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mary
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okay, we used shrinky dink paper and made ornaments from moira farrell's album. they look wonderful. BUT, i don't know which one goes with which day/reading. can anyone help me? i've looked online but haven't seen the same list of symbols that i have. help!
oh and we are so enjoying the jesse tree recommended by mater ambilis. thank you!
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kjohnson
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Mary, I posted our Jesse Tree symbol and reading list to dowload on my blog. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you are using, but it may help. It's here.
HTH
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Katherine
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Helen
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Mary,
How are you doing with your Jesse Tree?
Alice posted a link with symbols and Bible passages at O Night Divine.
If the Lord permits, I'm going to try to explain the development of our Jesse Tree at my blog.
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Ave Maria!
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Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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mary
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thank you for asking! i'm still struggling along. katherine's list is fantastic, but they still don't match up with my list from moira's album (oh, how i wish she had listed the readings.) alice's list has some of them, but i'm still scratching my head over a few. the jesse tree book is wonderful, but the symbols aren't the same ones and so every night, i'm reading the book and then we search through the shrinky dinks trying to find something appropriate.
maybe if i listed the symbols i have, someone could help me?
alpha/omega
adam/eve
serpent/apple
noah's ark
stars
jacob's ladder
joseph's coat
bundle of sticks
burning bush
lamb
10 commandments
2 pple praying on a box with poles.
horn
wheat sheaves
lily
harp
scroll
star
hammer/saw
city
baptismal shell
3 angels
flower
baby in manger
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Helen
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mary wrote:
| thank you for asking! i'm still struggling maybe if i listed the symbols i have, someone could help me? |
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alpha/omega - Christ is the beginning and the end (beginning of the Greek alphabet and ending letter)
adam/eve -Genesis Chapter 2
Christ will be the new Adam - Mary the New Eve
serpent/apple Gen 3 - The Fall of Man and the promise of a savior
noah's ark - Genesis
Mary is symbolized as the ark
stars Abraham? Your descendents will be as many as the stars in the sky. (Gen 12-14?)
jacob's ladder
Jacob had a vision in Bethel of Angels going up and down from heaven. (Genesis)
joseph's coat Genesis again - Joseph who suffered at the hands of his brothers was able to say as Viceroy of Egypt
The Lord has brought me here to save lives.
(symbol of Christ and also points to St. Joseph)
bundle of sticks - Isaac? Carried the wood of sacrifice on his back.
burning bush God spoke to Moses in the Burning bush - Beginning of exodus.
Mary is prefigured in the burning bush
A mother without losing her virginity.
lamb
Exodus - the Lamb of sacrifice who saved the Israelites from the angel of death on the first passover.
Symbol of Christ.
10 commandments
2 pple praying on a box with poles.
horn - Joshua? the taking of Jericho with a 7 day march around the city
wheat sheaves- Ruth? a gleaner
a gentile relative of the Messiah
lily? Isaiah's prophecy that the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son?
harp- David composer of the psalms and from whose line the Messiah
scroll
star ?Bethlehem the sign in the sky that the Messiah has been born
hammer/saw - St. Joseph
city or maybe this is Bethlehem
baptismal shell - St. John hte Baptist precursor of the Lord
3 angels
flower
baby in manger
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MichelleW
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Helen wrote:
noah's ark - Genesis
Mary is symbolized as the ark
And in this story we also see that sin leads to death, AND that God sends His dove with an olive branch to Noah as a sign of peace.
10 commandments - One of the O Antiphons names the Lord as the Giver of the Law
2 pple praying on a box with poles. - The ark of the covenant? It sounds like the lid on the ark, which has two angels kneeling over the top facing each other and bowing reverently. This lid is also called "The Mercy Seat." It is my understanding that during old testament sacrifices the blood of the lamb was to be sprinkled on this lid. The information for this is in Exodus or Leviticus, I believe. The poles would be for the priests to carry the ark of the covenant (a box that held the Law and manna and the rod of the priest). Mary is considered the New Ark. She held the Lord (who is the Law, the Bread and the High Priest)
scroll - This could be Isaiah? Isaiah has so many prophecies regarding the coming of Christ, and doesn't Jesus read one of the prophecies from Isaiah when He is teaching in a synagogue during His ministry time? I think He says, "Today this has been fulfilled in your sight." Or something close.
star ?Bethlehem the sign in the sky that the Messiah has been born This could also be for the star the wisemen followed?
hammer/saw - St. Joseph
city or maybe this is Bethlehem
baptismal shell - St. John hte Baptist precursor of the Lord
3 angels
flower
baby in manger |
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Helen
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I've been thinking that maybe the three angels represent the host of angels who appeared in the sky announcing the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds.
