Category Archives: christmas

christmas

Jesus our King, the Son of the Virgin Mary

1 Comment
From where the sun rises, to the furthest west, let us all sing to Jesus our King, the Son of the Virgin Mary. 
The blessed Creator of the universe assumed the Body of a servant: that he might thus by Flesh deliver flesh, and save from perdition the creatures of his hands.
The heavenly grace enters into the womb of the Virgin- Mother: the young Maiden carries within her a Secret, which she knows not.
This chastest living Dwelling becomes, in that instant, God’s own Temple: the purest of Virgins conceives the Son of God
She gives him birth: Him, whom Gabriel had foretold, and whom the Baptist, exulting in his mother’s womb, perceived when yet unborn.
He suffered himself to be laid on the straw: he disdains not the Crib: and He who feeds the hungry birds, is fed himself on a few drops of milk!
The heavenly citizens keep glad choir, singing their angel-hymns to God: and the Shepherd, the Creator of the world, is looked at by shepherds.
Glory be to thee, O Jesus, that wast born of the Virgin! and to the Father, and to the Spirit of Love, for everlasting ages.
Amen.
Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
advent, Arma Dei, Blog Carnival, christmas, Equipping Catholic Families, Keeping Christ in Christmas, prayers, Truly Rich Mom

Keeping Christ in Christmas Blog Carnival

2 Comments
“I’m co-hosting in the Keeping Christ in Christmas Blog Carnival, along with Tina from Truly Rich Mom and Monica from Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Jesus as the Reason for the Christmas season. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.”


Before even thinking about Christmas, as a Catholic we must first take the time to properly prepare for this wonderful Feast Day, the birth of our Savior.  Understanding Advent and it’s purpose within the liturgical year and our domestic church (our homes) is vital in truly living out and preparing for His holy birth and properly keeping Christ in Christmas. It’s interesting that we only think of these things during Lent, while this to the human mind is understandable as one is the birth, a joyous occasion, and the other is the death, synonymous with sadness.  Nevertheless Advent should be practiced much like Lent in many ways.  This is another excellent opportunity for us to grow in holiness.  So by keeping a Christ-centered focus this Advent, we must reflect on three things when seeking sanctification: 

1.  voluntary amendment of life,
2.  acts of penance, and
3.  works of charity.  

So what are some examples of these three things?  
By voluntary amendment of life I mean giving up those things that block you from sanctifying grace, namely the bad habits that surround us all the time and we have a hard time breaking.  The goal is to get rid of this habit for good.  I would begin by going to doing an thorough examination of conscience and then heading to Confession regarding this and if you are able to, to Communion.  The graces you receive from these beautiful Sacraments will help us in our goal to amend our lives. Here are Fr. Z’s 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession o{]:¬)  Dare I say to also replace these things with good things like participation in the rich traditions of our faith like: 
Next is acts of penance.  By this I mean to perform some kind of penance, the little things that will help strengthen your will in saying NO to some small items, like lets say giving up chocolate, or soda.  Minor acts that help you with bigger temptations.  You may or may not resume these acts after Advent but this little exercise of giving this little thing up helps you in the long run to avoid temptations.
Lastly, is works of charity.  This is really important in our Catholic faith as we must do good and holy actions for others to strengthen our relationship with the Christ Child and Holy Mother Church.  Christ gave us a prime example of the need for works by His actions while here on earth.  These are great ways to start actions that might become good habits in the future (beyond Advent and Christmas).  In our home we reinstated the daily family Rosary, going to Mass as often as possibly, spending more time focused on our children and less socializing, reading and celebrating the feasts of the saints (Advent is particularly a good time to start this in your homes as there seems to be a slew of popular saints during this time).  On a personal level, I began reading a book about deeper spirituality which will definitely carry over after this liturgical season but will help my spiritual life in the long run.  Part of this could also be to give others that are lonely during this time more of your time, and also sending Christmas cards to those that might not get as many cards as others.  (don’t forget your priests at Christmas either).  Also, donating to charity, your Church or offering Mass intentions for others is a great way to do acts of charity.
The biggest focus or work of charity that our family is going to focus on as a whole is towards the priests involved in the situation in Newton, CT.  Many of the wakes, funerals and burials for both the children and adults of Newtown, CT are being held this week. While many of us are looking for ways to reach out to the this community, prayer is the most powerful way we can help to sustain the victims’ families, the Priests, and the so many loved ones involved in this very difficult time. Our family is offering different prayers for that community specifically for Saint Rose of Lima which is the Catholic Church in Newtown, Conneticut.   So I’m participating this activity as well:

Today, I caught a post going around on Facebook that was written by Father Suarez’s (the pastor there) sister.:

My friends,
All of you, I am sure, have heard so much about the tragedy in Newtown, CT. Many of you have received emails from me about my younger brother, Father Luke Suarez, who is a priest at St. Rose of Lima parish, a Catholic church just down the road from Sandy Hook Elementary. He, and his pastor, Monsignor Weiss, arrived at the school within moments of the shooting, and have been caring for the community ever since. The picture I have included was taken at the school.

