Posted on 12/15/2006 10:37:34 PM PST by Salvation
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent
Reading 1
Sir 48:1-4, 9-11
In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord(s word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.
How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19
R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Gospel
Mt 17:9a, 10-13
As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
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I am attending a funeral early tomorrow morning and so figured I would get a head start on the thread.
Advent: the Reason for the Season
Advent Activity - The Jesse Tree
That incredible shrinking Advent-Christmas season (Christmas should start, not end, Dec. 25)
Advent Thoughts: Some of the Church Fathers on the Divinity of Christ
The Relationship Between Advent and the Change in the Seasons (Dom Guéranger)
Mary was in need of redemption and she was indeed f redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The manner of Mary's redemption, however, was unique. Instead of being freed from original sin after having contracted it, she was preserved from contracting it. This was a most fitting favor for the Mother of the Redeemer.
INVOCATION
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
TO THE VIRGIN IMMACULATE
O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from thy sublime height turn upon me thine eyes of pity. Filled with confidence in thy goodness and knowing full well thy power, I beseech thee to extend to. me thine assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. And in order that I may never be the slave of the devil through sin, , but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to thee. I consecrate my heart to thee for ever, my only desire being to love thy divine Son Jesus. Mary, none of thy devout servants has ever perished; may I too be saved. Amen.
PRAYER OF PRAISE
O pure and immaculate and likewise blessed Virgin, who art the sinless Mother of thy Son, the mighty Lord of the universe, thou who art inviolate and altogether holy, the hope of the hopeless and sinful, we sing thy praises. We bless thee, as full of every grace, thou who didst bear the God-Man: we all bow low before thee; we invoke thee and implore thine aid. Rescue us, 0 holy and inviolate Virgin, from every necessity that presses upon us and from all the temptations of the devil. Be our intercessor and advocate at the hour of death and judgment; deliver us from the fire that is not extinguished and from the outer darkness; make us worthy of the glory of thy Son, O dearest and most clement Virgin Mother. Thou indeed art our only hope, most sure and sacred in God's sight, to whom be honor and glory, majesty and dominion for ever and ever world without end. Amen.
Saint Ephrem the Syrian
PRAYER OF POPE PIUS XII
This prayer, dedicated to Mary Immaculate, was composed by the Pope 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.
Enraptured by the splendor of your heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into your arms, 0 Immacuate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in your 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 you, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of your conception until the day on which, after your assumption into heaven, He crowned you 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 your heavenly perfume! 0 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 your 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 you, we may repeat before your throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around your altars: You are all-beautiful, O Mary! You are the glory, you are the joy, you are the honor of our people! Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954
< U.S. Catholic bishops to renew consecration of nation to Immaculate Conception
Catholic Meditation: To the Immaculate Conception on this Election Day
My visit to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
On Solemnity of Immaculate Conception - "In Mary Shines the Eternal Goodness of the Creator"
Pope makes pilgrimage to Mary statue in Rome, marking the feast of the Immaculate Conception
Pope: Mary the Immaculate Conception... (text of BXVI speech)
"Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te" (The Immaculate Conception)
The Immaculate Conception — Essential to the Faith
"Who Are You, Immaculate Conception?"
TURKEY Ephesus: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception at Mary’s House
Coming Dec 8th. Feast of the "Immaculate Conception"
Why the Immaculate Conception?
Catholic Encyclopedia: Immaculate Conception (The Doctrine and Its Roots)
The Immaculate Conception of Our Lady December 8
Mary's Immaculate Conception: A Memorable Anniversary
Ineffabilis Deus: 8 December 1854 (Dogma of the Immaculate Conception)
Why do we believe in the Immaculate Conception?
John Paul II goes to Lourdes; reflections on the Immaculate Conception
Your Praises We Sing--on the Dogma of the Proclamation of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8th
Eastern Christianity and the Immaculate Conception (Q&A From EWTN)
"Christmas gifts remind us of the most perfect gift that the Son of God gave us of himself in the Incarnation."