I think Michelle is right about the pole with the people as the ark of the convenant.
(The most important symbol - along with Eve - of the Blessed Virgin Mary according to Pope Pius IX)
and the star - yes! the Wise Men.
What kind of flower?
Probably the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Ave Maria!
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Elizabeth
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I wrote to Moira and sent her a link. Maybe she'll chime in. I'm not up for mind reading. 
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Helen
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Elizabeth wrote:
| I wrote to Moira and sent her a link. Maybe she'll chime in. I'm not up for mind reading. |
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 Brilliant Elizabeth!!
No wonder you wrote a book about homeschooling.
I'm looking forward to Moira's reply.
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Ave Maria!
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mary
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oh, thank you elizabeth! i'll happily wait for moira to reply.
(michele, you are right, that IS the ark of the covenant!)
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JennGM
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Just a few ideas, in case Moira doesn't have time. I grew up with these symbols, so I applied some of them.
alpha/omega -- O Wisdom
adam/eve--Genesis and creation.
serpent/apple: The Apple: "O Happy Fault, whereby we have merited so great a Redeemer."
noah's ark--A savior, Noe preserved the natural life of all within the Ark; Christ brings supernatural life to mankind and preserves that life within His Mystical Body the Church.
stars
jacob's ladder: Jacob's Ladder: In a vision, Jacob saw a ladder reaching from heaven to earth, with angels descending and ascending. Christ, the Incarnate God, is the Ladder reuniting earth to heaven, mankind to God.
joseph's coat
bundle of sticks: The Altar of Holocaust: Sacrifice was offered daily on the Jewish altar of holocaust — a type of the Christian altar and the daily sacrifice of the Mass or Isaac.
burning bush: The Burning Bush: God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, which burned but was not consumed, a symbol of the Virgin Birth of Christ.
lamb: The Paschal Lamb: At the yearly Pasch, the Jews sacrificed a new, unblemished lamb in thanksgiving for all that God had done for them and as an atonement offering for all their sins. This sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb was fulfilled in Christ, the "Lamb who takes away the sins of the world."
10 commandments--The Tablets of the Law: The Law of Moses as symbolized in the tablets which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai was fulfilled in Christ Who brings a law of love.
2 pple praying on a box with poles: The Ark of the Covenant: We address Mary as the Ark of the Covenant because she, like the Ark of the Old Testament, contained the most precious Gift of the New Law.
horn--Joshua
wheat sheaves--Ruth
lily--Annunciation and Mary
harp
scroll--Isaiah the prophet
star: The Star of David: The six-pointed star is the emblem of the Royal House of David even to this day. Christ Who is born of the House of David, can truly claim this emblem as His own.
hammer/saw--St. Joseph
city: Bethlehem: Seven hundred years before Christ's birth, Micheas prophesied that the Savior would be born in the town of Bethlehem. Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread," was appropriately designated as the birthplace of Christ, the Bread from Heaven.
baptismal shell--John the Baptist
3 angels
flower: The Root of Jesse: The flower which springs up from the root of Jesse is another figure of Christ. Isaiah prophesied that the Savior would be born from the root of Jesse, that He would sit upon the throne of David, and in Christ this prophecy is fulfilled.
baby in manger--O Emmanuel
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Family in Feast and Feria
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moira farrell
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It strikes me that the project of the Jesse Tree is just that typical kind of project, involving so many details and steps to complete it, that it often results in our selves getting lost in the minutia of the details, at the cost of losing sight of its bigger purpose and meaning. Sophia Cavalletti always said, and this I support wholeheartedly, that if you cannot sum up the meaning in just a few words about something you are trying to teach, you likely do not understand the content of what you are teaching.
In lieu of this statement, I will sum up in a sentence then, the essence of the Jesse Tree, which happens to be easily explained by a piece of scripture: "But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom..." Isaiah 11:1. Literally speaking, that's about all we know of the Jesse Tree, and anything you see beyond this description is only a variation on this theme. You may think this is very minimal, but it is in fact, all we have to go on.