Father Suarez has an impossible task before him. His diocese is without a bishop right now, and there is very little leadership and assistance from above. Monsignor is older, went through a serious surgery recently, and is personally devastated by the losses. The parish is very large, and parishioners tend to be wealthy and somewhat ill-catechized. The rectory has received serious threats, and as my brother gave the homily Sunday at the noon mass, the church had to be evacuated by SWAT teams. After experiencing identity theft and online hacking incidents, he had to erase all of his internet accounts. After a weekend of endless media requests, notifications and vigils with heartbroken families, and little sleep, he now has two wakes and two funerals every day, until the fourth Sunday of Advent. Father Suarez has not even been ordained two years.

My large family has been trying to send Father Suarez our love and support from afar, and one of my brothers was able to visit with him briefly a couple times. All he asks for is prayer.
I have been wracking my brain, trying to think of a way that our beautiful, loving community could tangibly reach out to Father Suarez, Monsignor Weiss, and the St. Rose parish, to support them in this most awful of times. I have sent many prayer requests, and I am asking for more prayers again. But I also want to ask everyone to search their hearts, and if the Holy Spirit moves you, please consider sending one of your family’s Christmas cards to the rectory, with a few words of love and encouragement.

My brother has said over and over again that without the prayer support he is receiving, he could not keep going. And this week is only the beginning. Everyone there is still in shock. Their peaceful home has been desecrated by violence. They will need to live with this sorrow forever.

But in our weakness is His strength. Grace abounds. Can you help me carry him through this time of trial?

On a hopeful note, Father Suarez did say that no media coverage has even touched the deep, beautiful awakening of faith that has occurred there. Their tiny church, where my children have received sacraments and where Father Suarez was ordained, has been full of people in prayer without ceasing since this tragedy happened. Love is stronger than death.
Please feel free to share the address with your family, friends, and community. An outpouring of love will sustain these good priests through their impossible ministry–impossible on their own, but possible with God.

I am so grateful to live in this community. We are all so blessed with one another. Every day, I see you all loving one another as Christ loved. Thank you for letting me reach out to you now
With humble appreciation,
{name deleted on purpose by me}

As members of the Body of Christ, we join our hearts and prayers to remember our brothers and sisters in Newtown, CT.  In addition, my children will be making snow flakes for the children of Sandy Hook Elementary, the PTSA there will be collecting them until the 12th of January, they want to surprise the children when they get back to school with them.
Please join us in keeping Christ in Christmas by taking the next five days and the week ahead in keeping this focus, remember Christmas ends on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany, so there is still time to put these ideas to practice.  God bless you and keep you in this Advent season.
Blessings,
Erika

Here are the links to the other blog carnival participants. I hope you’ll take the time to visit them and leave a comment on their posts! 🙂 The list will be updated throughout the day, so please do come back and check on them. God bless us all!


Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
advent, Advent Activities, Blog Carnival, Blogger-friendly, catholic, christmas, Keeping Christ in Christmas, Truly Rich Mom

Join the Keeping Christ in Christmas Blog Carnival!

Leave a comment

Are you feeling stressed over the “busy-ness” and “to-do lists” of our modern-day, mainstream Christmas? Do you feel like there’s a need to reconnect to the true Reason for the season? Do you want to share about how you and your family are preparing for the birthday of Someone very special? Then join us, Tina of Truly Rich Mom, Erika of Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, and Monica of Equipping Catholic Families in the “Keeping Christ in Christmas” Carnival for 2012! 

This is a blog carnival that aims to share that — beyond the decor, the parties and the gifts — Christmas is a time for us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. A blog carnival is where we each write a blog post on the same theme. Everyone will get links to other bloggers’ posts to multiply your reach, and to help spread the message of keeping Christ in Christmas!

