Gift of the Spirit: Knowledge
Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

• Bulletin Announcements
• Prayers of the Faithful
• Prayer of the Month
• Cenacle Readings
• Saints of the Month
• Video Resources
• Lesson Plans and Activities for the Fruit of Kindness

Year of the Holy Spirit: Fruit of the Month: Kindness
During the month of December, our focus is on the Spirit’s Fruit of Kindness. In Ephesians 4, we read, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each another, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Kindness always requires an action. Christ’s kindness in the Gospels was born out of his love for souls. We often read, “He took pity on them” which was followed by some kind of action, be it physical and/or spiritual healing, feeding five thousand hungry people, or teaching them of God’s saving love. Kindness requires concrete action, which may be as simple as a greeting and a smile, or a prayer or a hug for someone who looks like they need it. May God help us see the opportunities around us each day do a kindness, and act upon it!

Year of the Holy Spirit: Gift of the Month: Knowledge
During the month of December, we ask the Holy Spirit to enkindle within us the gift of Knowledge. This gift enables us to know God, to know his heart, to hear his voice in our lives. It also puts in us a desire to want to know our Catholic faith more deeply as the faith that Christ instilled in the apostles. In understanding better his gifts of the Sacraments and how they draw us into the Divine Being as the precursor to our eternal life in Christ when He calls us from this life. Knowledge helps us replace the fear of death with the great love and mercy of Christ.

1. That the Holy Spirit would activate within us the gift of knowledge, that having confidence in God’s love and mercy in us, we may pass the good news of his love and mercy to those he brings to us. We pray to the Lord…

2. That the Holy Spirit would help us to recognize and act upon every opportunity of kindness that presents itself to us to bring God’s love and mercy to those most in need. We pray to the Lord…

Heavenly Father, in this month of December, as we anticipate and prepare for the advent of your Son, we ask your Holy Spirit to especially increase within us the gift of knowledge and the fruit of kindness, that we may especially come of know the heart of Jesus Christ which burns for each of us personally. Grant that this knowledge helps us to “put on the mind of Christ” and moves us to works of mercy and acts of kindness in our daily encounters with others. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus, Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and your Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

December 1-4: Hebrews 1:1-1:12
December 5-11: 1 John 2:15-23 or Hebrews: 1:13-2:13
Special reading for Dec 8 (Immaculate Conception): Luke 1:26-38
December 12-18: 1 John 2:24-2:29 or Hebrews 2:14-3:6
December 19-25: 1 John 3:1-3:11 or Hebrews 3:7-4:3a
December 26-31: 1 John 4:1-11

Saint of the Month Exemplifying the Fruit of Kindness:  Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra
Video for Adult Catholics on the life of St. Nicholas here:  St. Nicholas, The Real Story (Documentary on the Life of St. Nicholas)
Video for Children here:  Saint Nicholas for Children (part 1) and Saint Nicholas for Children (Part 2)

Saint of the Month Exemplifying the Gift of Knowledge; Saint Ambrose Doctor of the Church
Video for Adult Catholics on the life of St. Ambrose here: Audio by Fr. Charles Connor on Saint Ambrose, Doctor of the Church
Video for Children on the life of St. Ambrose, Doctor of the Church: Saint Ambrose of Milan for Children

Pre-K and K Children’s Videos: Fruit of the Spirit for Children: Kindness
Grades 1-3 Children’s Video: Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness and here: Simple Acts of Kindness
Grades 4th-6th Video:  Simple acts of Kindness (Pt 1); Simple Acts of Kindness Pt, 2
Grades 7th-9th Video: Kindness: The Secret Tool of Evangelization
Grades 10th-12th Video: Kindness: The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit: A Pentecost Novena w/ Bishop Boyea.
Video for Adults on the Gift of the Holy Spirit: Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness by Bishop Boyea
Video on Knowledge for Teens and Adults: Bishop Boyea on the Spiritual Gift of Knowledge

Pre-K & K

1. Watch the video for the Fruit of Kindness for your child(ren)’s grade level
2. Explain that “kindness” goes beyond simply being nice to others and involves doing thoughtful things for others. These can include small things or big things.
3. Help your child(ren) to list some things that they could do once a day throughout the month that is kind for someone in the family or others they know.