That much said, the problem I am seeing with the Jesse Tree year in and year out, is that many people seem to think it has somehow been standardized in the Church. Well, it hasn't. There is no image or form that is accurate, making others inaccurate. There are no prescribed number of days, there are not even prescribed symbols for it, and lastly, there are no prescribed readings either that explain the symbols or ornaments. Holy Mother Church does not give us a Jesse Tree calendar, the way she gives us the litugical seasons or colors. For those of you who have Jesse Trees with readings, some fallible individual has simply hand-selected these readings to make sense, to go along with the symbols they have also hand-selected, to represent the major moments in the family tree of Christ. There are probably hundreds of variations on this theme, and none of them are wrong, or more right than another one. For example, I have many sibliings in the eastern Church, which begins it's Advent mid-November. For this reason, Jesse Trees in their parish include as many as 45 symbols, and someone in the parish has gathered a list of symbols (at their own discretion) and composed a series of readings or explanations to go along with the symbols, that explains them. Mine happens to have 24 ornaments, because I followed my family tradition we used growing up, of Advent calendars which had 24 doors, which we began opening on Dec. 1. The reality is that Advent doesn't necessarily begin on Dec.1. It began on Dec. 3rd this year, and it changes every year.
So in response to this quesiton of "what readings do I use?" I suggest you consider why you think you must use readings at all? What if you didn't use any? You might consider just using your own words to tell the story of each symbol on your tree, the same way you would look through a scrap book and tell stories about the family members in your own family tree. Make it personal, real, and interesting to your child. Allow yourself to realize if you even understand, and can explain in your own words, the story behind each symbol you are using. There is nothing wrong with using readings, but it is not a superior method to oral storytelling, and I have found the latter to be far more engaging with the little ones especially.
As far as variations in tree ornaments, I have seen some trees that are only composed of persons, emphasizing the members in the family tree of Christ. I have seen other trees that only use symbols, such as a scroll, an ark, a flaming bush etc, that suggest events and meanings of events in salvation history, and culminate in the person of Christ. The reality is your Jesse Tree may look as different from your neighbor's as your Christmas Tree does, and that is as it should be. My own Jesse Tree does not even look the same from year to year. Last year when my tree broke, and I just didn't have the time to replace it, I placed a small cork board on our prayer table and put the ornaments up using thumb tacks. Prior to that, I used a miniature evergreen tree. This year I sawed some new wood pieces in the shape of a multiple tiered cross, and let my 4 and 6 year old boys help put little nails into the wood to hang the ornaments. It is not an heirloom object, but the Jesse Tree is a tradition in our family, and my children remember it as much as they remember purple is the color of the liturgical time of Advent.
Now I have to confess that I have never used readings with my ornaments, so I don't even have a comprehensive list for scripture sources explaining them. I did begin using the Jesse Tree by using my mom's little booklet though, which I believe she still sells at Our Father's House for $1.50. There are a few short sentences about each symbol (these are the same symbols illustrated in my cataechesis manual because it was a project we did together) but they are really so simple any of you could write your own description. I don't use the little booklet any more, but use my own words to explain and describe teh symbols. This year the kids are doing their own exlaining, and we simply discuss for a little bit the story behind each one. It is very informal, but the stories have obviously stayed with them.
In conclusion I will say that when we run into problems with these kinds of projects and start asking our selves "am i doing this right?" we might do well to ask ourselves if we equally understand, and can sum up in a single sentence, the ethos of what we are doing. With that goal clearly in mind, the details of how we get there begin to fall into place.
On a final note, I invite mothers to reflect on the genuine and beautiful gift of their femeninity, as the vehicle through whom God's Spirit works to transform an ordinary family into a real and domestic church. It is mothers who set the table, lay the feast, prepare the environment, and gather the resources that aid and nourish their domestic church's traditions. God's Spirit can certainly work with a Jesse Tree kit from a box, even with prescribed readings, but don't underestimate the beauty and gift that you bring to your family when you invest your own personal touches of unique character to your family celebrations. The more there is of you in the mix, the better---your words, your voice, your favorite stories from your family's traditions and rituals--these can all be a part of your Advent, and they will serve to make it both personal and holy.
Now for a few technical items--and you will all probably laugh when I say this--the flower several of you have inquired about is none other than the blossom that springs forth from the root of jesse, known as the Rose of Jesse. The two people praying on the box with poles is indeed the Ark of the Covenant, the wheat is for Ruth--who happens to be the grandmother of Jesse (she is the mother of Obed, who is the father of Jesse, thus she is the great grandmother of David). Everything else I read seems to have been figured out---yes the angels are for the appearance to the shepherds, the scroll is for Isaiah, the city of Bethlehem is actually for the prophet Micah, who foretold the place of Christ's birth. Someone suggested the star was for the three kings, but just for clarity I steer away from mentioning them until Epiphany. Anything else I forgot?...Feel free to write me personally if you have any more questions, although you may now realize that I am not the standard on this topic. But I am happy to share what I know, and the experiences I have learned from along the way.