The carnival is open to all bloggers who agree with the carnival’s goal, particularly Catholics and Christians of all denominations. You may write about anything that pertains to the blog theme, e.g. share tips on how you and your family keep Christ in Christmas; stories to encourage others to do so; books and activities (even recipes!) that help keep Christ in Christmas, etc. 

To participate, please follow these steps:

1. Register by filling up the form at the end of this post or clicking here. (ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 13)
2. Write your blog post on the theme, “Keeping Christ in Christmas.” (ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 18, i.e. the post should be LIVE by December 18)

3. At the beginning of your blog carnival post, write the following as your introduction. 

“I’m participating in the Keeping Christ in Christmas Blog Carnival, hosted by Arma Dei/Equipping Catholic Families, Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom. We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Jesus as the Reason for the Christmas season. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.”

The deadline for registration for the carnival is on December 13, 2012 (Thurs). Posting instructions and carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on December 14 (Fri) and the carnival will go live on December 18, 2012 (Tues). PLEASE POST YOUR CARNIVAL ENTRIES ON December 18, 2012, beginning 12MN (IMPORTANT: Please note that all dates/times are based on PHT or Philippine Time, i.e. UTC/GMT +8 hours).

PLEASE NOTE:

Kindly write about the theme provided. We do not moderate or screen posts but we do reserve the right to exclude your entry from the list of carnival participants should your post be offensive, irrelevant to the carnival theme, contain personal attacks, off-topic articles, articles that are anti-Christ or are articles aimed to market products or services.
Kindly note the deadlines and post your entries (i.e. make sure they are live online) on December 18. Please do not forget the deadline for registration, which is December 13.
Thank you very much! We’re excited to read your entries and help spread the word on how to keep Christ in Christmas!

Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
advent, celebrating Advent, christmas, Immaculate Conception, Immaculate Heart, Mother Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, preparing for the coming of Christ, Veni Veni Emmanuel

A Colossal Set of Resources for Advent

8 Comments

Advent is the (roughly) 4 week season before Christmas when Catholic and other Christians commemorate the first coming of Christ and anticipate his second coming.  The first Sunday of Advent can fall on any date between (and including) November 27 and December 3 of each year. This year Advent begins on December 2nd.  These are the start dates for the next four years:
2013: December 1; 2014:  November 30; 2015: November 29; and 2016:  November 27

Liturgical Facts on Advent:
Liturgical Color(s): Violet (optional: Rose for 3rd Advent)

Type of Holiday: Season; Fast

Time of Year: Roughly 4 weeks before Christmas

Duration: 4 Sundays and their weeks ending at Christmas Eve

Celebrates/Symbolizes: Jesus’ first and second comings

Alternate Names: None

Scriptural References: Isaiah 2:1-5,7:10-14, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Zephaniah 3:14-18, Micah 5:2-5a, Matthew 24:37-44, Romans 13:11-14

Catholic Encyclopedia: Advent


Awesome Ideas Around the Web for Advent



Jesse Trees & Ornaments:

Calendars/Chains:

Wreaths:

Nativities:
Educational:

Books & Book Baskets:

Movies:
(THANK YOU FRIENDS:  I want to thank all of you on our Facebook page that contributed to this list of Advent/Christmas movies):  (shout outs for those who suggested these)
General Posts:
Prayers:


Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
christmas, Mother Mary

Christ’s Birth

Leave a comment
And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” 
Luke 2:1-14

CHRIST’S BIRTH
“I saw the radiance round the Blessed Virgin ever growing greater. The light of the lamps which Joseph had lit was no longer visible. The Blessed Virgin knelt on her rug in an ample ungirt robe spread out round her, her face turned towards the east. 


At midnight she was rapt in an ecstasy of prayer. I saw her lifted from the earth, so that I saw the ground beneath her. Her hands were crossed on her breast. The radiance about her increased; everything, even things without life, were in a joyful inner motion, the stones of the roof, of the walls, and of the floor of the cave became as it were alive in the light. Then I no longer saw the roof of the cave; a pathway of light opened above Mary, rising with ever-increasing glory towards the height of heaven. 

In this pathway of light there was a wonderful movement of glories interpenetrating each other, and, as they approached, appearing more clearly in the form of choirs of heavenly spirits. Meanwhile the Blessed Virgin, borne up in ecstasy, was now gazing downwards, adoring her God, whose Mother she had become and who lay on the earth before her in the form of a helpless newborn child. [100] 

I saw our Redeemer as a tiny child, shining with a light that overpowered all the surrounding radiance, and lying on the carpet at the Blessed Virgin’s knees. It seemed to me as if He were at first quite small and then grew before my eyes. But the movement of the intense radiance was such that I cannot say for certain how I saw it. 

