During Advent

Saint Anselm stated, "Come now, insignificant man, fly for a moment from your affairs, escape for a little while from the tumult of your thoughts. Put aside now your weighty cares and leave your wearisome toils. Abandon yourself for a little to God and rest for a little in Him. Enter into the inner chamber of your soul, shut out everything save God and what can be of help in your quest for Him, and having locked the door, seek Him out..."

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Throughout Advent, although the world tries in every way to distract us from the approaching birth of Jesus, may we hold tight to St. Anselm's words, abandoning ourselves to God and making ready our hearts for Him. May we journey with Joseph and Mary, who, while fulfilling their necessary tasks, prepared each moment for the coming of the Lord, their Infant Son. During this season of Advent, may we remember to pause, remaining still and silent, and listen for God's voice guiding us as he guided Mary and Joseph on their road to Bethlehem. 

During the Advent season, let us also meditate on the beautiful Marian hymn below.  Believed to have been written during the Middle Ages, this hymn illuminates the link from Mary to Jesus.  Let us strive to keep our gaze upon Our Lady throughout Advent that she may lead us to her Infant Son.

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Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; 

Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way! 

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; 

Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine! 

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; 

Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red! 

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; 

Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood! 

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord; 

Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored! 

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest; 

Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest! 

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s Son 

By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

 On December 21 Holy Mother Church honors the martyr and apostle, St. Thomas.  While St. Thomas is most often recognized as "doubting Thomas," this Apostle of our Lord lived and worked tirelessly for Christ and His Church.  He was honored with the title Apostle of India.  After Pentecost, St. Thomas taught the Faith in many countries, including in Persia, in Medea, and finally in India.  Inspired by St. Thomas' holiness, love, and devotion to the Faith, the number of converts to the Church was great, which angered the king of that land.  Therefore, he ordered St. Thomas to be killed with spears, allowing the Saint to gain the crown of martyrdom. 

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The feast of St. Thomas is the last Feast the Church celebrates until the Feast of  the Birth of our Lord on Christmas Day.  The remaining days of Advent are called the Greater Ferias.  Dom Gueranger writes in The Liturgical Year,

"To none of the Apostles could this day have been so fittingly assigned as to St. Thomas. It was St. Thomas whom we needed; St. Thomas, whose festal patronage would aid us to believe and hope in that God whom we see not, and who comes to us in silence and humility... Let us pray to him with confidence. In that heaven of Light and Vision, where his repentance and love have placed him, he will intercede for us, and gain for us that docility of mind and heart, which will enable us to see and recognize Him, who is the Expected of Nations, and who, though the King of the world, will give no other signs of His majesty, than the swaddling-clothes and tears of a Babe."

"Doubting Thomas" by Caravaggio

The following prayer, also found in The Liturgical Year, is to be prayed on the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.  May we seek his intercession for an increased faith in and love of our Lord, the Infant King for whom we long.

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Prayer on the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

O glorious Apostle Thomas! who didst lead to Christ so many unbelieving nations, hear now the prayers of the faithful, who beseech thee to lead them to that same Jesus, who, in five days, will have shown Himself to His Church. That we may merit to appear in His divine Presence, we need, before all other graces, the light which leads to Him. That light is Faith; then, pray that we may have Faith. 

Heretofore, our Saviour had compassion on thy weakness, and deigned to remove from thee the doubt of His having risen from the grave; pray to Him for us, that He will mercifully come to our assistance, and make Himself felt by our heart. We ask not, O holy Apostle, to see Him with the eyes of our body, but with those of our faith, for He said to thee, when He showed Himself to thee: Blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed! Of this happy number, we desire to be. 

We beseech thee, therefore, pray that we may obtain the Faith of the heart and will, that so, when we behold the divine Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger, we may cry out: My Lord! and my God! Pray, O holy Apostle, for the nations thou didst evangelize, but which have fallen back again into the shades of death. May the day soon come, when the Sun of Justice will once more shine upon them. Bless the efforts of those apostolic men, who have devoted their labours and their very lives to the work of the Missions; pray that the days of darkness may be shortened, and that the countries, which were watered by thy blood, may at length see that kingdom of God established amongst them, which thou didst preach to them, and for which we also are in waiting.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena for the Expectation of Mary

                                                               

A prayer fitting to recite during Advent is the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This prayer, also a novena, begins on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve. It brings to mind the Expectation of Mary as Christ's birth draws near. The feast of the Expectation of Mary is historically celebrated on December 18 and is one of the Church's most ancient Advent festivals of our Lady. This prayer reminds the faithful to honor Mary for her Fiat to our Lord and praises our God for His Incarnation. As we wait for the birth of our Lord on Christmas, may we also be mindful of our Lady's joyful waiting, for she also eagerly awaited Him, her Son and her God, Whom her entire being adored and desired to serve in all things. 