1st-3rd Grade

1. Have your child(ren) watch the video on St. Nicholas for their grade level.
2. Have a discussion reviewing what St. Nicholas did that was kind? In what were actions like Jesus?
3. Explain that kindness is not just being “nice” to others, but involves doing thoughtful things for others. This can include small things like greeting someone who looks like they’re having a rough day to helping them pick something up that they dropped or distributing sandwiches for homeless people. There are countless things one can do for others.
4. Have your children come with a list of something they will do each day that is kind for someone. When they do their kind work, be sure to remind them to offer it Jesus as a spiritual sacrifice. By offering their kind work to God, they can atone for their own sins and the sins of others. This is very pleasing to Jesus.

1. Under “Video Resources” for this month, have your child(ren) watch parts 1 and 2 of the videos under the link: “Simple Acts of Kindness”
2. Have your child(ren) brainstorm simple things that they can do each day as an act of kindness for someone (it can be anyone).
3. Explain to your child(ren) that they should ask the Holy Spirit to provide for them opportunities to make acts of kindness, and help them recognize those opportunities.
4. Explain to your child(ren) that Advent is a season of spiritual preparation, and, like Lent, should include spiritual sacrifices to atone for their sins and the sins of others, and that this is pleasing to God.
5. Have them journal about what act of kindness they do each day.

7th-9th Grade

1. Under “Video Resources” for this month, have your teen(s) watch parts 1 and 2 of the videos under the link: “Simple Acts of Kindness” and the video entitled, ‘Kindness: The Secret Tool of Evangelization”
2. Explain to your teens that at the end of the Gospel of Matthew Jesus commands us to “teach all nations everything that I have taught you baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  This command is called, “The Great Commission” because in it, Jesus commissions us to be missionary disciples calling all people to follow him. Remind them that Jesus founded one Church and founded it under the leadership of Peter and the Apostles, which today is the Pope and the Bishops. Remind them that our best chance of salvation (of being saved) is by using all the graces and sacramental tools given to us by Jesus through his Catholic Church.
3. This call to be missionary disciples is our call by Christ to evangelize—that is, to bring the “Good News” of Jesus’ salvation to all. Many people do not understand that because of Original Sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, we must be baptized to be saved (except under very limited conditions which most people who are not baptized will never achieve-see Lumen Gentium no. 16). Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we are “redeemed” by Christ and reconciled to the God the Father, but that is not enough. Redemption and salvation are two different things. Redemption opens the way to God, but Salvation brings us to Heaven. St. Paul says, “We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling.” This means we must take every advantage the Church offers for our salvation, most especially through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, and Holy Communion. All those sacraments work together. We must also work to bring others to the sacraments which Christ offers. Without them, their chances of being saved are much less. The same is true for us, if we do not strive to live holy lives and remain in a state of sanctifying grace, which we lose through mortal sin.
4. Have your teen(s) explain or have a discussion as to what is meant by why kindness is “the secret tool of evangelization”,
5. Explain to your teen(s) the necessity of asking the Holy Spirit to provide for them opportunities to make acts of kindness and help them recognize those opportunities.
6. Explain to your child(ren) that Advent is a season of spiritual preparation, and, like Lent, should include spiritual sacrifices to atone for their sins and the sins of others, and that this is pleasing to God.
7. Have your teen make a list of kind acts they can do each day. Have them commit to doing at least one act of kindness for anyone who looks like they could use it---even a stranger—each day. (If a stranger, use common sense and safety—be sure other adults are around or that you are with a buddy).
8. Have your teen(s) journal about what act of kindness they do each day.

Grades 10th-12th .

