December 23: O Emmanuel

Epiphany by Janet McKenzie

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,

desire of the nations, Savior of all people:

Come and set us free, Lord our God.

"Emmanuel" means "God is with us".
The Deity is no longer an abstract concept out there in the ether,
but a living, breathing baby who grew to know and understand our
every need, desire, hope and fear. 
God is with us!

 

May this Christmas season renew within you 

the power and peace of God's Holy Spirit.

December 22: O Rex Gentium, O King of All the Nations

O King of all the nations, 

the only joy of every human heart;

O Keystone of the mighty arch of humanity:

Come and save the creature 

you fashioned from the dust.

Why are we so enchanted by that which divides us? 
The word 'catholic' means universal... and Catholic Christianity is not to be confined by any boundaries of nation or race, status or language.  Jesus came to save all people by showing us the way to live that brings peace. The "king of all nations" chose to rule through humble service.
Out of love we were created; love is the keystone of our being.
God, who is Love, leads us from selfishness and distrust of the 'other' to the joy of an awareness of the shared redemption of all creation.

• Do you believe in God's love for you?
• How does this rule of love guide your life?

December 21: O Oriens, O Radiant Dawn

O Radiant Dawn, 
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:

Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

The unknown, even if it is a good thing, can be scary. Being 'in the dark' makes us uneasy: what's the truth, where's the danger, what's going to happen next???? We yearn for the security that lets us sleep soundly through the night, rather than cowering against the shadows and noises of our fears and concerns.

• In what way can the light of the Gospel illuminate the dark corners of your life?
• In what way can you be light and warmth for someone in need?

December 20: O Clavis David, O Key of David

O Key of David, o royal Power of Israel,

controlling at your will the gate of heaven:

Come, break down the prison walls of death

for those who dwell in darkness 
and the shadow of death;

and lead your captive people into freedom.

Last month as we celebrated the feast of Christ the King, we talked about the qualities of a good king, including using power responsibly and looking out for the needs of his subjects.

Reading the Gospels, we find example after example of Jesus setting people free: from physical ailments,  emotional demons, slavish obedience to peripheral laws, cultural expectations, alienation, hunger, fear, even death. This descendant of David and Son of God overcame every obstacle in order to demonstrate the depth of Divine Love for us. 

As Moses led the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, Jesus breaks down the things that bind us, hold us captive, or make us feel dead inside. We know this to be true, and we yearn for it to be realized in our hearts, our homes, our communities and our world, today.

• As you pray today, what bad habit keeps you imprisoned?
  Ask Jesus to show you the way to freedom.

December 19: O Radix Jesse, O Flower of Jesse's Stem

O Flower of Jesse's stem,

you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;

kings stand silent in your presence;

the nations bow down in worship before you.

Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

The power of persistence can be awe-inspiring. A sapling growing through a crack in a sidewalk, a crocus blooming through the snow ... evidence of nature's determination to thrive.  Isaiah chapter 11 is the source of the imagery in today's cry of longing. Written to the Hebrews forced to live in exile in Babylon, the author reassures them that despite all odds justice will be restored. Jesse was the father of King David, whom the exiles would have recalled -fourteen generations earlier- as a leader when they were strong as a people. 

The great tree may be a stump right now, but the shoot will grow from it. 
The raging fire may be smoldering embers right now.... but it will be fanned into flames again. That's a promise.
A promise fulfilled 14 generations later with the birth of Jesus.

• As you pray today, what situations are testing your patience? 
• What example of persistence inspires you?

December 17: O Sapientia, O Wisdom

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care:
Come and show your people the way to salvation.

• Among the people you know, who would you consider as a 'wisdom figure'?
• What qualities of that person define him or her as wise?
• When have you felt guided by God's spirit of wisdom?

O Antiphons

As we reach the latter part of Advent, we encounter seven traditional and ancient antiphons (responses) in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours. You may recall that in Jewish practice the day begins at sundown, so praying these antiphons during the vespers of December 17-23 takes us to the beginning of Christmas Eve. Each of these prayers is a plea for Jesus' coming, addressing him by an ancient Scriptural name, and petitioning for a particular act of salvation from him.

