Archive for the ‘advent’ Category
The Coming of the Light: Lucia, December 13
Posted in advent, Saints, tagged Lucia, Sweden on December 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Nicholas at Nicea: Nicholas of Myra, December 6
Posted in advent, Saints, tagged Nicea, Nicholas on December 6, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I often imagine attending the Council of Nicea. Don’t you? Well, not often, but I have, once or twice. It would be a splendid occasion, I’m sure. Everyone there from the Emperor Constantine on down looking just like their own Byzantine icon…all gold leaf with serene expressions, mitres, robes, and requisite accessories. And there in [...]
O Antiphons: O Emmanuel, December 23
Posted in advent, tagged emmanuel, o antiphons on December 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster. O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope [...]
Christmas Creche: December 23-Joseph
Posted in advent, Children, tagged creche, Joseph. Christmas on December 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Joseph the Carpenter had waited. He had waited to marry Mary. Although she was young, Joseph saw that Mary was good and kind and true, and he loved her. So he waited until she was older. They became engaged. And Joseph was very happy. Then Joseph heard something that made him unhappy. Mary was going [...]
Christmas Creche: December 22-The Donkey
Posted in advent, Children, Christmas, tagged Christmas, creche, donkey on December 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The donkey was sure he did not have to wait for his days of glory. He was in them. He worked for a carpenter named Joseph in a town called Nazareth. The donkey carried whatever Joseph told him to carry: sacks of cement, baskets of bricks, tall piles of wood. He worked very hard and [...]
O Antiphons: December 19, O Root Of Jesse
Posted in advent, tagged advents, jesse, music, o antiphons on December 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root…. In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious. Isaiah 11:1 and 10 O Radix [...]
Christmas Creche: December 19, The Ox
Posted in advent, Children, tagged advent, creche, Ox, waiting on December 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
In the stable, there lived an ox. He was the innkeeper’s ox. He had hauled the mud for the bricks of the inn. He had borne the water up from the well. He carried bundles and packages and pulled carts. He had been very busy. He was not so busy now, but he did the [...]
O Adonai
Posted in advent, tagged advent, o antiphons on December 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
In Hebrew, Adonai means “Lords” (plural formal as a symbol of respect), and it is one of the names for God, so that today’s antiphon hearkens to the might and wisdom of the Lord God of Israel O Adonai et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem [...]
Christmas Creche: December 18–The Stable
Posted in advent, Children, tagged advent, Children, Christmas, creche, nativity on December 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
In the beginning, there was a stable, a small stable with a palm tree in front that sat behind an inn on the edge of a town called Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a tiny town on the way to the big city of Jerusalem. Bethlehem had been the home of Israel’s mighty King David, but not [...]
Advent=Waiting for Jesus: Counting with the Creche
Posted in advent, Children on December 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Do you have a creche, a nativity scene, a belen in your house? If so, not only do you have a thing of beauty, you have a good way to introduce even small children to the Christmas story in a very concrete fashion. Many families hide baby Jesus until 25th (or the evening of the [...]