The Blessed Virgin remained for some time rapt in ecstasy. I saw her laying a cloth over the Child, but at first she did not touch Him or take Him up. After some time I saw the Child Jesus move and heard Him cry. Then Mary seemed to come to herself, and she took the Child up from the carpet, wrapping Him in the cloth which covered Him, and held Him in her arms to her breast. She sat there enveloping herself and the Child completely in her veil, and I think Mary suckled the Redeemer. I saw angels round her in human forms, lying on their faces and adoring the Child. 

It might have been an hour after His Birth when Mary called St. Joseph, who was still lying in prayer. When he came near, he threw himself down on his face in devout joy and humility. It was only when Mary begged him to take to his heart, in joy and thankfulness, the holy present of the Most High God, that he stood up, took the Child Jesus in his arms, and praised God with tears of joy. 

This excerpt is from this wonderful
book which I am currently reading.
TAN Books is the publisher.

The Blessed Virgin then wrapped the Child Jesus in swaddling-bands. I cannot now remember how these bands were wound round; I only know that the Child was wrapped to His armpits first in red and then white bands, and that His head and shoulders were wrapped in another little cloth. Mary had only four sets of swaddling-bands with her. Then I saw Mary and Joseph sitting side by side on the bare earth with their feet under them. They did not speak, and seemed both to be sunk in meditation. On the carpet before Mary lay the newborn Jesus in swaddling clothes, a little Child, beautiful and radiant as lightning. Ah, I thought, this place enshrines the salvation of the whole world, and no one guesses it. Then they laid the Child in the manger, which was filled with rushes and delicate plants and covered with a cloth hanging over the sides. It stood above the stone trough lying on the ground, to the right of the entrance, where the cave makes a big curve towards the south. This part of the cave was at a lower level than the place where Our Lord was born: the floor slanted downwards in a step-like formation. After laying the Child in the crib, they both stood beside Him giving praise to God with tears of joy. Joseph then arranged the Blessed Virgin’s resting-place and her seat beside the Crib.  Both before and after the Birth of Jesus, I saw her dressed in white and veiled. I saw her there in the first days after the Nativity, sitting, kneeling, standing, and sleeping on her side, wrapped up but in no way ill or exhausted. When people came to see her, she wrapped herself up more closely and sat upright on her lying-in coverlet.”


You can read more of Anna Catherine’s writings.  OR if you would like to purchase it for your home, you can visit TAN Books’ Website.



Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
christmas, Journey to Bethlehem, Mary

On the Journey to Bethlehem

Leave a comment
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824), an Augustinian nun and mystic who carried the stigmata, the Wounds of Christ, spent her entire life in a small area in Germany. She was privileged to behold innumerable events of biblical times; going back all the way to the creation of the world. She witnessed the fall of the Angels; the sin of Adam; Noe and the Flood; the lives of St. John the Baptist; St. Anne; St. Joseph; the Blessed Virgin Mary; and St. Mary Magdalen. Also includes the birth; life; public ministry; Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ; as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons; places; events and traditions in intimate detail; Anne Catherine Emmerich also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Pope John Paul II declared her Blessed in October 2004.

Here is an excerpt from her vision of Mary and Joseph’s long journey to Bethlehem.:


ON THE JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM


This excerpt is from this wonderful
book which I am currently reading.
TAN Books is the publisher.

This evening I saw Joseph and the Blessed Virgin, accompanied by Anna, Mary Cleophas, and some menservants, starting off from Anna’s house. Mary sat on the comfortable side-saddle of a donkey, which also carried her baggage. Joseph led the donkey. A second donkey was taken for Anna to ride back on. Her husband was away in the fields when they started on their journey.


5.1 This morning I saw the holy travelers arrive at an open field six hours’ journey from Nazareth, where the angel had appeared to Joseph two days before. Anna had a pasture here and the menservants were told to fetch the young she-ass which Joseph was to take with him. She sometimes ran in front of them and sometimes beside them. Anna and Mary Cleophas here took a tender farewell of the travellers and returned home with the menservants. … I saw the Holy Family going on their way and climbing Mount Gilboa. They did not pass through any town; they followed the young she-ass, which always took lonely by-ways.