The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Drop down the dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One! Let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior!" (Isaiah 48:8). 

O Lord, how wonderful You are everywhere in the world! You have made for Yourself a worthy dwelling-place in Mary!

***Recite 1 Glory be. 

"Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14). "Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus" (Luke 1:30). 

***Recite 1 Hail Mary. 

"The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and, therefore, the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. But Mary said: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word'" (Luke 1:35). 

***Recite 1 Hail Mary. 

Holy and immaculate Virgin, how shall I praise you as I ought? You have borne in your womb Him Whom heaven could not contain. You are blessed and worthy of veneration, Virgin Mary, for you became the Mother of the Savior while remaining a Virgin.

***Recite 1 Hail Mary. 

Mary speaks: "I sleep and my heart watches . . . I to my Beloved, and my Beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies" (Song of Solomon 6:2). 

Let us pray. Grant, we beg of You, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the old yoke of sin, may be freed by the new birth of Your only-begotten Son for which we long. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen. 

+ Sing or Recite the following hymn,

"Alma Redemptoris Mater" 

Mother of Christ, 

Do hear your people's cry, 

Star of the deep 

And portal of the sky. 

Mother of Him 

Whose hand your glory made, 

Sinking, we strive, 

And call to you for aid. 

Oh, by that joy 

Which Gabriel did bestow; 

O Virgin first and last, Y

our tender mercy show. 

Let us pray. O God, You willed that Your Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an angel; grant us, Your humble servants, that we who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Corona of the Immaculate Conception

                                                                 

Holy Mother Church honors Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception with a holy day of obligation on December 8, and in 1846 our Lady of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed the Patroness of the United States of America.  A beautiful prayer we can recite to honor our Lady on her feast day is the Corona of the Immaculate Conception, written by Father Marquette.

Father Marquette probably is best known for being a Jesuit missionary to America who helped explore the Mississippi River.  However, as this FSSP article states, his superior Father Claude Dablon  knew him as a very devout and kind priest.

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"We might say much of the rare virtues of this noble missionary: of his zeal, which prompted him to carry the faith so far, and proclaim the gospel to so many peoples who were unknown to us; of his gentleness, which rendered him beloved by all, and made him all things to all men...; of the childlike candor with which he disclosed his heart to his superiors, and even to all kinds of persons, with an ingenuousness which won all hearts; of his angelic chastity; and of his uninterrupted union with God. But that which apparently predominated was a devotion, altogether rare and singular, to the Blessed Virgin, and particularly toward the mystery of her Immaculate Conception...  All his conversations and letters contained something about the Blessed Virgin Immaculate — for so he always called her. From the age of 9 years, he fasted every Saturday; and from his tenderest youth began to say the Little Office of the Conception, inspiring every one with the same devotion."

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Corona of the Immaculate Conception

To pray this prayer to Our Lady:

+ Recite the Creed.  

+ After the Creed, there is said once the Our Father and Hail Mary.

+ Then recite 4 times the following prayer: 

Hail Daughter of God the Father, Hail Mother of God the Son, Hail Spouse of the Holy Ghost, Hail Temple of the entire Trinity. Through thy holy virginity and Immaculate Conception, O Virgin most pure, cleanse my heart and my flesh. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

+Conclude with the Glory Be.

***Repeat the whole sequence of prayers three times.***

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayers for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

 Holy Mother Church honors our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, a holy day of obligation. In 1854 Pope Pius IX, defining the Immaculate Conception, wrote,

“He [God] so wonderfully filled her, more than all angelic spirits and all the Saints, with an abundance of all heavenly gifts taken from the treasury of the divinity, that she, always free from absolutely every stain of sin, and completely beautiful and perfect, presented such a fullness of innocence and holiness that none greater under God can be thought of, and no one but God can comprehend it."

This following prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by Pope Pius XII for the Marian Year (December 8, 1953---December 8, 1954), which was proclaimed to mark the centenary of the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Through its recitation may we honor our Lady and beg her intercession for the help needed to attain eternal salvation.

