...start today, the end of Advent.

Merry Christmas, and God Bless Us, Every One. 5 years ago

Just got back from my Church’s Christmas Eve service for Communion and the lighting of the Christ Candle. As a whole things went well for me even though I never got around to buying or making an Advent wreath as I had originally hoped to. 5 years ago

This was the heading for yesterday’s Advent reading. The entry following was written by one of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen, and here is a part of it:

Learn the discipline of being surprised not by suffering but by joy. As we grow old, there is suffering ahead of us, immense suffering, a suffering that will continue to tempt us to think that we have chosen the wrong road. But don’t be surprised by pain. Be surprised by joy, be surprised by the little flower that shows its beauty in the midst of a barren desert, and be surprised by the immense healing power that keeps bursting forth like springs of fresh water from the depth of our pain.

I was surprised by joy yesterday morning in my Sunday School class, when I related my little story about feeling blue the other day, and then hearing Handel’s song “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” that night, and finding comfort and hope in those words. Our teacher told a strangely similar story about a friend of his, who was recently divorced, had to leave his home, and is currently travelling around the country, not knowing what to do next with himself. He is not religious at all, but he called the other day and told his friend, my Sunday School teacher, “I know I’m in a valley right now, but I have hope that I’ll find my way out, eventually.” It felt good to share my little story, and good to hear a similar story. There have been a number of other surprises since then. Light shining in the darkness. 5 years ago

Well, today (and tomorrow) Advent comes to a close. Midnight Mass tomorrow night. Looking back on this Advent, I consider this goal completed to the best of my ability. This Advent was not perfect, but I feel I have grown in ways unanticipated, and have new hope for the future. Because of my knee injury, this Advent brought a forced quietness that I am not sure would have happened if my knee was working. I am going to assemble an Advent Kit for next year so I don’t have to dig for everything if it gets moved. But for now, I sing the hymn of Advent and carry it in my heart at the approach of Christmas Day!

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
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’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel. 5 years ago

Yesterday was a blue day for me. A valley. I cancelled an appointment in the afternoon. I didn’t go to a meeting scheduled in the evening. I didn’t go walking. I didn’t do much of anything.

December 22 is Winter Solstice this year, the shortest day and the longest night. Another valley. I forgot about it, so I missed it, but last night my church held their annual “longest night” service, for people who are grieving during the holiday season.

I recently set a 43-T goal of reviewing 2007, and this past year seems like a valley in my life.

Last night I fell asleep on the couch, with the CD player going, and a CD that I’d borrowed from the library this week, containing songs from Handel’s Messiah, was on the turntable. Several times I woke up and the selection “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” was playing. The words started to sink in, and give me hope. 5 years ago

Got a late start on this but I am just beginning to realize the importance of the O Antiphons of Advent. What are the O Antiphons? Let me share what I have learned.

The O Antiphons are prayers that date back to the seventh or eighth century by monks and based on scripture texts. They are prayed in the last 7 days before Advent, often before meals around the Advent wreath, as a family, and at Church. Each one ends with a plea for the Messiah to come.
http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/801/O_Antiphons_of_Advent.html

“A particularly fascinating feature of the O Antiphons is that the first letter of each invocation, when read backwards, forms an acrostic in Latin: the first letters of Sapientia, Adonai, Radix, Clavis, Oriens, Rex, and Emmanuel in reverse form the Latin words: ERO CRAS. These can be understood as the words of Christ, responding to his people’s plea, saying “Tomorrow I will be there.”

Here they are:

December 17th:
“O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come to teach us the way of truth.”

December 18th:
“O Adonai and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai. O come and save us with your mighty power.”

December 19th:
“O stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.”

December 20th:
“O key of David and scepter of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no one can open. O come to lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

December 21st:
“O Rising Sun, you are the splendor of eternal light and the sun of justice. O come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.”

December 22nd:
“O King whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes all one. O come and save man whom you made from clay.”

December 23rd:
“O Emmanuel, you are our king and judge, the One whom the peoples await and their Savior. O come and save us, Lord, our God.” 5 years ago

We made an attempt to slow down but still seems like time is flying. We did a poor job trying to get shopping done early, and a last minute trip back into the rat race of the stores about killed the spirit. Next year I need to really get that shopping done early.

Also, we have had few Christmas events planned early. I think we needed at least a big one, but I couldn’t get DH motivated to get tickets anywhere. DH was complaining yesterday evening, “it just doesn’t feel like Christmas.” Sigh. Next year I will just have to buy the tickets. For DH, growing up, Christmas really was just about getting gifts. Usually my father-in-law proclaims on Christmas Day after all the gifts have been open, “another Christmas gone, another year gone by, well that was fun, etc.” which just kills me. Christmas has only just begun!

Fighting against the “Christmas Culture” can be rough! Keeping good cheer after the 25th when the rest of society is down in the dumps dealing with that empty feeling “stuff” just did not fill, searching the stores for what they didn’t get to try to fill that void.