- Pope Benedict XVI
| First reading | Ecclesiasticus 48:1 - 12 © |
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| Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch. It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal. By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire. How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have? Taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses; designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks, to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob, Happy shall they be who see you, and those who have fallen asleep in love; for we too will have life. |
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| Psalm or canticle: Psalm 79 |
| Gospel | Matthew 17:10 - 13 © |
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| The disciples put this question to him, ‘Why do the scribes say then that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist. | |
It must be a protected photo. It won't load onto the page.
But put this in your browser and you will see him:
http://www.culturalcatholic.com/PopeBenedictXVIprofessor.jpg
Wow. I can see it in my post. Hmmmm.
Once I put it into the browser, I see it in mine too.
| Saturday, December 16, 2006 Advent Weekday |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 105 (106) |
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| The Lord's goodness and his people's infidelity |
| Give praise to the Lord, for he is good, for his kindness is for ever. Who shall tell of his powerful deeds? Who shall proclaim the praises of the Lord? Blessed are they who keep his decrees, who do right at all times. Remember us, Lord, in your love for your people, and bring us your salvation, so that we may see the good things you have kept for your chosen ones, that we may rejoice in the joys of your people, that we may glory with those whom you have made your heirs. Like our fathers, we too have sinned: we have done wrong, we have transgressed. Our fathers, in Egypt, did not understand your miracles; they did not remember the abundance of your mercies, but rebelled as they approached the Red Sea. Still he saved them, for his own name’s sake, and to make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up. He led them through its depths as if through a desert. He saved them from the hands of those who hated them, he set them free from slavery at the hands of their enemies. The water covered their oppressors: not one was left alive. Then they believed his word, and they sang his praises. But soon they forgot what he had done, and refused to submit to his direction. They embraced desire in the desert and put God to the test in the waterless places. He gave them all they requested, he filled their hearts with his abundance. But in the camp, they grew jealous of Moses and Aaron, consecrated to the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed Dathan, covered the party of Abiram. Fire broke out against them, flames burnt up the sinners. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 105 (106) |
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| At Horeb they made a calf and worshipped a statue. They exchanged the glory of their people for the likeness of a bull, that eats grass. They forgot their God, who had saved them, who had done great miracles for them in Egypt, wonders in the land of Ham, terrors at the Red Sea. Then he said that he would destroy them, but Moses, his chosen one, was there: he stood in the breach before him to turn aside his wrath, to prevent the destruction. To them, the Promised Land meant nothing, they did not believe the Lord’s word. They stayed muttering in their tents, they were deaf to the voice of the Lord. So he raised his hand against them to crush them in the desert, to scatter their seed among the nations, to disperse them in foreign lands. They made themselves followers of Baal-Peor, they ate the sacrifices of the dead. They angered the Lord by their actions, and a plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and gave judgement, and the plague was stopped. For this, he is revered as one of the just, from generation to generation, for all eternity. At the waters of Meribah they so angered the Lord that Moses suffered on their account: they so embittered his spirit that his lips spoke rash words. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 105 (106) |
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| They did not destroy the peoples as the Lord had told them they must. They mingled themselves with the peoples, and learned to do as they did. They served the same idols until it became their undoing. They sacrificed their own sons and their daughters to demons. They poured out innocent blood. The blood of their own sons and daughters was sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. Their blood polluted the land, and their actions defiled them. They devoted themselves to whoring. The Lord blazed out in anger against his own people, he detested his own chosen race. He gave them into the hands of foreigners, they were conquered by those who hated them. Their enemies persecuted them and humbled them beneath their hands. Many times he freed them, but they turned him against themselves by falling back into wickedness. Still he looked upon their distress when he heard their cries. He remembered his covenant, and in his infinite kindness he repented. He made them an object of pity and kindness to all their captors. Save us, O Lord, our God, and gather us from among the nations, so that we may proclaim your holy name, and rejoice as we praise you. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from the beginning and for all time. And all the people shall cry, “Amen!”. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Reading | Isaiah 29:1 - 8 © |