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Prayer of Pope Pius XII

Enraptured by the splendor of thy heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into thine arms, O Immaculate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in thy most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.

Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled thee, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of thy conception until the day on which, after thine assumption into Heaven, He crowned thee Queen of the Universe.

O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with thy heavenly perfume! O Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of Hell!

O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness. In thy name, resounding harmoniously in Heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.

Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with thee, we may repeat before thy throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around thine altars: Thou art all-beautiful, O Mary! Thou art the glory, thou art the joy, thou art the honor of our people! Amen.

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The following prayer recited by St. Gertrude and St. Mechitildi, expresses our love to Mary and beautifully honors her virtues. Pope Innocent VIII attached an Indulgence to its recitation.

Act of Joy in the 

Immaculate Conception

HAIL, glorious Virgin, Morning-star that dost outshine the sun, gracious Mother of my God, sweeter than the dropping honeycomb: thou art that fair one in comparison with whom all beauty is pale and dim; thou art redder than the rose and more dazzling white than the lily; all virtues adorn thee, thou purer than the seraphim; and every Saint doth give thee honour, thou that hast thy higher throne in the heavens. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Wishing You a Blessed Advent!

 I hope to get the remainder of my birthday posts finished up over the next few weeks as well as this year's St. Nicholas ornament post.  Until then, however, I wanted to share a beautiful Advent hymn.

"O Come, Divine Messiah" stems from the old French Christmas hymn, "Venez divin Messie." It is a popular hymn generally sung in Traditional Catholic churches during  Advent.  You can listen to (most of) this beautiful Advent hymn here.

O Come, Divine Messiah

1. O come, Divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

Refrain:
Dear Savior, haste! Come, come to earth.
Dispel the night and show Your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, Divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.

2. O Christ, Whom nations sigh for,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters,
Redeem the long-lost fold. [Refrain]

3. You come in peace and meekness,
And lowly will your cradle be;
All clothed in human weakness
Shall we Your Godhead see. [Refrain]

God bless!

+JMJ+

Traveling through Advent toward Christmas

The St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer is one of my favorite Advent devotions.  It begins tomorrow, November 30, on the feast of St. Andrew and continues until Christmas.  If you would like to learn more about this beautiful prayer, the following post discusses it in more detail:  St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer.

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St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer

(recite 15 times daily)

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires (requests may be mentioned here), through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.   Amen.

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An additional Advent prayer is the Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This prayer, also a novena, begins on December 16 and ends on Christmas Eve.  It brings to mind the Expectation of Mary as Christ's birth draws near.  The feast of the Expectation of Mary is historically celebrated on December 18 and is one of the Church's most ancient Advent festivals of our Lady.  

This prayer reminds the faithful to honor Mary for her Fiat to our Lord and praises our God for His Incarnation.  As we wait for the birth of our Lord on Christmas, may we also be mindful of our Lady's joyful waiting, for she also eagerly awaited Him, her Son and her God, Whom her entire being adored and desired to serve in all things.

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The Expectation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"Drop down the dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain the Just One! Let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior!" (Isaiah 48:8).
O Lord, how wonderful You are everywhere in the world! You have made for Yourself a worthy dwelling-place in Mary!
***Recite 1 Glory be.

"Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou has found grace with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus" (Luke 1:30).
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

"The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and, therefore, the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God. But Mary said: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word'" (Luke 1:35).
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

Holy and immaculate Virgin, how shall I praise you as I ought? You have borne in your womb Him Whom heaven could not contain. You are blessed and worthy of veneration, Virgin Mary, for you became the Mother of the Savior while remaining a Virgin.
***Recite 1 Hail Mary.

Mary speaks:  "I sleep and my heart watches . . . I to my Beloved, and my Beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies" (Song of Solomon 6:2).

Let us pray.  Grant, we beg of You, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the old yoke of sin, may be freed by the new birth of Your only-begotten Son for which we long. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.

Sing or Recite the following hymn,

"Alma Redemptoris Mater."

Mother of Christ,

Do hear your people's cry,

Star of the deep

And portal of the sky.

Mother of Him

Whose hand your glory made,

Sinking, we strive,

And call to you for aid.

Oh, by that joy

Which Gabriel did bestow;

O Virgin first and last,

Your tender mercy show.

