gabriel told her, “Do not worry, Mary. God is pleased with you. You will have a son and name him Jesus. He will be called the Son of God. He will have a kingdom that will never end.” Mary asked the angel Gabriel, “How can this happen? I am not married.” Gabriel answered, “God’s Holy Spirit will make it happen. Nothing is impossible for God.” Mary thought a moment and then said, “I want to please God. If this is what God wants, then let it be.” Scene #3: An angel appears to Joseph in a dream. Joseph soon heard that Mary was going to have a baby, and he was upset. He still loved her very much, but he decided that it would be best to call off their marriage. One night while Joseph was asleep, an angel from God spoke to him in a dream. “Joseph, go ahead a marry Mary. The baby she is going to have is from God’s Holy Spirit. After the baby is born, name him Jesus. That means he will save his people from all the wrong things they have done.” When Joseph woke up, he went to see Mary to tell her about the wonderful dream he had had. They were married soon after that. Scene #4: Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem. About the same time, the emperor of the country ordered everyone to go to their family’s hometown to be listed for tax records. Joseph’s family was from a town called Bethlehem, so he and Mary needed to go there to be counted. Scene #5: Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem. They started off on the long journey to Bethlehem. Mary rode on a donkey, and Joseph walked along at her side. The trip was very hard, especially for Mary, because it was time for the baby to come. Many other people had also come to Bethlehem to be listed for the tax records. Scene #6: Mary and Joseph look for a place to stay the night. Because there were so many visitors in town, there was no room for them to stay the night. An Inn keeper, who had no room for them offered them his stable with his animals. Scene #7: Mary gave birth to a child in the stable. Mary and Joseph named their newborn son Jesus, just as the angels had told them. Mary wrapped her baby in wide strips of cloth she had brought from home. She gently laid Jesus in an empty manger, a place where the animals ate. Joseph and Mary were very happy. Scene #8: Angels appear to shepherds who were keeping watch over their sheep. That same night some shepherds were guarding their sheep out on a hillside near Bethlehem. All at once they saw an angel from God in the sky. Great lights flashed down around them, and they were very afraid. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you wonderful news. This very night a Savior was born for you and your people. He is Christ the Lord. Go see him. You will find him in a stable lying in a manger.” Suddenly the sky was full of angels who joined to sing praises to God. “Glory to God in heaven and peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.” Scene #9: The wise men follow the star to Jesus. A little later some wise men who studied the stars came from the east. When they arrived in the city of Jerusalem, they began to ask questions. “Where is the baby who is born to be your king? We have followed his star from the east and we want to worship him.” When King Herod heard about their questions, he was worried. He wanted to be the only king in the land. He called together a group of important men and asked them, “Where will the Son of God be born?” “In Bethlehem,” they answered. Then Herod called in the wise men and tried to trick them. “After you find the baby, come back and tell me so that I can see him too,” he said. Scene #10: The wise men set off for Bethlehem, following the bright star all the way. The star stopped right over the place where Joseph, Mary, and the baby were staying. The wise men went to worship the new baby. They opened their bags and took out gifts for him. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Later the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to King Herod and tell him about the baby Jesus. So, when they started toward home, they went a different way. Merry Christmas! We wish you hope, faith, joy and peace this Christmas and always. The St. Joe’s Staff .