May God bless all your Advent efforts, and may His Spirit impart confidence and creativity into your family's preparations for Christmas.
Moira Farrell
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mary
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moira, thank you for posting and for taking the time to help me with the symbols. i do understand your point about not getting so caught up in the correct symbol/reading that you lose sight of the jesse tree. i don't think i reached the point of even wondering if i was doing it right! sadly, i've never done a jesse tree before and had no idea what some of the symbols represented.  that's clearly my own shortcoming, but that info must be understood to do a jesse tree at all - whatever symbols/readings one chooses to use. thank you for clarifying the symbols for me.
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JennGM
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Moira, Thank you. Beautiful post, and comforting. When we did the Jesse Tree when I was young, it was simple, with painted dough ornaments on a small artificial tree. We didn't have readings, from the Bible or whereever, just small "presentations" which led to discussions or reflection. (As I write this, how close it sounds to the CoGS presentation!) We looked forward to each day for the new ornament on the tree.
I have looked at so many different ways of presenting the Jesse Tree and was overwhelmed. I wondered if we had done it "right" or would I have to relearn and add on extra work....Obviously, I should not be feeling any peer pressure in this area, and do what feels right.
Thank you, again.
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lapazfarm
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I am so glad I am not the only one feeling confused by all the different "programs" out there for the Jesse tree. Ignorant as I am, I thought it was more standardized than it is. As a convert I have so much to learn!
I nearly cried reading Katherine's blog and finding out we were already too late to start at the beginning of advent!
Anyways, rather than stressing about it I just picked one to go with (the one at Catholic Culture) that suited our schedule this year. Glad I did as it is working out well!
I am also glad to have the readings laid out for me to follow as I do not know these stories myself and am learning them right along with my son!
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JennGM
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lapazfarm wrote:
I am so glad I am not the only one feeling confused by all the different "programs" out there for the Jesse tree. Ignorant as I am, I thought it was more standardized than it is. As a convert I have so much to learn!
I nearly cried reading Katherine's blog and finding out we were already too late to start at the beginning of advent!
Anyways, rather than stressing about it I just picked one to go with (the one at Catholic Culture) that suited our schedule this year. Glad I did as it is working out well! |
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BTW, Theresa, I keep meaning to comment on how lovely your symbols are. They are just gorgeous!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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lapazfarm
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Thank you so much! It helps that they are about the ONLY thing we are doing right now!LOL!
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kjohnson
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lapazfarm wrote:
| I nearly cried reading Katherine's blog and finding out we were already too late to start at the beginning of advent! |
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Oh no, Theresa! There's no crying in Advent! No crying allowed!...especially when you read my blog.
I'm happy that you found readings that would work in your busy schedule this season. The fact that you are creating Jesse Tree symbols while in the process of moving elevates you to Advent SuperMom status. What an inspiration! 
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Katherine
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Helen
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Maybe the first year with a Jesse Tree begin with just the stories with narrations or stories with pictures drawn by the children. Then the next year around move on to symbols.
I think this is why our family ended up making dioramas to begin with. Too many steps involved with learning the stories, figuring out the order, what the stories mean and then assigning and understanding the symbol.
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MicheleQ
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Moira,
I SO like your sensibility (reminds me of your mom ). Thanks for taking the time to write such a great response.
moira f. wrote:
| On a final note, I invite mothers to reflect on the genuine and beautiful gift of their femeninity, as the vehicle through whom God's Spirit works to transform an ordinary family into a real and domestic church. It is mothers who set the table, lay the feast, prepare the environment, and gather the resources that aid and nourish their domestic church's traditions. God's Spirit can certainly work with a Jesse Tree kit from a box, even with prescribed readings, but don't underestimate the beauty and gift that you bring to your family when you invest your own personal touches of unique character to your family celebrations. The more there is of you in the mix, the better---your words, your voice, your favorite stories from your family's traditions and rituals--these can all be a part of your Advent, and they will serve to make it both personal and holy. |
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Ah so true - thanks for the reminder!
God bless,
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Michele Quigley
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Topic: need jesse tree help!