I saw them stopping at a house in the hills belonging to Lazarus, not far from the town of Ginim and in the direction of Samaria. The steward, who knew them from other journeys, gave them a friendly welcome. Their family was on intimate terms with Lazarus. There are beautiful orchards and avenues here. The house stands high, so that one has a very wide view from the roof. Lazarus inherited it from his father; our Lord Jesus often stayed here during His ministry and taught in the surrounding country. The steward and his wife conversed in a very friendly way with the Blessed Virgin. They were surprised that she should have been willing to undertake such a long journey in her condition, when she might have had every comfort at home with her mother Anna.


5.2 I saw the Holy Family some hours’ journey beyond this last place, going at night towards a mountain through a very cold valley. It looked as if there was hoar-frost on the ground. The Blessed Virgin was suffering from the cold and Joseph said: ‘We must rest.’ Hardly had he spoken when the she-ass that was running with them stood still under a terebinth tree, very big and old, near which was a spring of water. They stopped under this tree; Joseph spread coverings for the Blessed Virgin to sit on, after helping her to alight from the donkey, and she sat down under the tree. Joseph hung a lighted lantern, which he carried with him, on the lower branches of the tree. (I often saw travellers in that country do this at night.) … They refreshed themselves here with fruit and little loaves of bread which they had with them, and drank water from the spring near by, mixing it with balsam which Joseph had brought with him in a little jug. Joseph spoke very comfortingly to the Blessed Virgin: he is so good, and so sorry that the journey is so difficult. …He spoke to her about the good lodging which he hoped to find for her in Bethlehem. He said he knew of a house with very good people where they would find a comfortable lodging at very little cost. It was, he said, better to pay something than to be taken in for nothing. He spoke highly of Bethlehem in general, and comforted the Blessed Virgin in every possible way. (.. but I knew well that things would turn out quite differently.)


So far they have crossed two little streams in the course of their journey: one of these they crossed on a high foot-way, while the two donkeys waded through the water. It was strange to see how the young she-ass, who was free to go where she would, kept running round the travelers. Where the path narrowed, as for instance between hills, and so could not be mistaken, she ran sometimes before and sometimes behind them, but where there was a parting of the ways she always appeared again and took the right path. Where they were to rest, she stood still, as here by the terebinth tree. I do not remember whether they spent the night under the tree, or whether they went on to another shelter. This terebinth was a very old and sacred tree, of the grove of Moreh near Shechem. When Abraham was journeying into the land of Canaan, he had here a vision of God, who promised him this land for his descendants. ( Gen. 15.) He then built an altar under the terebinth. Before Jacob went to Bethel, to sacrifice to the Lord, he buried under this terebinth all the strange gods of Laban and the jewels which his family carried with him. ( Gen. 35.4.) Under this tree Joshua built the tabernacle for the Ark of the Covenant and made the people assembled there renounce their idols. ( Joshua 24.26.) It was here that Abimelech, the son of Gideon, was hailed as king of the Shechemites. ( Judges 9.6.)


How often do we think of the journey to Bethlehem as being just a trivial prelude to the Nativity? But it was hard and cold and difficult, exhausting and fraught with dangers. As we make our own Christmas preparations, we would do well to remember the harsh reality, and thank God for the wonder of the Incarnation.


You can read more of Anna Catherine’s writings.  OR if you would like to purchase it for your home, you can visit TAN Books’ Website.



St. Andrew Christmas Novena:
“Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable at midnight in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold.”
Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
christmas, hyms, O Come Emmanuel, prayers, preparing for the coming of Christ, Veni Veni Emmanuel, vespers O Antiphons

A Hymn and a Prayer: Veni, Veni Emmanuel

Leave a comment

One of my favorite hymns during this time of the Liturgical year is Veni, Veni Emmanuel. The original Latin hymn was taken from Psalteriolum Cantionum, Colgne, 1710. If you are not familiar with the lyrics in Latin, here they are:

Veni, Veni Emmanuel! 
Captivum solve Israel! 
Qui gemit in exsilio, 
Privatus Dei Filio. 
[Refrain:] 
Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel 
Nascetur pro te, Israel. 
Veni, O Jesse virgula, 
Ex hostis tuos ungula, 
De specu tuos tartari 
Educ et antro barathri. 
[Refrain] 
Veni, Veni O Oriens! 
Solare nos adveniens, 
Noctis depelle nebulas, 
Dirasque noctis tenebras. 
[Refrain] 
Veni, Clavis Davidica, 
Regna reclude caelica, 
Fac iter tutum superum, 
Et claude vias inferum. 
[Refrain] 
Veni, Veni Adonai! 
Qui populo in Sinai 
Legem dedisti vertice, 
In Majestate gloriae. 
[Refrain] 
Veni, O Sapientia, 
Quae hic disponis omnia, 
Veni, viam prudentiae 
Ut doceas et gloriae. 
[Refrain] 
Veni, Veni, Rex gentium, 
Veni, Redemptor omnium, 
Ut salvas tuos famulos 
Peccati sibi conscios. 
[Refrain] 
Saint’s Faith Blog

Notice that this hymn contains the O Antiphons which are sung or recited at Vespers of the last seven days in Advent.  Each Antiphon is the name of Christ which are mentioned in Sacred Scriptures as Messianic Prophecies of the Lord Jesus Christ.. Therefore, “O Come Emmanuel” is a lyrical paraphrase of these antiphons.

The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold:

  • Each one highlights a title for the Messiah and 
  • each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. 

Let’s now look at each antiphon with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies. Then thre’s another interesting tid-bit, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose, see the first letters of the titles taken backwards form a Latin acrostic of “Ero Cras” (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia) which translates to “Tomorrow, I will come”, mirroring the theme of the antiphons.

Each one is used on a different day during the last week of Advent as we approach the Nativity of our Lord and Savior.  These are:

  • December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom) 
  • December 18: O Adonai (O Lord) 
  • December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) 
  • December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David) 
  • December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring) 
  • December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations) 
  • December 23: O Emmanuel (O God is with Us)
ORIGINS:
According to Fr. William Saunders:

“The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church.”  (Source:  Catholic Education Resource Center)



Here is the English translation {translated by John M. Neale (1818-1886)}:

December 17, O Wisdom 
O Come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
And order all things mightily
To us the path of knowledge show
And teach us in her ways to go.
Refrain: 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel.
December 18, O Lord and Ruler
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.
Refrain
December 19, O Root of Jesse
O Come, thou rod of Jesse’s stem,
From ev’ry foe deliver them
That trust Thy mighty power to save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Refrain
December 20, O Key of David
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.
Refrain
December 21, O Dawn of the East
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.
Refrain
December 22, O King of the Gentiles
O Come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid every strife and quarrel cease
And fill the world with heaven’s peace.
Refrain
December 23, O Emmanuel
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Refrain




Readings/Meditations:

O Sapientia (December 17) O Wisdom (Eccl 24: 5), you came forth from the mouth of the Most High (Sir 24: 30), and reaching from beginning to end, you ordered all things mightily and sweetly (Wis 8: 1). Come, and teach us the way of prudence (Isa 40: 14).
O Adonai (December 18) O Adonai or O Lord and Ruler(Exod 6: 13) and Ruler of the house of Israel (Matt 2: 6), you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush (Exod 3: 2), and on Mount Sinai gave him your Law (Exod 20). Come, and with outstretched arm redeem us (Jer 32: 21).
O Radix Jesse (December 19) O Root of Jesse, you stand for the ensign of all mankind (Isa 11: 10); before you kings shall keep silence and to you all nations shall have recourse (Isa 52: 15). Come, save us, and do not delay (Hab 2: 3).
O Clavis David (December 20) O Key of David (Apoc 3: 7) Scepter of the house of Israel, you open and no man closes; you close and no man opens (Isa 22: 22). Come, and deliver him from the chains of prison who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death (Ps 107: 10).
O Oriens (December 21) O Rising Dawn (Zac 6: 12), Radiance of the Light eternal (Hab 3: 4) and Sun of Justice (Mal 3: 20); Come, enlighten those who sit in darkness & the shadow of death (Ps 107: 10; Lk 1: 78).
O Rex Gentium (December 22) O King of the Gentiles(Hag 2: 8), Desired of all, you are the cornerstone that binds two into one (Eph 2: 20). Come, and save poor man whom you fashion out of clay (Gen 2: 7).
O Emmanuel (December 23) O Emmanuel (Isa 7: 14; 8: 8), our King and Lawgiver (Gen 49:10; cf. Ezek 21: 32), the Expected of the nations and their Savior (Isa 33: 22): Come, and save us, O Lord our God.
Activity Source: Original Text (JGM) by Jennifer Gregory Miller, © Copyright 2003-2009 by Jennifer Gregory Miller  {Source: Catholic Culture}



FOR OUR FAMILIES:
I love the idea of reviving the old monastic custom of doing something special on each day before Christmas which is another way to celebrate the “O Antiphons” in the family atmosphere. Here’s a list of blogs or websites with crafts for the O’ Antiphons for some ideas:

O Night Divine


In the Heart of My Home


Waltzing Matilda
Just Another Day in Paradise
Under Her Starry Mantle


Under Her Starry Mantle
By Sun and Candle Light

O Antiphon House
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, St. Joseph, pray for us!
Our best friends, our guardian angels, pray for us!