1. In the video resources for this month, have your older teen(s) watch the video entitled, “Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness by Bishop Boyea”.
2. Explain to your teens that at the end of the Gospel of Matthew Jesus commands us to “teach all nations everything that I have taught you baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  This command is called, “The Great Commission” because in it, Jesus commissions us to be missionary disciples calling all people to follow him. Remind them that Jesus founded one Church and founded it under the leadership of Peter and the Apostles, which today is the Pope and the Bishops. Remind them that our best chance of salvation (i.e., of being saved) is by using all the graces and sacramental tools given to us by Jesus through his Catholic Church.
3. This call to be missionary disciples is our call by Christ to evangelize—that is, to bring the “Good News” of Jesus’ salvation to all. Many people do not understand that because of Original Sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, we must be baptized to be saved (except under very limited conditions which most people who are not baptized will never achieve-see Lumen Gentium no. 16). Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we are “redeemed” by Christ and reconciled to the God the Father, but that is not enough. Redemption and salvation are two different things. Redemption opens the way to God, but Salvation brings us to Heaven. St. Paul says, “We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). This means we must take every advantage the Church offers for our salvation, most especially through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Reconciliation, and Holy Communion. All those sacraments work together. We must also work to bring others to the sacraments which Christ offers. Without them, their chances of being saved are much less. The same is true for us. If we do not strive to live holy lives and remain in a state of sanctifying grace, which we lose through mortal sin.
4. Have your teen(s) also watch the video entitled, Kindness, “The Secret Tool of Evangelization.” Discuss why kindness is “the secret tool of evangelization”.
5. Explain to your teen(s) the necessity of asking the Holy Spirit to provide for them opportunities to make acts of kindness and help them recognize those opportunities.
6. Explain to your child(ren) that Advent is a season of spiritual preparation, and, like Lent, should include spiritual sacrifices to atone for their sins and the sins of others, and that this is pleasing to God.
7. Have your teen make a list of kind acts they can do each day. Have them commit to doing at least one act of kindness for anyone who looks like they could use it---even a stranger—each day. (If a stranger, use common sense and safety—be sure other adults are around or that you are with a buddy).
8. Have your teen(s) journal about what act of kindness they do each day.

Adults

1. Watch the video from this month’s video resources entitled, “The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness by Bishop Boyea”.
2. Parents typically make sacrifices for their spouses and children each day. However, what is probably done much less is that we fail to consciously offer our daily sacrifices as spiritual sacrifices to Our Lord either through our “Morning Offering”, if we are not in that daily morning habit, or when we make a actual sacrifices. We can waste those sacrifices if we do not offer them such that they can be merely become rote or thoughtless habit and part of the daily grind.
3. The “Little Way” of St. Therese of Lisieux’ which led to her great sanctification was the offering of all the little mundane things which were part of her daily duties and responsibilities assigned to her by her Mother Superior. She always offered these little daily tasks as spiritual sacrifices to God, especially in atonement for her sins and the sins of others. This was very pleasing to Our Lord. Through the example of St. Therese of Lisieux, we see that our conscious efforts to offer the work of daily lives, the sacrifices we make for our children and our spouses, given to Our Lord in atonement for our sins and theirs, and the sins of others and as spiritual sacrifices to Our Lord will gain us great spiritual merit when offered in a spirit of love and joy. We can turn our daily actions into acts of kindness and offer them as spiritual sacrifices as well. As a parent with three teens and four young children at home, I personally know how difficult the daily grind at home can be. Let’s make the season of Advent particularly meritorious by working hard to overcome the hardships of family life, taking time to re-energize by closing the door to our room to pray for a few minutes or pray with our spouses (even better) or, even better, if possible, spend some time with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at your parish’s weekly cenacle or just one your own.
4. Make a daily effort to consciously offer your daily sacrifices in a spirit of love and joy to Christ as a spiritual sacrifice for the atonement of sins that offend his Most Sacred Heart.