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| Woe, Ariel, Ariel, city where David encamped. Let a year or two pass, let the feasts make their full round then I will lay siege to Ariel, and there will be moaning and bemoaning. You will be an Ariel for me, like David I will encamp against you, I will blockade you with palisades, and mount siege-works against you. Thrown down – you will speak from the ground, your words will come muffled by dust. Your voice will rise from the earth like a ghost’s, you will speak from the dust in a whisper. Suddenly, unexpectedly, you will be visited by the Lord of Hosts with thunder, earthquake, mighty din, hurricane, tempest, flame of devouring fire. The horde of your enemies shall be scattered like fine dust, the tyrant horde like flying chaff; the horde of all the nations at war with Ariel shall vanish like a dream, like a vision at night. And all those fighting against her, the entrenchments besieging her, shall be like the hungry man who dreams he eats, and wakes with an empty belly, like the thirsty man who dreams he drinks and wakes exhausted, his throat parched; so shall it be with the horde of all the nations making war on Mount Zion. |
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| Reading | A sermon by Blessed Isaac, abbot of Stella |
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| Mary and the Church | |
| The Son of God is the first-born of many brothers. Although by nature he is the only-begotten, by grace he has joined many to himself and made them one with him. For to those who receive him he has given the power to become the sons of God. He became the Son of man and made many men sons of God, uniting them to himself by his love and power, so that they became as one. In themselves they are many by reason of their human descent, but in him they are one by divine rebirth. The whole Christ and the unique Christ – the body and the head – are one: one because born of the same God in heaven, and of the same mother on earth. They are many sons, yet one son. Head and members are one son, yet many sons; in the same way, Mary and the Church are one mother, yet more than one mother; one virgin, yet more than one virgin. Both are mothers, both are virgins. Each conceives of the same Spirit, without concupiscence. Each gives birth to a child of God the Father, without sin. Without any sin, Mary gave birth to Christ the head for the sake of his body. By the forgiveness of every sin, the Church gave birth to the body, for the sake of its head. Each is Christ’s mother, but neither gives birth to the whole Christ without the cooperation of the other. In the inspired Scriptures, what is said in a universal sense of the virgin mother, the Church, is understood in an individual sense of the Virgin Mary, and what is said in a particular sense of the virgin mother Mary is rightly understood in a general sense of the virgin mother, the Church. When either is spoken of, the meaning can be understood of both, almost without qualification. In a way, every Christian is also believed to be a bride of God’s Word, a mother of Christ, his daughter and sister, at once virginal and fruitful. These words are used in a universal sense of the Church, in a special sense of Mary, in a particular sense of the individual Christian. They are used by God’s Wisdom in person, the Word of the Father. This is why Scripture says: I will dwell in the inheritance of the Lord. The Lord’s inheritance is, in a general sense, the Church; in a special sense, Mary; in an individual sense, the Christian. Christ dwelt for nine months in the tabernacle of Mary’s womb. He dwells until the end of the ages in the tabernacle of the Church’s faith. He will dwell for ever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul. |
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| Concluding Prayer |
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| Almighty God, may the splendour of your glory dawn in us and dispel all the darkness of the night so that at the coming of your only-begotten Son we may be seen to be children of the light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
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December 16, 2006    Saturday of the Second Week of Advent Old Calendar: St. Eusebius, bishop and martyr
"I am now as I was in the days of Noah when I swore that Noah's waters should never flood the world again. So now I swear concerning my anger with you and the threats I made against you; for the mountains may depart, the hills be shaken, but my love for you will never leave you and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken, says the Lord who takes pity on you" (Isaiah 54:8-10). Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was the feast of St. Eusebius which is now celebrated on August 2.