Pax Christi,
Erika
Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
christmas, guest Blogger, preparing for the coming of Christ

God, Christmas, Prayer and Renewal {Guest Post}

Leave a comment
Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.
(Luke 2:14)
Christmas

Christmas is one of the most beautiful seasons in the Church calendar.  It celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Redeemer.  Christmas is the culmination of the Incarnation of God, which is celebrated on March 25th.  God became Man.

This was made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, and by Mary, our Lady, who consented to be the instrument for the birth of Christ, the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Mary’s immaculate conception, that is, her absence of original sin, made it possible for God, who hates sin, to dwell in her womb.   It became a holy sanctuary from which Christ could burst out to fill the world with His graces.  This story of Christmas must include the role of Joseph for his devotion as a caretaker and protector of both Jesus and Mary. 
                                                             
Christmas is for all, because its graces fall on all men of good will.  It is meaningfully connected to the blessed Easter season, which reflects upon the murder of God, that is, His Holy Sacrifice of the Cross and His resurrection.  This opened the gates of Heaven for the many.
Christmas Blues
Unfortunately, many Christians spend much of their time before and during Christmas struggling with people who would like to eliminate Christmas and Christianity from American culture.  The threats are many:
  • Public and private institutions that coerce their people into using “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”, thus gradually making the population forget the meaning of Christmas which, by the way, is a federal holy day.
  • Governments that refuse to have Nativity scenes in public property, even though they allow the placement of symbols of other religions although the majority of the population is Christian.
  • The persecution of Christians worldwide making them the most persecuted religious group in the world.
  • The unwillingness of teachers and professors to allow their students to write homework and papers on the topic of Jesus.
  • The frequent production of Hollywood movies with anti-Christian content, which appear usually around Christmas time.
  • The intentional debasement of Christmas into a commercial enterprise.
Therefore, Christians are justified in fighting during Christmas, all these anti-Christian elements culturally, economically, legally, and politically.  And yet, they should utilize Christmas primarily to purify themselves and enter into greater communion with God. 
It is only through these acts of purification and communion with God that the graces needed to improve America can be acquired. Christians cannot allow their enemies to spoil their Christmas and make them bitter.
God and A.C.T.S.
The season of Advent which precedes the Christmas Season seeks to help us purify ourselves through a process of repentance and prayer as we await Christ the Lord. Advent makes us appreciate Christmas and allows to better seek God.
According to Jesus, the greatest commandment is to love God.  Therefore, it is essential that we communicate with Him through the four ways which could be referred to as A.C.T.S.  It was St. Thomas Aquinas who taught us that there are at least four ways to communicate with God:
  • Adoration.  He is to be worshipped because God is our Creator, our Redeemer and our Comforter.  God created us for Himself.  He is the only one worthy of adoration.

  • Contrition.  We need to recognize our faults and sins and atone for them and beg for forgiveness.  God is full of mercy, even for the worst sinner who truly repents.

  • Thanksgiving.  God is responsible for our lives, our power to reason, our power to choose, our power to love, and our power to procreate, as well as responsible for all the resources which allow our powers to work.  We need to thank Him for He is the source of all that exists.
  • Supplication.  God made the world good, but the world as it exists now is also full of evil and is often a “valley of tears”. So we are wise in asking for His support and mercy.