How do we keep Christmas in our hearts? 5 years ago

TV is officially off (except for Christmas movies for the family) and music and silence are on! I am tidying up things in preparation for guests and the arrival of Christmas. We kicked off the day with the rosary today, and will conclude with Advent Prayers tonight. It helps now that I have this time off. Work can be such a distraction and burden sometimes when trying to do these things! 5 years ago

This is one of my favorite parts about Advent. Lighting the pink candle! The anticipation of Christmas approaching is ringing in the air. To stop and remember the JOY of the season, stop and take a deep breath, bask in the moment, remember the real reason for the season. To reflect on the coming of Christ, not just in the nativity, but also the coming at the end of the world! 5 years ago

...even though I am worried by my lack of progress in so many areas of my life.

My reading and meditation this morning were about staying patiently in the present moment, and attending to what is in front of me, instead of regretting the past or worrying about the future. A very zen-like devotional. This is something that I hope to have an opportunity to practice today. Right here, right now. 5 years ago

We started a new activity for this year that I am charging my 6-yr old with most of it. The creation of an Advent and Christmas Scrapbook for 2007! I am starting by printing out various activites and coloring pages relating to Advent from catholicmom.com and will be adding pictures of us baking cookies, pictures of our advent wreath, Christmas tree, and other fun stuff. I will likely add some of my own journaling and quotes to it as well, and we’ll divide it up by the weeks. This should keep my little artist busy! 5 years ago

So far I’ve been a bit frustrated with the progress on the Advent goals. Having my knee out of whack really disrupted everything on the ‘ol routine, being forced to stay confined to the couch with leg elevated has been no fun.

Here’s what has been accomplished from the list:

1. Advent wreath is set up, although it took awhile to locate it. We’re behind but last night had family prayer time and lit the first candle that represents Prophesy to remind us of the prophets who fortold Christ’s birth. It is also called the ‘hope candle.’

Tonight we light 2 candles for the second Sunday of Advent, ‘the Bethlehem Candle.’ It represents Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, and is symbolic of Christ’s cradle. It also represents ‘love.’

As the season progresses each Sunday, we will next light the rose candle, or ‘Shepherd’s Candle’ for the sharing of Christ, on Gaudette Sunday, or ‘Rejoice Sunday.” The last purple candle is the ‘Angel’s Candle’ or ‘peace candle.’ On Christmas Eve, often a white center candle is lit called the ‘Christ Candle.’

I’ve got the Advent materials rounded up, and we did attend the GIFT night as a family. The only other thing on the list that has been accomplished is the GK Chesterton book readings. I am feeling a bit down and beat up (bum knee) but marching onward. Advent is not over yet! 5 years ago

from my Advent pamphlet:

When William Sloane Coffin was pastor of The Riverside Church in New York City, he described visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The thing that impressed him even more than the amazing and famous stained glass windows was a poster tacked to a bulletin board that contained this quote from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: “The world will belong tomorrow to those who brought it the greatest hope.”

When he returned to New York, inspired by that line, he tried to inspire his congregation to “irrigate the community with hope, because without hope, we are all literally hopeless! If we cannot feel something more, we become something less, just as if we cannot look to something above us, we will surely sink to something below us.” 5 years ago

while spending some quiet time preparing something to say about Christmas tomorrow, I was struck by the image of the “light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.” It is a helpful image of a steady ray of hope in the midst of a gloomy dark depression. 5 years ago

I have started in on the GK Chesterton Advent book, and one thing in the “activities” really struck me….the assignment was to make a list of all the things you would like to accomplish (a’la 43things!) and then pick one goal and really pray over it for guidance and help. Also to reflect and pray over which ones will be the most important to you and ask for help in achieving those goals. That’s it!!! I need to start praying for my goals on 43things! I have no idea why I had forgotten that but I better get moving! 5 years ago

I want my Advent also to be a time of renewal, and also family. I have made preparations during the month of November to get most of the frantic stuff out of the way to pave way for a peaceful family advent. I see it as a time for us to grow as a family and become closer in family prayer. I also want to focus on prayer as an individual and make this season a good one that peaks with the Midnight Mass!!!

Goals for today and this week:

1. Set up advent wreath and candles and set up Jesse Tree
2. locate all advent materials and place them in a small basket or on table in convenient location
3. Start reading my GK Chesterton Advent book
4. Go to Mass to celebrate first Sunday of Advent
5. Start playing Christmas music (locate CDs, piano music)
6. Finish decorating for Christmas (tree part way up, find nativity set and place for it)
7. Plan some Advent family activities (drive around and look at lights, song night, go shopping for the poor)
8. Go to Advent GIFT night at Church on Dec 5 as a family
9. Go to confession next Friday
10. Go to Adoration 1 hour sometime this week
11. Send out the Christmas Cards that I already addressed and have ready to go

5 years ago

I was spending some quiet time alone (actually, not completely alone, but at the coffee shop), and studying the first week’s lesson in the Advent pamphlet, and some of the questions about hope hit me hard. Advent is a season of hope, and yet I realized how hopeless I’ve been feeling for the past few days. 5 years ago

I received a little Advent Study pamplet titled “Rejoicing in Hope,” and a message that this is a good time of year to slow down, a message contrary to the frantic rush of shopping, decorating, partying, visiting, and other activities that compete for attention during the holiday season.

So, I commit myself to slowing down and spending time each day with this little pamphlet during the coming month. 5 years ago