Evidently, in the mind of holy Church, neither the prophecy concerning Bethlehem Ephrata nor its fulfillment in the day of Caesar Augustus is to be considered merely a glorious divine disposition and achievement. No, the prophecy of Micheus is still being verified every day, but predominantly during the annual Advent season; for the selfsame incarnate eternal Son of God who journeyed to Bethlehem to be born there physically, now to the end of time comes to human souls as to spiritual Bethlehems, there to be born anew, again and again. But be sure to picture these merciful spiritual journeyings of Christ to the Bethlehem of souls as all too often sadly realistic spiritual repetitions of His first long journey over the rugged road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Meditate long on the wanton and malicious opposition He encounters on His way to them from souls that leave their senses and heart and mind to be ruled by earthly vanities, and their whole selves to be willing victims of the sensual and selfish illusions and witcheries of the seven capital vices. Can you still fail to see why Isaias and the Baptist compare the hardships of the way of the world's Messiah-King to souls with a rough, crooked, and almost impassable road up steep hills and down precipitous valleys and through dangerous mountain passes? Do you wonder that these prophets of His coming insist so strongly that merely sentimental longings and routine prayers, however multiplied, cannot prepare us worthily for the entrance He must expect and the welcome He craves? Pray very honestly, therefore, that you may begin to see the practical reasons for the Church's crying out in the desert world, and even into your own interior soul and heart: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord: Make straight in the wilderness His paths; Every valley shall be exalted; Every mountain and hill shall be made low; And the crooked shall be made straight; And the rough ways plain" (Is. 40:3, 4). Than shall you see the salvation of God! Excerpted from Our Way to the Father by Rev. Leo M. Krenz, S.J.
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Bethlehem and the Cross
Matthew 17:9a,10-13 Introductory Prayer:Lord, your disciples sincerely tried to comprehend your identity and believe in you. I come before you today with my doubts and problems, hoping to find in this prayer an answer to my deepest aspirations. I want to believe with unwavering faith and I want to love you with a devout heart. I offer you this time of prayer as my token of gratitude for all I have received from you. Petition:Mary, help me to obey God’s will in my life, just as Christ obeyed the Father’s plan for our salvation. 1. John the Baptist as Elijah. Once again John the Baptist is referenced in the Gospel for his role in preparing us for the One who is to come. Through the prophet Malachi, the Jews have grown in their expectation of the return of Elijah, who will prepare the way for the promised Messiah. But they have come to view him as a figure of great power, as someone who will sweep men away. So they fail to recognize Elijah’s presence in the person of John the Baptist, whose only power is that of the Spirit of God, calling all people to conversion of heart in order to receive the Christ. 2. Bethlehem and the Cross. Why did Christ become a helpless baby at Bethlehem? Why did he take on a fragile human body? Precisely so he could suffer for us in order to redeem us. What does that mean for our lives as Christians? It means nothing less than the fact that suffering is a gift from God. It is the Father’s gentle caress, molding us into the image of his Son. The cross is the source of our fruitfulness, not only in our personal spiritual growth, but also in the mission to win graces for others, for all of the souls God has mysteriously entrusted to our care. 3. Obedience unto Death. Christ’s desire to suffer arose from his loving obedience to his Father’s plan, without condition or limit. This loving obedience is what gives suffering its redemptive value. From the moment of his birth at Bethlehem, Christ shows us what it means to obey with love. Bethlehem is a school of obedience. In Bethlehem, Christ teaches us that only obedience frees, only obedience redeems and sanctifies, only obedience enriches. Obedience alone saves, obedience alone frees us from sin, obedience alone pleases God. Let us embrace the cross of obedience in the challenging circumstances of our daily lives, in the trials brought by the passing of years, in the sorrow that afflicts us when God calls our loved ones back to him. Loving obedience is the path to holiness, the way to the Father’s house. Dialogue with Christ: : Thank you, Lord, for giving us a school of obedience at Bethlehem, throughout your life and in your death on the cross. Help me to embrace suffering like you did and be confident in its power to make me holy and win graces for souls. Resolution: I will live this day united to Mary, obeying God’s will in whatever ways he manifests it to me. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 91 (92) |
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| Praise of God, the Creator |
| It is good to praise the Lord, and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your mercy in the morning and your faithfulness by night; on the ten-stringed lyre and the harp, with songs upon the lyre. For you give me joy, Lord, in your creation: I rejoice in the work of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how immeasurably deep your thoughts. The fool does not hear, the slow-witted do not understand. When the wicked sprout up like grass, and the doers of evil are in full bloom, it will come to nothing, for they will perish for ever and ever; but you, Lord, are the Highest eternally. For behold, Lord, your enemies, how your enemies will perish, how wrongdoers will be scattered. You will give me strength as the wild oxen have; I have been anointed with the purest oil. I will look down upon my enemies, and hear the plans of those who plot evil against me. The just will flourish like the palm tree, grow tall like the cedar of Lebanon. They will be planted in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish. They will bear fruit even when old, fresh and luxuriant through all their days. They will proclaim how just is the Lord, my refuge, for in him there is no unrighteousness. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Deuteronomy 32 |