These are four ways through which we can communicate with God.  Christmas is a wonderful time to seek Him in Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.  These ways will bring us closer to Him and renew us so we can love our neighbors and ourselves as Jesus loved us.
Praying With the Hands
Ironically, while to love God is the greatest commandment, God will not listen to us if we have not followed his commandments, which include loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Therefore, this Christmas not only should we approach God, but we should pray for each other as suggested by the Epistle of James (5:13-16).
However, sometimes we get so distracted and tired, that we do not know for whom to pray.
A simple method is to put the hands together, palm to palm, with the two thumbs closer to the body and the two little fingers farther away. Each set of fingers will remind us of people worthy of prayer:
  • The thumbs should remind us to pray first for those closer to our hearts, that is, those we love.
  • The index fingers should remind us to pray next for those who hate us.
  • The middle fingers should remind us to pray for our leaders, including the Pope and the bishops, so that they make decisions which are wise and loving.
  • The ring fingers should remind us to pray for those who are alone, forgotten, and suffering, even in Purgatory.
  • The little fingers should remind us to pray for ourselves.
The Church is full of saints and of people of great spirituality who can teach us how to pray.  Unlike some religions which emphasize many techniques and postures to pray or meditate, for Christians the key ingredient for good prayer, whether verbal, meditative or contemplative, is to be full of love for God and for others.
Conclusion
Christmas is a celebration of the coming of the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus.  Many of the things that happen to us during this wonderful season have nothing to do with Jesus himself.
However, it is never too late to disengage during Christmas from the “ways of the world”, at least temporarily, so that we can love God, our neighbors and ourselves, and help God spread His peace to all men of good will.  This will bring about the greatest personal renewal and social regeneration.
Merry Christmas!



About the Guest Blogger

Dr.Germán Muñoz was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, on July 13, 1950. He attended the Jesuit Colegio Dolores. Upon emigrating to the United States, he studied at the Salesian orphanage Mary Help of Christians School in Tampa, Florida, and at the Belen Jesuit Preparatory High School in Miami, Florida. Dr. Muñoz earned a B.S. in Psychology at the Jesuit Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, a Masters of Arts in International Relations, and a Doctorate in Political History at the University of Miami, Coral Gables in May 1981.
          He is the producer of the award-winning Social Science Lecture Series, of the Faculty Forum and of The Public Affairs Forum. He is the author of Background Lessons on Global Affairs (1997), of The Social Environment: A Primer on World Civics, 11th Edition, 2008, and International Relations: a Primer on Global Affairs (2004).
          Dr. Germán Muñoz is the recipient of the following awards: “John Barret Prize for Best Dissertation on Hispanic and Latin American Affairs,”, “Excellence in Curriculum and Instruction Award,” 1987, by the Florida Association of Community Colleges, “The Times Teaching Excellence Award,” 1990, by the National-American Association of Community Colleges, “The Reverend Glen C. James Endowed Teaching Chair,” 1992-1994, “The Award for Outstanding Community College Chairs Who Encourage Teaching Excellence,” 1993, by the National Community College Academy, “The David Pierce Department Chair Quality Leadership Award,” 1995, “The National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness,” by North Carolina State University, “The First Union Endowed Teaching Chair,” 1996-1998,  “The Excellence in the Social Sciences Award 1854-2004”, by Belen Jesuit Preparatory in 2004, The Collinfontanum Award for Professional Achievement 1831-2006, by Spring Hill College in 2006.
            Dr. Germàn Muñoz has served in the following boards: St. Kevin’s Catholic School Advisory Board; Miami Archbishop John C. Favalora’s Board of Catholic Education; the Florida Fund for Minority Teachers, Inc., and the Socio-Economic Development Council of Miami Dade County.
              Dr. German Muñoz worked at Miami Dade College, the largest college in the United States, from August 1976 through August 2011. He was the Chairperson of the Department of Social Sciences from 1983-2011. Dr. Muñoz retired on August 2011 due to ALS. The College awarded him Professor Emeritus status and has created the Dr. German Muñoz endowed teaching chair.


Contact Dr. Muñoz:  Via E-Mail  or on the Web  or co-author  Carlos H. Olaechea, P.T., D.P.T., N.C.S. via E-Mail.
Reposted with permission given to Raising {& Teaching} Little Saints.
Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!
advent, celebrating Advent, christmas, liturgical, preparing for the coming of Christ

Advent Wreath Prayers Third Sunday

Leave a comment

The 3rd Week of Advent

The head of household or leader says the following prayer.

Lord, we ask you to penetrate the darkness of our minds so that, filled with your brightness, we may rejoice in your coming as we say: Blessed be God for ever. Amen.

The mother (or grandmother) lights the previous candles and the rose candle; they remain lit during the meal. The same candles are burned each day of the 3rd week.

Suggested reading: Luke 3: 10-18

LUKE 3: 10 And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” 11 In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 13 He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” 15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Thanks be to God.

Thank you for following Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints! Visit us again soon!