Let us pray.  O God, You willed that Your Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an angel; grant us, Your humble servants, that we who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Meditations in Preparation for Advent

 As Advent quickly approaches, it is an ideal time to begin preparing for this blessed season.  Our wonderful Fraternity pastor included the following meditation in last Sunday's bulletin; I wanted to share it with you.  You can find the entire pamphlet here.

The Coming of Christ--Meditations for Advent  --by Richard F. Clarke, S.J.

"The Dangers of the Careless Soul"

1.  There is in human nature a fatal tendency to procrastinate, especially when that which we know we ought to do is something to which we are naturally disinclined.  All men are naturally disinclined to do violence to themselves and force their pride and self-will to yield before the sway of Christ, to put on His yoke and carry His Cross. Hence, men put off and make excuses to themselves and fancy that what is difficult to them today will be easy to them tomorrow!  O fatal mistake!  Each day that we postpone the task of submission, it becomes more difficult, more distasteful.  Why then do I not hasten to submit myself entirely to Christ?

2.  From day to day the careless soul thus goes on putting off, crying: "Tomorrow I will amend my ways;" and when tomorrow comes, it still cries: "Tomorrow."  How fatal is this folly!  Tomorrow may never come, or if it comes, you may have forfeited the grace.  "Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

3.  This postponement is always accompanied by some deliberate disobedience to the commands or to the holy inspirations of the Spirit of God.  Thus, the careless soul becomes more engrossed in earthly things and more and more disinclined to make the necessary effort.  Thus it is that so many will be surprised by the coming of their Judge at the moment when they least expect Him, and are quite unprepared to meet Him.  O Jesus, save me at any cost from the deadly state of the careless soul!

I just wanted to ask everyone to keep Donald Trump in their prayers this Advent season and daily.  God has given this country not only an opportunity for a reprieve from the total grasp of the devil, but also a chance to improve the moral state of our country.  However, we must pray for our leaders.  Many people seem to have given up on Trump before he even begins, but as we all know, prayer is so powerful!  We can convert our leaders and our nation, but we must pray and sacrifice for this intention.  

God bless!

+JMJ+

Alma Redemptoris Mater

 I just wanted to remind everyone that if you want to pray the "O Antiphons," they begin on December 17.  You can find the "O Antiphons" and more information about them in my post:  O Antiphons.

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Another beautiful Catholic Advent hymn is "Alma Redemptoris Mater," which was composed by Herman Contractus.  He composed it during the Middle Ages, choosing phrases form the works of Sts. Fulgentius, Iranaeus, and Epiphanius.  "Alma Redemptoris Mater" is a Marian antiphon, with added collects, said or sung after night prayer. Traditionally it is recited from the first Sunday of Advent through the feast of the Purification on February 2.  Note the final prayers change on Christmas Eve.   You can listen to a Latin chant version of the song here.

O Loving Mother of our Redeemer

O loving Mother of our Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea,
Hasten to aid thy fallen people who strive to rise once more.
Thou who brought forth thy holy Creator, all creation wond'ring,
Yet remainest ever Virgin, taking from Gabriel's lips
that joyful "Hail!": be merciful to us sinners.

Up through the day before Christmas Eve:
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

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From Christmas Eve on:
V. Thou gavest birth without loss of thy virginity:
R. Intercede for us, O holy Mother of God.

Let us pray. O God, Who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast offered unto the human race the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we beseech thee, that we may know the effects of her intercession, through whom we have deserved to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Amen.

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And in the Latin:

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli
Porta manes, et stella maris, sucurre cadenti,
Surgere qui curat populo: tu quae genuisti,
Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,
Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore
Sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

Usque ad diem 23 decembris:
V. Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae.
R. Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto.

Oremus. Gratiam tuam, quaesumus, Domine, mentibus nostris infunde; ut, qui, angelo nuntiante, Christi Filii tui incarnationem cognovimus, per passionem ejus et crucem, ad resurrectionis gloriam perducamur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

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A die 24 decembris:
V. Post partum, Virgo, inviolata permansisti.
R. Dei Genitrix, intercede pro nobis.

Let us pray. Deus, qui salutis aeternae, beatae Mariae virginitate fecudna, humano generi praemia praestitisti: tribue, quaesumus, ut ipsam pro nobis intercedere sentiamus, per quam meruimus auctorem vitae suscipere, Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum. Amen.