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| The things God has done for his people | |
| Listen, heavens to what I say; earth, hear the words of my mouth! Let my teaching fall like the rain, my speech descend like the dew, like a shower on the grass, like rain on the wheat. For I shall call on the name of the Lord: give praise to the greatness of our God! His works are like a rock: they are perfect, for all his ways are just. God is faithful, he can do no wrong: he is just and upright. They have sinned against him, they are no children of his – this filthy generation, wicked and perverse. Is this how you repay the Lord, you foolish and witless people? Is he not your father, who took charge of you, created you and made you exist? Remember the days of old: think upon each generation. Ask your father and he will tell you; ask your ancestors, and they will let you know. When the Most High divided the peoples, when he was separating the children of Adam, he laid down the boundaries of the people according to the number of the children of Israel: the Lord’s own portion was his people, Jacob the measure of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror, in the howling wilderness. He protected him, looked after him, guarded him as the apple of his eye. Like an eagle teaching its chicks to fly, hovering close above them, he spread out his wings and lifted him up, carried him on his back. The Lord alone led Jacob; no foreign god was with him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Psalm 8 |
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| The greatness of God, the dignity of man |
| How wonderful is your name over all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! How exalted is your glory above the sky! Out of the mouths of children and infants you have brought praise, to confound your enemies, to destroy your vengeful foes. When I see the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you set in their place – what is man, that you should take thought for him? what is the son of man, that you should look after him? You have made him but one step lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour; you have set him over the works of your hands. You have put everything beneath his feet, cattle and sheep and the beasts of the field, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the waters. How wonderful is your name above all the earth, O Lord, our Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Short reading | Isaiah 11:1 - 3 © |
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| A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots: on him the spirit of the Lord rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is his delight. | |
| Canticle | Benedictus |
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| The Messiah and his forerunner | |
| Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| Almighty God, may the splendour of your glory dawn in us and dispel all the darkness of the night so that at the coming of your only-begotten Son we may be seen to be children of the light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
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Saturday, December 16, 2006 Meditation Matthew 17:9-13 Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. (Matthew 17:12) How sad! Jesus’ countrymen were zealous for God to stir up his might and save them, yet they failed to recognize that God was on the move in John’s strange and solitary preaching. Advent is a time of great anticipation, even in the secular world. Whether people are looking forward to church services full of unique sounds and smells, to special family time, or simply to the pleasure of giving and receiving gifts, everyone seems to be eager for Christmas. So what is it we await, and will we know it when we catch a glimpse of it? Sometimes our expectations distort our perception. Perhaps Jesus’ contemporaries expected Elijah to return in a blaze of fire. They got excited when John began preaching and baptizing, but surely the anticipation died down when no chariot came to rescue him from death at the hand of Herod’s henchmen. How do we expect God to come and save us? Are we expecting an instantaneous healing, a dramatic apology from a long-alienated relative, a financial windfall that will solve all our problems? Or have we been waiting so long for God to answer certain prayers that we’ve given up hope? Like Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, God is on the move. But the first signs of his coming look less like a decisive victory over every foe, and more like the distant jingle of Father Christmas’ sleigh bells and the subtlest thawing of winter’s icy grip. The first step in the healing that God wants to bring may be the grace to abandon ourselves to him in quiet trust. The first step in reconciliation may be our own small reaching out through a letter, a phone call, or an invitation. The first step in gaining financial security may be deciding to tithe the first fruits of our income or to simplify our lives. What is the deepest desire of your heart this Advent season? What first step is the Father inspiring and enabling you to take in order to move closer to his will being fulfilled in your life? Lord, stir up your might and come save us! Help us to recognize how you are on the move and how you are inviting us to cooperate with your salvation.