Here's an interesting bit of information, found at catholic-resources.org:

In the traditional arrangement, when viewed from Christmas Eve backward, the first letters of the Latin texts (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) spell out the phrase ero cras ("I come tomorrow").

Please come back each day this week, as we bring our Advent preparation to its joyful conclusion!

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Here are the readings for the 4th Sunday of Advent, December 19, 2010:

Isaiah 7: 10-14
Psalm 24: 1-6
Romans 1: 1-7
Matthew 1: 18-24

Can you put yourself in Joseph's place? Have you ever felt your tidy plans  slipping away from you? Do you know that feeling of hollowness or gnawing indecision deep in the pit of your stomach? God's invitation to trust can sometimes be harder to accept than when all is clear and simple. Take some time this week to sit in prayer and consider where and how trust is a challenge in your life.

There is no Catechumenate session this Sunday. However, Cathy will be in the Living Room after the 9:30AM mass, ready to talk or answer questions. Our regular session resumes on Sunday, January 2.

A little fun

It's a cold and dreary day here in central North Carolina, so how about a little diversion?
Check out the Digital Story of the Nativity .  Enjoy!

Sunday, December 19

While RCIA for children and teens WILL meet this Sunday, December 19, adults do not meet again until January 2.

However, Cathy Rusin will be in the Living Room after the 9:30 AM mass, until 11:30, happy to chat, answer any questions we've not gotten around to during our sessions, receive any baptism certificates you might have, etc. The coffee and hot water will be on, of course.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Please click here for last year's post on this wonderful day!

Third Sunday of Advent

Here are the readings for the 3rd Sunday of Advent, December 12, 2010:

Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10
Psalm 146: 6-10
James 5: 7-10
Matthew 11: 2-11

"What did you go out to see?" Jesus asks the crowds about John the Baptist. And that remains a good question for us, today.

• What are you looking for, hoping for, expecting and praying for?
• How well can we recognize the fulfillment of God's promises in the world around us?
• On Gaudate Sunday we are invited to 'Rejoice' in the salvation God offers us... in what ways has your sight been restored, your ears opened and your wounds healed?

The Catechumenate Session this Sunday is on Prophecy and Incarnation.
Mystagogia meets this Sunday.
The next Inquiry is Tuesday, December 14.

Mass Times for the Holy Day!

Wednesday December 8 is a Holy Day of Obligation, a special day, in addition to every Sunday, when we come together at Liturgy to celebrate what God does in our lives!  Mass times at St. Andrew the Apostle are 6:30 and 9:00 AM and 7:30 PM.

For some background on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, please click here.

Second Sunday of Advent

Here are the readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, December 5, 2010:

Isaiah 11: 1-10
Psalm 72: 1-2, 7-8, 12-13,17
Romans 15: 4-9
Matthew 3:1-12

•  How does the author of Isaiah envision the reality of 'justice'?
•  How does John the Baptist measure 'repentance'?
•  What does that have to do with the season of Advent?

The topics for the Catechumenate session this Sunday are Advent and the  Liturgical Year.

Another anniversary

Jean                        Ita
Maura                 Dorothy

"I hope you come to find that which gives life a deep meaning for you. Something worth living for - maybe even worth dying for, something that energizes you, enthuses you, enables you to keep moving ahead."

-Ita Ford
Murdered Maryknoll Sister

30 years ago today, these three consecrated religious and one lay missionary were murdered in El Salvador.  Please, do me a favor:  Go read this, right now. 

What can we learn from these women of faith? In what ways did the Gospel influence their decisions, their priorities, even their way of relating with people? And why might that be threatening to people?

Now my friends, I'm NOT encouraging you to go find ways to get yourself killed for your faith.... but what can we learn from these four as we continue on our journey of faith? Comments welcomed!