--Roman breviary

During the remainder of Advent, may we make ready our hearts for the newborn King, ensuring we would be welcoming to St. Joseph and our Lady if they sought shelter at our door.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Hymn for Advent

                I pray you are having a blessed Feast of the Immaculate Conception!

Advent is one of my favorite seasons within the Church.  I love following the rhythm of the Church with the daily recitation of the St. Andrew Novena  and (soon) the O Antiphons.  Our family gathers each evening to pray these together amidst the glow of the Advent candles.  Recently I started reading Around the Year with the Trapp Family by Maria Trapp and wondered over her list of Advent hymns the Trapp family sang.  Besides "Veni, Veni Emmanuel" I knew of few hymns for the season of Advent.  Thus I began searching to find them this year; I plan to share some of the hymns throughout the season.  The following hymn is taken from Lauds in the old Roman breviary.   If you would like to listen to the hymn, you can find the Latin version sung here and the English here.

Hark, a Herald Voice is Calling Hark, a herald voice is calling; "Christ is nigh," it seems to say; "Cast away the dreams of darkness, O ye children of the day." Startled at the solemn warning, Let the earth-bound soul arise; Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling, Shines upon  the morning skies. Lo, the Lamb, so long expected, Comes with pardon down from heaven; Let us haste, with tears of sorrow, One and all to be forgiven. So when next he comes with glory, Wrapping all the earth in fear, May he then as our defender On the clouds of heaven appear. Honor, glory, virtue, merit, To the Father and the Son, With the co-eternal Spirit, While eternal ages run. Amen.

En Clara Vox Redarguit En clara vox redarguit Obscura quaeque personans: Procul fugentur somnia, Ab alto Iesus promicat. Mens iam resurgat torpida, Non amplius iacens humi: Sidus refulget iam novum, Ut tollat omne noxium. En Agnus ad nos mittitur Laxare gratis debitum: Omnes simul cum lacrimis Precemur indulgentiam. Ut cum secundo fulserit, Metuque mundum cinxerit, Non pro reatu puniat, Sed nos pius tunc protegat. Viruts, honor, laus, gloria Deo Patri cum Filio, Sancto simul Paraclito, In saeculorum saecula. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Pausing

 With the third week of Advent upon us, I found myself perpetually occupied throughout my day with schooling and Christmas preparations---cleaning, making gifts, gathering baking ingredients, preparing our Christmas newsletter, and planning activities for the 12 days of Christmas.  While my Advent prayers are recited faithfully throughout my day, I realized Advent was nearing its end, and I had yet to truly pause, breathe, and be still and silent with God.

Around the same time, I read this post by Elizabeth Foss, and the quote she provided by Saint Anselm seemed to speak directly to me and my desire to slow down and place more spiritual preparations in my day amidst the other activities.

Saint Anselm said,

"Come now, insignificant man, fly for a moment from your affairs, escape for a little while from the tumult of your thoughts. Put aside now your weighty cares and leave your wearisome toils. Abandon yourself for a little to God and rest for a little in Him.
Enter into the inner chamber of your soul, shut out everything save God and what can be of help in your quest for him and having locked the door seek him out. Speak now, my whole heart, speak now to God: 'I seek your countenance, O Lord, your countenance I seek.'
Come then, Lord my God, teach my heart where and how to seek you, where and how to find you… Teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me as I seek, because I can neither seek you if you do not teach me how, nor find you unless you reveal yourself. Let me seek you in desiring you; let me desire you in seeking you; let me find you in loving you; let me love you in finding you."

During the remainder of Advent, although preparing our homes for Christmas, may we hold tight to St. Anselm's words, abandoning ourselves to God and making ready our hearts for Him.  May we journey with Joseph and Mary, who while fulfilling their necessary tasks, ultimately prepared each moment for the coming of the Lord, their Infant Son.  During this season of Advent, may we remember to pause, remaining still and silent, and listen for God's voice guiding us as he guided Mary and Joseph on their road to Bethlehem.

People Look East

by Eleanor Farjeon

1. People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

2. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.

3. Birds, though you long have ceased to build,
Guard the nest that must be filled.
Even the hour when wings are frozen
God for fledging time has chosen.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the bird, is on the way.

4. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

5. Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

+JMJ+

O Antiphons

                          

Another tradition for Advent that I love is the recitation of the “O Antiphons.” Part of the liturgical tradition since the early Church, the O Antiphons are prayers that come from the Breviary's Vespers during the Octave before Christmas, from December 17-23, a time which is called the Golden Nights. Each Antiphon begins with “O” and addresses Jesus with a specific title which is taken from the prophecies of Isaiah. Just as all of Advent is characterized by the longing for the arrival of Christ's birth, the O Antiphons echo this desire and bring an ever greater anticipation for Christmas. Each Antiphon ends with a plea to the Messiah to come.

The titles of Christ found within the O Antiphons in the traditional Latin are: Sapentia (Wisdom), Adonai (Lord of Israel), Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse), Clavis David (Key of David), Oriens (Radiant Dawn), Rex Gentium (King of all Nations), and Emmanuel (God with us). It is believed that in the Middle Ages the Benedictine Monks who prayed the O Antiphons arranged the titles in a definite way. If, beginning with the last title, the first letter of each name is taken, the Latin words “Ero Cras” are formed, which means “Tomorrow I come.” Thus the O Antiphons are a meaningful conclusion to Advent preparations. The prayers are provided below.

To pray the O Antiphons as they are prayed in the Divine Office, recite the Antiphon, then pray the Magnificat, and then repeat the Antiphon. Following the prayers, sing the corresponding verse of “O Come, Emmanuel” with the refrain, a song which originates from the O Antiphons.
***Please notice the correct order of the verses of "O Come, Emmanuel," to sing them with the corresponding O Antiphon, is different than generally printed.  I have noted at the end of each day's prayers which verse should be sung with the refrain.  Both the Latin and the English translations are provided below.

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December 17--O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence! (Sing verse 2 of “O Come, Emmanuel” with the refrain.)

December 18--O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm! (Sing verse 3 with the refrain.)

December 19--O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry. (Sing verse 4 with the refrain.)

December 20--O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in
darkness, and in the shadow of death. (Sing verse 5 with the refrain.)

December 21--O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death! (Sing verse 6 with the refrain.)

December 22--O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Cornerstone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth! (Sing verse 7 with the refrain.)

December 23--O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God! (Sing verse 1 with the refrain.)

Veni, veni Emmanuel/Come, O come, Emmanuel

Veni, veni, Emmanuel captivum solve Israel, qui gemit in exsilio, privatus Dei Filio. Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. Veni, O Sapientia, quae hic disponis omnia, veni, viam prudentiae ut doceas et gloriae. Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. Veni, veni, Adonai, qui populo in Sinai legem dedisti vertice in maiestate gloriae. Gaude, gaude Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. Veni, O Iesse virgula, ex hostis tuos ungula, de spectu tuos tartari educ et antro barathri. Gaude, gaude Emmanuel Nascetur pro te, Israel. Veni, Clavis Davidica, regna reclude caelica, fac iter tutum superum, et claude vias inferum. Gaude, gaude Emmanuel Nascetur pro te Israel. Veni, veni O Oriens, solare nos adveniens, noctis depelle nebulas, dirasque mortis tenebras. Gaude, gaude Emmanuel Nascetur pro te Israel. Veni, veni, Rex Gentium, veni, Redemptor omnium, ut salvas tuos famulos peccati sibi conscios. Gaude, gaude Emmanuel Nascetur pro te Israel.

Come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that morns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high, and order all things far and nigh; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, o come, Thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Sinai's height in ancient times did give the law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Thou Rod of Jesse's stem, form ev'ry foe deliver them that trust Thy mighty power to save, and give them vict'ry o'er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home, make safe the way that leads on high, that we no more have cause to sigh. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Thou Dayspring from on high, and cheer us by thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death's dark shadow put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! O come, Desire of the nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind; bid every strife and quarrel cease and fill the world with heaven's peace. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel! God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Nicholas

 

I hope everyone is having a blessed Advent!  I meant to finish this post prior to the Feast of St. Nicholas, but last week was very busy for us.  The Feast of St. Nicholas has always been a significant feast for our family.  When the kids were younger, I always selected a new religious Christmas tree ornament for each one of them to give to them on this day.  However, it just became too expensive for me to keep up the tradition, so last December 6 I decided to make my own ornaments to give to the kids.  Each year I plan on altering the design, so they have a variety of ornaments.  (Hopefully my creativity keeps up with that plan.)  I thought I would post this year's ornament in case anyone is looking for similar ideas.