Sirach 48:1-4,9-11; Psalm 80:2-3,15-16,18-19 |
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O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 112 (113) |
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| Praise of the Lord's name |
| Praise, servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Let the Lord’s name be blessed, now and for ever. From the sun’s rising to its setting, the Lord’s name is to be praised. The Lord is high over all peoples, his glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who lives on high, who bends down to watch over heaven and earth? He raises the weak from the ground, the poor from the dunghill, raises them among the princes, the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a household, makes her the happy mother of children. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Psalm 115 (116B) |
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| Thanksgiving in the Temple |
| Still I trusted, even when I said “I am greatly afflicted”, when I said in my terror, “all men are liars”. How shall I repay the Lord for all he has done for me? I will take up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful. O Lord, I am your servant, your maidservant’s son. You have torn apart my chains: I will make you a sacrifice of praise, I will call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfil my vows to the Lord before all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, within your walls, Jerusalem. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Canticle | Philippians 2 |
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| Christ, God's servant | |
| Jesus Christ, although he shared God’s nature, did not try to seize equality with God for himself; but emptied himself, took on the form of a slave, and became like a man – not in appearance only, for he humbled himself by accepting death – even death on a cross. For this, God has raised him high, and given him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bend, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will proclaim “Jesus Christ is Lord”, to the glory of God the Father. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Short reading | Philippians 4:4 - 5 © |
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| I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord; I repeat, what I want is your happiness. Let your tolerance be evident to everyone: the Lord is very near. | |
| Canticle | Magnificat |
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| My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
| My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour – me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
| God, you see your people faithfully awaiting the feast of the Lord’s birth. Grant, we ask you, that we win through to the joy of that moment of salvation and eagerly celebrate it with solemn prayers and rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen. |
| May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
| A M E N |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
| This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
| Psalm 4 |
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| Thanksgiving |
| Take pity on me, Lord, and listen to my prayer. |
| When I called out, he heard me, the God of my righteousness. When I was in trouble, you gave me freedom: now, take pity on me and listen to my prayer. Sons of men, how long will your hearts be heavy? Why do you seek for vain things? Why do you run after illusions? Know that the Lord has done marvellous things for those he has chosen. When I call upon the Lord, he will hear me. Be vigorous, but do not sin: speak in the silence of your heart, in your bed, be at rest. Offer righteousness as a sacrifice, and put your trust in the Lord. Many are saying, Who will give us good things? Let your face shine on us, Lord, let the light of your face be a sign. You have given me a greater joy than the others receive from abundance of wheat and of wine. In peace shall I sleep, Lord, in peace shall I rest: firm in the hope you have given me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Take pity on me, Lord, and listen to my prayer. |
| Psalm 133 (134) |
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| Evening prayer in the Temple |
| Bless the Lord through the night. |
| Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who stand through the night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your arms to the sanctuary and bless the Lord! May the Lord bless you from Sion – the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
| Bless the Lord through the night. |
| Reading | Deuteronomy 6:4-7 © |
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| Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one the Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising. | |
| Short Responsory | ? |
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| Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. |
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| Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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| Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. | |
| Prayer | |
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| Let us pray. Come to us, Lord, this night, and give us the strength to rise at dawn rejoicing in the resurrection of your Anointed, who lives and reigns for ever and ever, Amen. |
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| May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
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