This year I chose a rugged look for the ornaments, and I love how they turned out!  I simply chose a dead branch from our yard, and my husband cut me six circles from it.  I then chose six religious images, sized them to fit the wooden circles, and printed them in color.  After gluing each one to the wood, I covered the entire piece with Modge Podge.  This kept the bark from peeling off the edges and protected the images.  My generous husband then drilled a hole in the top of each ornament through which I strung a piece of embroidery floss, so the ornaments could be hung.  The kids all seemed to enjoy receiving them on St. Nicholas' feast!  I hope you had a wonderful feast day!

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 I also wanted to share some sites whose products I love!  I have not ordered from all of these, but their products seem beautifully made. 

 The first shop is Stella Marigold Art.  They sell beautiful scapulars and well-drawn paper dolls of various saints.  

I also love the product made by Catholic Embroidery.  Last year my husband purchased the beautiful Ave Maria apron for me, and I purchased two of their pouches for other gifts.  All of these products are truly as nice and well-made as they appear on the website.

I recently stumbled upon Lilla Rose.  She sells beautiful hair clips and hairbands.  I would love to buy my daughters each one for Christmas.  I am not sure it will happen this year, but I am definitely keeping them in mind for future gifts.  I know my daughters would love the designs!

Finally while reading Jessica's recent post, I was introduced to these adorable saint blocks.  I love finding Catholic items, and these are another product I think my daughters especially would love!  They would also make great godchildren gifts.  

I hope you find these links helpful.  I will try to add more as I come across them.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Christmas Rose Novena for Advent

 I pray everyone is having a blessed start to Advent!  Today I have included another Advent prayer I often pray during Advent for special intentions.  Through this beautiful Christmas prayer we ask St. Therese to pray for our intentions that we may receive a favorable answer from God if it is His Holy Will.

The Christmas Rose Novena is a prayer invoking the intercession of St. Therese of Lisieux. This novena begins on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, twelve days before Christmas. To pray the novena, it is necessary to recite the following prayer 12 times per day for 12 days to honor the 12 years of Christ's childhood.

Christmas Rose Novena

Remember, O Gracious Little Rose Queen, your promise to spend your heaven in doing good on earth and even, if necessary, to come down to help those who ask your aid. If it is God's Holy Will, and my dispositions are pleasing to Him by their honesty and true desire for goodness, keep your promise to shower roses and send me some visible sign of your heavenly friendship for me and for those I love. In memory of the great interior enlightenment you received on a certain Christmas of your early life, ask God for a "Christmas Rose" for me in these my urgent needs, that I may experience an increase in faith, hope and confidence. (Meditate, here upon your petitions so that St. Therese can understand why your are asking her to assist you.) I desire to know and to accept real objective truth about life and death. Give me assurance that you understand and will remain my heavenly friend, so that one day we may be together with God. Keep your promise to give some answer!  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

As Advent Nears

 I love the Church's Liturgical Year!  Following it really helps our family's prayer life.  I especially love the season of Advent and the prayers our family recites throughout it.  All of the prayers help to fill our home with the holiness and beauty of this season of preparation.  Throughout Advent I will continue to post the prayers we use, hopefully early enough that you will have them if you also want to pray them.  The first of these prayers is the St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer; you should begin praying it November 30.

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St. Andrew's feast, which is celebrated on November 30, falls at the ending of one Liturgical Year of the Church and the beginning of the next. Advent always begins on the Sunday closest to November 30, which in fact in 2014 is the first Sunday of Advent.  While most novenas dedicated to saints end with that saint's feast day or the day before, the St. Andrew Christmas Novena, also known as the Christmas Anticipatory Prayer, begins on the feast of St. Andrew.  Also in contrast to most novenas that last nine days, the St. Andrew novena extends from the feast of St. Andrew, November 30th, until Christmas and is prayed fifteen times a day.

 This novena, which is a beautiful Advent devotion, is addressed to God the Father, asking Him to grant our requests in honor of the birth of His Most Beloved Son. The prayer is quite simple and meditative, drawing us into the anticipation of Christmas and that “blessed hour and moment,” while at the same time focusing our hearts on preparing spiritually for the birth of Christ.

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St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires (requests may be mentioned here), through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.   Amen.

**It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew until Christmas will obtain what is asked.
Imprimatur: +MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York,1897

St. Andrew, Apostle

God bless and blessed Advent!

+ JMJ +